The call has been made by Centre for Mental Health based on its evaluation of a pilot involving the placement of two psychologists at a youth club.
The mental health experts spent two days a week at Bruce Grove Youth Club in Haringey, North London, to support young men who attended, with their mental health and wellbeing.
In addition, psychologists provided training and advice on wellbeing issues to youth workers at the club, through the initiative run by community mental health initiative Project Future.
The evaluation found that young men at high risk of poor mental health, due to gang violence, racism and pressure at school, were successfully supported.
“They offered young people safe spaces to open up about their emotions and discuss concerns,” the evaluation found.
Meanwhile, the psychologists “gave youth workers more confidence in dealing with mental health issues”.
“This was especially important in the wake of the pandemic, which increased the need for emotional support,” added the evaluation.
Calls have been made for mental health workers across the UK to “reach out to youth clubs to improve access to psychological support for young people”.
Health providers and professional bodies are also urged to ensure the mental health workforce is diverse and “more representative of the communities it seeks to serve”.
Embedding mental health workers in youth clubs enabled them to reach young people who would not normally trust mental health services: https://t.co/MMvgsWOTPX #AlwaysThereForUs #MentalHealth pic.twitter.com/C3aQotbROm
— Centre for Mental Health (@CentreforMH) September 21, 2022
Centre for Mental Health chief executive Sarah Hughes welcomed the psychologists’ engagement with “marginalised young men through group activities and by focusing on what matters to them”.
“They created safe spaces for young men to talk about their wellbeing in the context of their lives,” she said.
“And they helped the youth club to become a therapeutic space for young people and staff during the pandemic. We hope that this will inspire other mental health services to reach out to youth clubs and find creative new ways to engage young people to support their wellbeing.”
Akin Akintola, a senior youth practitioner at the youth club added: “A lot of the young people that attend Bruce Grove would not access the current services and have never had the opportunity to speak to a therapist, for various barriers which is a big issue given the vulnerabilities and background of our young people.”
