Thoughts from our Senior Management Team: Youthwork Manager Chris 

“It may come as no surprise that there is a mental health crisis amongst young people across our nation. They are facing unprecedented and relentless pressures on their wellbeing through social media, school, family, friends, climate disaster, the post-covid world, the cost of living, broken homes and hopelessness over future prospects. I could keep going…

According to Young Minds, 1 in 6 young people aged 5-16 had a diagnosable mental health condition, up 50% in 4 years! The Door’s own recent survey in the Stroud District showed that 37% (almost 1 in 3)  of the 450 young people asked, described their mental health as poor. With 4 in every school classroom saying they can’t cope with school life at all.

For many young people this level of poor mental health leads them to negative coping patterns, such as substance misuse, risky sexual behaviour, self-harm, crime etc. And the sad truth is that suicide has been the leading cause of death for those aged 5-35 since 2018.

The good news is that where The Door is working, young people are not alone. We exist to support young people with their mental health by building resilience and offering hope for the future.

It’s not just about 1:1 support either, young people can find safe, well trained, trusted role models to talk to at their youth clubs, as well as build a cohort of enduring friendships to share life with.

Here, they have the opportunity to participate in positive activities and informally learn life skills that can shape their character and widen their worldview. We offer a myriad of inclusive tools to help them build their own positive coping strategies and through talking to youthworkers, young people are empowered to make a positive change. Our THRIVE program supports young people through substance misuse and anxiety and our Young Leaders programme equips them with new skills and a positive outlook for their future.

Above all of this however, you simply cannot underestimate the power that an affirming consistent relationship, and a conversation where one feels listened to, can have. Our youthworkers are in it for the long haul for their young people and that’s how we are making a difference in your community.”