Cash boost for Preston youth health service (From Preston and Leyland Citizen)

Cash boost for Preston youth health service

7:40am Sunday 20th July 2008

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A Preston-based centre that offers health and emotional services for young people has received a major cash boost.

Urban Exchange, based in Mount Street, Preston, has received £61,000 of funding from Comic Relief and Central Lancashire Primary Care Trust, to offer more services and support for young people affected by mental health and emotional well-being issues - including the provision of counselling facilities.

Opened over four years ago, Urban Exchange has had more than 70,000 contacts with young people.

It is a one-stop centre for a range of statutory and voluntary youth services, reducing the risk of young people being lost between agencies.

The centre is a unique resource for issues affecting young people between the ages of 11 and 25, including drug and alcohol, homelessness, sexual health, unemployment, emotional well-being and poor learning.

At national level there are grave concerns about the increasing levels of mental distress among children and young people with a 70 per cent increase in anxiety and depressive disorders in adolescents since the millennium, with 40,000 children taking prescribed anti-depressants and suicide accounting for over one-fifth of all deaths in young people.

Lois Wignall, Chief Executive of Urban Exchange, said: “These are frightening statistics and something that cannot be ignored.

"Many young people who are distressed often feel that they are on their own or that no-one is listening to them.

"Urban Exchange provides a place where young people can call in for advice and support, without fear of being judged or criticised.”

While Urban Exchange is delighted to have received funding to continue with the provision of the counselling service, Lois was quick to point out that funding is still required for their outreach work.

She said: “Urban Exchange is partly funded by Lancashire Children’s Fund until 2011, but additional services such as mental health counselling and outreach services need extra financial support.

"Come September, we will be in the same situation of having to look for additional funds to continue to offer outreach support to young people living in the most deprived areas of Preston.”

In addition to financial support from Central Lancashire Primary Care Trust and Comic Relief, Urban Exchange has recently been funded by Lancashire Children’s Fund, The Lancashire Partnership, One Voice and Unity FM Neighbourhood Management Boards and The Lloyds TSB Foundation for England and Wales.

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