Youth Access

Targeted Support Fund success for Youth Access members

06 October, 2009

Youth Access members The Haven from Hartlepool  and The What@ Centre from Stourbridge were 2 of the successful organizations who applied to the Government’s Targeted Support Fund designed to meet additional needs of the recession. 

Julie Duffy, Chief Officer at The What? Centre was particularly pleased that the TSF funding will enable them to provide enhanced advice, counselling and anger management services to the over 19 age group. “We’re thrilled about this really. Our advice client numbers have seen a drastic increase, along with a jump in demand for counselling, relationship counselling and anger management. It’s always so hard to find funding to provide these desperately needed services for the 19-25 age group, and this in fact allows us to serve the up to 30’s. We have already started meeting these increased needs and the TSF funded work will start in November.”

Ann Brown of The Haven was equally pleased with the funding which will allow her to recruit 2 additional counsellors. “Hartlepool has been hard hit by the downturn, with increased unemployment and competition for the jobs that are available. We’ve been seeing an awful lot of young people who have no hope for their futures. I think we’ve only seen the tip of the iceberg too. We hope this TSF money will help us get our waiting list down and reach out to some young people we wouldn’t otherwise have been able to see.”

Both agencies have some concerns that the funding is one off, but are determined to continue the increased services into the future. Youth Access will be arguing strongly to policy makers that the effects of recession on young people far outlasts the downturn of economic indicators and will continue to provide the evidence of need to support future funding applications.

Youth Access warmly congratulates The Haven and The What? Centre for grasping the opportunity afforded by the Targeted Support Fund to improve their capacity to meet young people’s needs.

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