Investing in relationships to help young people thrive

Families have turned homes into workplaces and classrooms, friends held onto each other through Zoom rather than hugs, children missed crowded playgrounds, and young people were denied so many rites of passage usually taken for granted. And, of course, families were left grieving at the loss of a loved one.

It’s the best of relationships that have seen us through to this point – and we must build on that fact in our determination to create communities that are better at caring and sharing.

Relationships matter to young people. 79 per cent of 16-25-year-olds polled by Fastn in September 2019 stated that being in lasting and fulfilling relationships is at least as important to them as work ambitions. Yet, almost 15 per cent felt they lacked role models for these relationships.

And they matter to parents, guardians and carers too. Our polling with the Mental Health Foundation this year found almost all the parents (96 per cent) surveyed said it was important for schools to help children ‘understand and be prepared for’ friendships, while 82 per cent said the same about sexual relationships and 92 per cent about family relationships.

Moreover, this is the year when teaching about relationships finally becomes a formal part of every school curriculum.

Of course, we experience relationships and learn about them all the time, not just formally in the classroom. That is why it is so important to invest time and effort in what makes for the healthy dependable relationships that help us all thrive.

Fastn believes that we should all have the same chances to enjoy a thriving family life, whatever form family takes. We champion the vital skills and experiences that sustain positive relationships throughout life, influencing future physical and mental health, work and happiness for all of us.

It is why, for the second year, we are sponsoring the Youth Relationships Award with Children & Young People Now. It was great to see how the award captured the imagination of so many people last year, helping to highlight the amazing work going on in youth services every day.

Last year’s winner was Generation Girls, a project from Peer Productions, that brings together high quality arts practice and peer education. Generation Girls works with girls who have autism and with girls who have learning disabilities. It has been running for six years and offers a 10-week empowering drama programme for girls, and online interactive 'smart script' workshops.

These activities are led by a female facilitator and supported by a team of trained female peer educators, aged 18-21. The programmes explore issues such as self-esteem and body image, healthy relationships, and mental health.

And it works. One 2019 student said: “I now feel confident to spot the signs of abuse if I was in an unhealthy relationship.” Every participant on the 10-week programme said that they strongly agreed with knowing what a healthy relationship looked like, compared to only 44 per cent before taking part.

Rosie Horler, outreach officer at Generation Girls, explains the award’s impact: “Our focus has continued to be around delivering our projects in schools. Due to Covid-19 many of our schools had to delay their projects and so this summer has been packed with projects across Berkshire and Surrey, working with over 70 young people.

“We were delighted to share with our team, teachers, schools, young people and their families, our news on winning the Youth Relationships Award, which has made them feel very special and integral to our success. It is great to have recognition for the work we do and we hope that, moving forward this will help us build our work and reputation nationally.

“The award gave us the opportunity to speak at the virtual CYP Now SEND Summit earlier this month. It has been such an honour to share our work with others, to talk about our best practice and to show how we have built and adapted during these difficult times.

“We are now looking forward to what is next for Peer Productions and Generation Girls and know that our award from CYP Now will actively support future development and funding for the project.”

Rochdale Council’s Relationships Revolution programme was Highly Commended for its whole-systems approach to shifting the culture of a major town “to ensure healthy relationships for everyone who lives, works, studies and volunteers in Rochdale borough.”

Since then, Fastn worked with the youth team there to launch a programme called Student Relationship Champions, co-produced by young people

The programme allows secondary school and college students in year 11 and above to become peer-to-peer student relationship champions. The champions are trained to support other young people with healthy relationship advice and supported with a comprehensive toolkit and resource pack.

The youth service is already offering training to schools and colleges that want to roll out the programme and Fastn will support them to spread the initiative across the North West and nationwide.

Also shortlisted was Freedom Road Creative Arts (FRCA) based in Hull. Over the last 12 years FRCA has strived to make a positive difference in the lives of children and young people through the creative and performing arts. The organisation uses music, performance, drama and radio to raise confidence and give a voice to the young people involved.

Fastn has worked with FRCA since supporting the young people to develop a podcast series on healthy relationships, host a programme on BBC Radio Hull and appear on BBC Radio Merseyside as well as act as advocates for positive relationship ambitions for the Anti-Bullying Alliance and Relate’s Relationship Week.

We’re sponsoring the award for a second year because we want to put youth relationships – and the vital importance of investing in them and celebrating the best of what is already happening – firmly on the agenda for the future.

Please do get in contact if you are working to support young people’s relationship ambitions and attainment, or keen to make support for healthy, dependable relationships part of your wider youth programme.

Catherine Hine is chief executive at Fastn