As part of the Scottish government current programme there is a commitment to provide counselling within schools across Scotland to support young people from P6 to S6.
Youth Information in Schools Project pilot
The 'Youth Information in Schools Project' sits within Dumfries and Galloway Council's Youth Work Service and is part of a wide range of informal community based and school support for young people throughout the region. This is a confidential service for young people.
Within Dumfries and Galloway, a 2-year 'Youth Information in Schools Project' pilot was delivered from 2018 to 2020 working with young people to provide low level mental health support.
This project had a significant impact on young people and as part of the commitment to provide counsellors in schools, this provision was extended and expanded to run across Dumfries and Galloway since August 2020.
Low Level Mental Health Support In Schools
This project has been developed jointly as a partnership between Youth Work Services and Educational Psychology, with oversight provided by a strategic group of managers from both services. This provision is committed to deliver flexible responsive early intervention and low-level mental health support for young people in Dumfries and Galloway.
This work is targeted at closing the poverty related attainment gap and supporting young people's emotional, behavioural, and mental health. In line with Scottish government requirements, all Youth Information Workers delivering on the project are qualified with the necessary skills and training to work with children and young people and have successfully completed an accredited counselling skills training course through COSCA (The professional body for Counselling and Psychotherapy in Scotland).
As part of the agreed professional standards and current best practice, staff are continually offered professional development and learning opportunities, including child protection policies. This training enhances and compliments the youth work approach and better equips the Youth Workers to deliver a more effective response to ensure the best possible outcomes for young people.
Key local priorities
The key local priorities identified with headteachers at the original pilot development stage were:
- early intervention and prevention
- social and emotional wellbeing
- promoting healthy lifestyles
- engaging beyond the school
- partnership working
- promoting a high-quality learning experienced
The project is delivered by youth information workers who can deliver a range of one-to-one 'Blether' support (only available to S1 and over), evidence-based group work and issue-based programmes.
Findings launched on impact of low-level mental health support in schools
In a research study, launched at an event on Thursday 9 November, evaluation has found that young people taking part in the Low-Level Mental Health Support Project in Dumfries and Galloway benefit by developing skills for wellbeing, increased confidence and self-esteem - and building improved attitudes about and attendance at school.
Dumfries and Galloway Council's Youth Work Service and Educational Psychology Service jointly deliver the project, providing young people with access to low-level mental health support in schools across Dumfries and Galloway.
In 2022, YouthLink Scotland (Scotland's national agency for youth work), Northern Star and the University of St Andrews were commissioned to conduct an external, independent evaluation of the impact of Dumfries and Galloway Council's Youth Work Service providing the Low Level Mental Health Support Project in schools across the region.
The aim of the evaluation was to answer 2 key questions:
- What impact the Low-Level Mental Health in Schools Project has on young people.
- How that impact was achieved.
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