He was reluctant to speak when we first met Max* through our Hospital Navigators project. But after getting to know us and accepting support, his confidence skyrocketed – and he’s now a regular volunteer at Together As One. This is his story.
But first, here’s a bit about the Hospital Navigators.
The Hospital Navigators project is made up of youth workers and trained volunteers who support young people present at the Emergency Department due to mental health, substance use, violence and related issues.
The Hospital Navigators support those aged 11-25 and signpost them to the right provision, including all the work we do at Together As One. Since most referrals are received out of hours, our Hospital Navigators can contact the young person directly to offer support whenever they need it.
Within a year, 310 young people were referred to the scheme. Max was one of the 158 who were supported onto a positive pathway to help break the cycle of readmission.
Following the initial engagement, the Hospital Navigators spoke to Max’s mum – who confirmed she’d appreciate any support. After giving Max time and space to think things over, they followed up with a phone call and hashed out a plan to provide continued support.
A couple of months later, Max attended his first session at Volunteer Night in August 2022 and has been engaging in many of our provisions ever since.
As well as coming to our weekly Volunteer Night, where he participates in many community projects like our bee-keeping project, he also attends our SEND Youth Forum where he advocates for young people with SEND.
During the holidays, he takes part in our HAF provision, Global Grub, where young people can learn how to cook, play games and get stuck into crafting activities. Max rated it a solid 10/10 – saying it provided a great space to socialise and learn new skills.
In total, Max has completed 131 sessions which amounts to 405.5 hours! We’re so proud of his progress so far and his transformation into a confident and engaging young person.
If you’d like more information about Hospital Navigators, get in touch with Romaan at [email protected].
*Name changed to protect privacy.