At the end of this month, YMCA Counselling Services at Winchester House in Shanklin will no longer be available to young people on the Isle of Wight.
YMCA say the decision was made following a “strategic review of operations”.
Chris Hand, Chief Executive of YMCA Fairthorne Group said,
“As a community Charity, we are deeply saddened at the closure of our counselling services on the Isle of Wight but we need to take these crucial steps to ensure that we can continue to offer support to children, young people and families.
“We are grateful for all the support everyone has given these services and hope that this can continue with the other services we are still offering on the Island.”
The charity say that withdrawing from counselling provision will allow them to “place a greater focus and increased resource on its core areas of activity at Winchester House”, including further development of its early years, residential and community work.
Mental health crisis facing young people
The end of the counselling service comes at a time when an alarming number of young people are experiencing high levels of loneliness, bullying and anxiety on Isle of Wight.
The first ever ‘Island Youth Mental Health Census’ took place earlier this year, when the views and experiences of over 2,500 children and young people between the ages of 5-24 years across the Isle of Wight was collected by the Isle of Wight Youth Trust.
“Findings from the census revealed that the mental health crisis facing young people across the country is being felt acutely on the Isle of Wight, where the local NHS Trust was placed into special measures earlier this year, following the Care Quality Commission’s criticism of NHS delivered mental health services, among other issues.”
Key findings included:
- 49% of respondents under 7 years of age felt predominately angry, sad or nervous at home
- 44% of respondents aged between 7-11 years said they felt picked on in the past week at home
- 82% of respondents between 7-11 years felt lonely in school in either the past week or past month
- 44% of respondents aged between 11-24 years reported feeling lonely at home in the past week
- 56% of respondents aged between 11-24 years reported feeling lonely in the past week or month at school
- 64% of respondents aged between 11-24 years reported feeling ‘useless’ at home in the past week or month
- In the past year, 36% of respondents aged 11-24 years have felt worried or anxious always or often
Others remain committed
Rachel McKernan, Assistant Director Children’s Services, Barnardo’s told OnTheWight,
“We remain committed to providing the Talk2 Barnardo’s Counselling Service which supports children and young people with mild to moderate mental and emotional health difficulties on the Isle of Wight.
“Regardless of any changes to counselling provision on the Isle of Wight, Barnardo’s will work hard to ensure that the needs of all children and young people are met.”
Rely on goodwill of community
Mairead Healy from Isle of Wight Youth Trust told OnTheWight,
“We are committed to continuing to provide support for young people on the Isle of Wight. As a voluntary organisation, we are under great pressures ourselves, and whilst we receive some statutory funding, we heavily rely on the goodwill and support of the community to subsidise all of our services, and ensure we can keep our doors open.”
