Case Study - Turn 2 Us

How many does it support?

Turn 2 Us drop-ins in secondary schools have provided brief interventions to 6887 young people since 2017 aged 11-16. (2856 in 18/19).

Case Study - 13 year old female

Background information
Grandma who was her rock and the person who held the family together had recently died. Father is alcohol dependant and Mum has depression.
Aware of the change in circumstances her teacher noticed that C was becoming withdrawn, appeared anxious and was not mixing with the other pupils. He suggested that if she didn’t want to talk to him she could always have a chat with a Turn 2 Us youth worker. He suggested to the Turn 2 Us worker that she might be able to encourage the girl to talk by gently approaching her during lunch.

Support Provided
Initially C was shy and nervous but after a few chats gained confidence. She began to open up and talked about her lack of friends and how she had been bullied by a group of girls. Since her Grandma had died she was feeling very lonely and low.The youth worker began to build trust between her and the young person and the bigger picture became clear. C was also struggling with her father and his alcohol dependency and caring for her mother.
The youth worker suggested that C could join the Young Carers Group to meet other young people with caring responsibilities for some support. C was interested but apprehensive, however she felt more confident when she realised that the youth worker worked on this session and that she would meet C from school and walk with her to the group.
Joining this group was an opportunity for C to join in fun activities and make new friends who were dealing with similar issues.
Attending this group helped C to talk about her worries and pressures with others. She has grown in confidence and no longer feels withdrawn or lonely.
Youth workers also contacted her parents to seek consent for C to participate in a day trip and took this opportunity to introduce themselves and discuss the wider family support that early help services can offer. C’s mum was happy with the support her daughter had received and the positive change she had seen in her, which meant she was keen to talk about what the family had been going through and access support.

Impact
A year after C first spoke with our youth worker she is happier and more confident with a network of friends and the reassurance that her parents are receiving the support they need too. The youth worker provided appropriate support for the whole family due to her ability to build a trusting relationship with the young person and the wider knowledge of local services.
C now accesses the wider universal youth club sessions and additional school activities including singing and performances. She is also exploring the possibility of setting up a local anti-bullying group to support other young people through challenging times.

Feedback from YP and Parent
“Having someone to talk to was a weight off my shoulders “… C
“This is the best support we have ever had “… Mum

Quotes from young people
‘It gives young people who are too scared to talk a chance to, and that’s appreciated’ YP aged 15.
‘I can’t talk to other adults but I can talk to you’ YP aged 14
‘Don’t like to talk to many people but I can talk to you’ YP aged 14

Feedback from schools
‘Having spoken to all the Heads of Year, they are really pleased with the work that Turn 2 Us do for the school and the students.We are not always able to see every student whose needs are greater than others, this is where your team step in. They do a fantastic job’ St Mary’s School‘

Both myself and pupils alike really value the session and staff regularly use their initiative and go to different social areas to make contact with various groups’ - Newland School for Girls

‘There is always a calming atmosphere with the young people during the lunchtime period when the youth workers are in the school’ - Compass PRU

‘The school really appreciate the presence of the youth team in the school and the feedback from the pupils is always positive’ - Malet Lambert HeadStart Hul