Strike the Stigma
Redcar & Cleveland Support Services
Online Wellbeing Support
Kooth is an online platform to help young people with their mental health and wellbeing.
It’s a welcoming space to safely explore your feelings. You can anonymously talk to other people your own age on moderated discussion forums, and chat to mental health professionals via messaging.
We’re a BACP-accredited digital mental health service, and provide free services through the NHS.
Young Persons Substance Misuse Service
We support young people in reducing their reliance on substances, with aim of allowing them to become substance free.
We offer support & guidance to families & adapt our intervention methods & working hours to meet the needs of the people we support.
Mental Health Support Team
Every year, one in four of us will experience a mental health problem. We believe no one should have to face this alone.
We'll listen, give you support and advice, fight your corner and never judge you.
We won't give up until everyone experiencing a mental health problem in Teesside gets the help and respect they deserve.
Find out more about our work and the difference we make locally.
A message from your MYP
I've seen the detrimental impacts poor mental health support can have on a young person. I know that within schools, children are having to reach a crisis point, or have an outburst of 'bad behaviour' before their wellbeing needs get noticed.
My goal is to ensure all young people in Redcar & Cleveland have easy access to high quality wellbeing & mental health support.
I've designed this page to make it easier for you to find information about our local mental health services & fill in self-referral forms.
Sophie B
Strike the Stigma
Mental health vs physical health Currently, a huge stigma exists around asking for mental health support. However, reaching out for help with your mental health should not be perceived any differently than asking for help with your physical health. For instance, if you've injured yourself whilst playing a sport, chances are you'll tell someone about it (a coach, a parent, a friend) & you'll probably go get it checked out. You're happy to ask for help as you know you won't be judged, however, when considering asking for emotional support, you feel you'll be criticised by your peers. The unfortunate reality is, many young people go without the support they need, because they fear the reactions of their peers. I've designed this platform so you -the young people of Redcar & Cleveland- can access the support you need without the knowledge of your peers. However, whilst I don't expect you to directly share your own experiences with your peers, I encourage you to talk openly about mental health. This way, we can create safe spaces for our young people & reduce the stigma around mental health support.
My Mission
Since my election into Youth Parliament, I've been on a mission to bring real solutions to real issues. Given that a large stigma exists around reaching out for mental health support, (experienced by at least 66% of young people according to MIND) I believe it is necessary to teach young people the importance of creating a safe environment for their peers, and also of the positive outcomes of asking for mental health support when you feel you need it. Additionally, with 78% of students expressing that school has had detrimental impacts on their mental health and a further 96% reporting that their mental health has affected their schoolwork (MIND 2021-Not making the grade) it is clear that student mental health within many UK schools has been neglected. I believe it is important that people feel their wellbeing will be taken seriously, regardless of how big or small the challenges they're facing. Within schools, mental health struggles often go unnoticed until students reach a point of crisis; I want to make sure young people can access support tailored to their needs as early as possible, to reduce the impact their mental health has on their daily life, thus keeping our youth population happier for longer. I will also encourage self-referrals, particularly among older teenagers, so that young people feel in control of their wellbeing support.
Together, we can tackle...
Anxiety
Low Self Esteem
Depression
Stress
Stigma