Youth Access

Member profile: MAP, Norwich

06 March, 2009

Behind Norwich’s historic buildings, leafy avenues and ordered lives, 30% of the city’s young people are living below the poverty threshold (on means tested benefits), significantly less likely to leave full time education with even adequate exam results.

Fortunately MAP is there to fill the gaps and provide a place of safety and support. Yet, as an independent charity, the MAP team work within the uncertainty of keeping the doors open: getting consistent and adequate funding to maintain and develop services, adequately recognising the contribution of staff, and planning creatively for the future.

MAP and Youth Access: project partners

Youth Access team members Pamela Verma and Amandeep Hothi are pleased to be working with MAP on two Youth Access projects: piloting new advice quality standards and the Making Tracks project

Welcome to new director Dan Mobbs

Pamela and Amandeep recently met MAP’s newly appointed director Dan Mobbs, and were highly impressed by the wealth of experience he brings to the role, plus his clear vision for the future of MAP.

MAP numbers

November 1991 – MAP launched

700 to 1000+ ‘footfall’ per month

£40– the cost of keeping MAP open for an hour

30% of Norwich’s young people live below the poverty threshold (on means tested benefits)

11 to 25 – MAP’s age range

To feel valued: the MAP vision

MAP’s vision is that all young people will know what it is to be valued, and that they will have the support and information they need to make a successful transition to adulthood.

Informal, welcoming and entirely confidential: MAP’s services

Counselling

MAP provides counselling in house. Additionally 13 to 19 year olds can get counselling locally across the rest of Norfolk, via a longstanding partnership with fellow Youth Access members Off Centre Counselling.

“Art therapy helped me express my emotions in a new way. A way I found more honest and compelling than just mere words.. the piece I created demonstrated how I felt and the urge to hurt myself dissolved… it has had a lasting impact on my life.”

Art therapy participant

Rights based advice – including benefits, housing, money

Housing issues are huge in Norfolk. The MAP housing team saw 812 young people during 2007, and 42% were homeless at the first point of contact.

‘I found myself homeless without a place in the world, no food or money: I was out in the cold. MAP helped find me a place to sleep, some food to eat and enough money to make the next week.’

Young person benefitting from housing advice

Housing advice is offered from the MAP premises and from MAP staff working out of Connexions services in 3 other towns across the county.

Young fathers project

MAP run a highly successful young fathers project, which has supported 87 dads over the last year, despite the challenge of reduced hours due to funding problems.

“It’s great to see a young dad reading with his child, or just crawling around the floor with them, particularly as, when as they first arrived, they were too self-conscious to just give them a cuddle. This early intervention is so important in laying the foundations of a successful father child relationship which the young men themselves may never have experienced.”

Andy, Young Father’s Project Leader

A true one stop shop

MAP’s many other services include sexual health services, help around drug and alcohol issues, and help with writing CVs:

“MAP is a resource .. for young people to use as they see fit - to get a free coffee to get out of the rain, use the phones to sort that bill or job application out, or talk to a worker, though that’s not a condition of use. And MAP really is an integrated service. For all the talk of one stop shops, MAP is one. There really is a counselling service across the landing, you really can have a chlamydia test and get free condoms, you don’t have to shlep down to the job centre for a new claim form because they’re all here.”

Rob, Information and Advice Team Coordinator

Youth Access membership – an immensely valuable resource

MAP are longstanding Youth Access members: here are some of the ways they benefit from membership of the network:

The national picture

“Ever since MAP’s inception in 1991 we have been all too aware that the factors that most affect the lives of Young People are not exclusive just to Norwich and Norfolk. MAP’s founder recognised the need to gain a wider understanding at a National level of any Political and Social changes would help us better in championing or promoting Young People’s interests and rights. We became members of Youth Access as it was the main National Organisation where that networking and ‘pooling’ of knowledge and information could take place, and thereby allow us to play our part in promoting Young People’s interests and rights at a National level."

Staying in the loop

As MAP and Youth Access have grown, Youth Access has been an immensely valuable resource to us helping keep us up to date with developments affecting Young People and YIACS and also often helping us to inform other agencies and sometimes funders about National research and findings.”

Read more at MAP's website

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