Contact Youth Counselling employs over one hundred and thirty therapeutic counsellors to deliver a range of services to children and young people throughout NI.  We pride ourselves on delivering quality services to those young people, or people over 25 through Lifeline, most in need as close to where they live as possible.  Our counsellors work from a variety of locations throughout NI including schools, family centres, youth centres, community centres, voluntary organisations and our headquarters in Belfast City Centre.

 The employed counsellors have all completed at least a Diploma in counselling and have some experience of working in a formal setting however many have gone on with further study and have years of experience.  We also provide in-house training amd imduction for all new staff.

Anyone can make a referral to our services whether you are a worried parent, carer, GP, nurse, psychiatrist, social worker, youth worker, teacher, community worker or friend.  All we ask is that you have checked out with the young person if they are willing to attend counselling we will always speak to the young person in advance of making an appointment with the counsellor.  Through Lifeline, our 24/7 helpline for people of all ages anywhere in Northern Ireland who may be in distress or despair, we aim to complete an assessment within 24 hours and if appropriate set up a face to face counselling session within seven days.

Counselling provides people with the opportunity to explore feelings, thoughts and behaviour with a qualified and expert youth counsellor and together they will explore possible coping strategies, unexpressed emotions, managing relationships, emotional resourcing and many other areas to support the young person’s emotional and mental health development. It could also help them to understand situations and support them to make decisions about their lives. 

Contact Youth Counselling have headquarters offices in Belfast at 1st Floor Lanyon Building, Jennymount, North Derby Street, Belfast, BT15 3HL.   However our work extends throughout NI through Lifeline 24/7 telephone helpline, Lifeline face to face counselling, mentoring & befriending and complementary therapies delivered by Contact Youth for those under 25 and in partnership with over thirty contracted theraputic organisations for those over 25. We also provide a Schools Counselling program in almost all post primary schools across Northern Ireland. We also have offices in Antrim, Armagh, Enniskillen, Omagh and Derry.

Contact Youth recruits only the best-qualified Youth Counsellors NI has to offer.  We offer our own training programme to all those who join the organisation as well as regular training and development opportunities for all staff and clinical placements.  Our clinical placement  team are also very well qualified many having completed their diploma in counselling or in the final stages of completing it we can offer clinical placements to those counsellors working towards their BACP accreditation.

It has taken 30 years to get to the point where Contact Youth are now the major counselling service provider for young people in NI  offering services at tiers two and three of the Hardiker model  with referrals coming from GP’s, Social Workers, Teachers, Parents, Youth Workers, Community Groups, Youth Justice, Psychiatrists and CAMHS as well as young people them selves. 

 All our work is directed by our person centred ethos and the rights of the child with the young person at the heart of all decisions made by our organisation. We believe in social justice and reaching out to the most marginalised young people in society and recognise that we are emerging from a very long and serious conflict and the effects of this upon our children will be felt for a number of generations.  Our current strategy is grounded in working towards consolidating all our existing projects and programmes of work and achieving excellence through accreditation.  Our vision is to have comprehensive mental and emotional health support services at tiers two and three which work in a preventative framework to support young people to avoid long term mental health problems and the need for in patient care. 

OUR CURRENT PROGRAMMES OF WORK 

Lifeline is a free counselling helpline service, managed by Contact Youth and funded under the DHSSPS’s Protect Life Strategy,  for people of all ages suffering from emotional distress or despair across Northern Ireland. No matter what your age or where you live in Northern Ireland, if you, or someone you know, is in distress or despair, Lifeline is here to help you 24/7 on freephone 0 808 808 8000.

Suicide Prevention Programme is a rapid response counselling and mentoring service for young people from N&W Belfast supported by Lifeline. 

Suicide prevention projects are also provided throughout the Eastern Board, Southern and Northern Board areas.

We have a counsellor working throughout the Northern Board area on generic issues and their work is supported by additional sessional staff. 

CHILL Counselling, Mentoring and Group work service for 8-17 year olds affected directly and indirectly by Substance abuse in the Eastern and Southern Health & Social Services Board areas.

Creative Therapy for younger people and those with special needs or a desire to work through different mediums.

Regional Counselling for 11-25 year olds throughout NI delivered in partnership with education, health and community partners.  Providing therapeutic counselling at a wide variety of sites throughout NI.

Schools Counselling offered to every post primary school (230 in total) in NI from September 2007 .

MISSION

“To help young people to help themselves through counselling towards a better understanding of themselves, their relationships and their environment”

VISION

“We strive to be the major counselling service for young people in Northern Ireland and to raise awareness of the value of counselling for young people”

STRATEGIC AIMS

1. To proactively identify and meet the changing needs of young people through the provision of quality regional counselling services for young people.

2. To actively promote high standards and models of good practice and the work of Contact Youth Counselling.

3. To sufficiently resource Contact Youth to sustain its continued effectiveness and quality in meeting young peoples needs

4. To provide a supportive, creative and flexible working environment for all staff and volunteers to learn and grow