With You at Mind and Body is now offering free mental health support for young people aged 18-25 in Kent and Medway. Mind and Body in Kent supports children and young adults who are self-harming, at risk of self-harming or struggling with their mental wellbeing. The service helps people find positive ways to manage difficult thoughts and feelings, working with small groups in secondary schools and in the community.
The service, previously open to those aged 13-17, has now been extended to offer support for those living in Kent and Medway aged 18-25 who are struggling with self-harm or mental wellbeing.
According to a January report from Young Minds, 67% of young people believe the pandemic will have a long-term negative effect on their mental health. Self harm is a common issue in young people with more than a third of 16–25 year-olds in Britain having self harmed at some point in their lives.
The free service aims to prevent mental health issues from escalating by introducing children and young adults to skills to help control hard to manage emotions. The service provides a strong foundation for managing mental health into the future, targeting specifically the late teens to early twenties as people in this age group may not yet feel able to relate to adult services.
Service Manager in With You’s Mind & Body service in Kent and Medway, Sophie Beer, said: “It’s important that we reach young people who are struggling with their mental health as early as possible, to offer friendly support and equip them with the knowledge and strategies they need to understand, talk about and manage emotions like stress or anxiety.
“Young people are often transferred to adult services when they turn 18, which can offer a very different approach. Thanks to funding from Kent and Medway Suicide Prevention Fund, With You in Kent are expanding their services to those aged 18-25 across Kent and Medway, which means we can support even more young people, in an environment that works for them.
“Too many young people and their families are struggling alone, worried about feeling judged or that their concerns won’t be taken seriously if they ask for support. We’re asking anyone who has concerns for a young person to get in touch – no worry is too small or trivial.”
Zoe, a young person who has accessed support from Mind & Body, said: “I first got help when I was 11. I was always ashamed of this because I thought I was too young to already be having serious issues. After seeing a With You practitioner for some time, I felt much better. They gave me useful tips for coping, like making lists and being organised and putting my mind to something creative such as writing. “
All information on how to access our service is available on our website.