New partnership ‘Working together for Newark’

An emotional health and wellbeing conference has led to a new partnership between a local counselling charity and schools in Newark and Sherwood that will lead to improved counselling service for children and young people.

CASY counselling service, a charity that works to improve the emotional health and wellbeing of children and young people, provided the conference in May for 200 teaching assistants at the request of Jane Starbuck, Area SENCO for Newark and Sherwood. The conference was designed to provide teaching assistants with knowledge and skills to take back to their classes to help them understand the emotional difficulties experienced by children and young people. It delivered 28 workshops on 14 different subjects including: attachment, bereavement & loss and self-harm. The conference was considered a huge success and has now led to an exciting new partnership between CASY and the 17 primary schools within the Newark & Sherwood area.

Jane Starbuck said “We were extremely pleased with the success of the conference and are delighted to secure this partnership with CASY. It recognises and meets the needs of young people and unites local schools with local service providers all working together for Newark and Sherwood.”

It is estimated that between 10-20% of young people have emotional difficulties and left unmet these issues can carry over into adult life and result in social exclusion, poor inter-personal relationships, offending behaviour and erratic employment.

Frankie Musgrove, Director of Training for CASY, said “The opportunity to work with the schools in Newark and Sherwood will allow us to engage with young people who are going through emotional troubles and help build their self-worth, confidence and resilience. This forms a solid foundation essential for their emotional and intellectual growth.”

The new partnership will provide a 1-to-1 counselling service for young people. The delivery of a healthy living game to children in year six designed to promote communication and mutual support. And it will offer training on understanding counselling for teaching assistants.

Neil Hunter, CEO for CASY, said “it is so rewarding to see schools valuing the counselling process and using local services. The partnership offers us the chance to improve emotional health and make a real difference in young people’s lives.”

CASY provides a counselling services for young people aged between 6 – 25 throughout Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire and provides training and placement opportunities for counsellors. Another conference planned for next year.