Information for Professionals
What Area We Work With
Whether we can help young people from outside the City of York Council area depends on the type of support they are looking for. For example, Connexions workers can help young people from all over York and North Yorkshire look for education or employment, but housing advice may not be appropriate for someone in a different local authority. Because of the waiting list, counselling is only offered to young people from within the local authority area.
If we cannot help a young person, we will sign post or refer them to an organisation that can help them.
Working with Under 16s
Most information, advice and guidance for under 16s is based in schools, youth centres etc, and is usually the most appropriate place for under 16s to access support. However if a young person under 16 comes to Castlegate we will offer support if this is possible and appropriate. If it is not, then we will signpost or refer the young person on to someone that can give them the support they need.
Refering Young People to Castlegate
Young people can call in to Castlegate during our drop-in times to see a worker for information or support. They do not need an appointment and do not need to be referred here by any other agency. However if the young person you are working with would prefer some kind of introduction or help in accessing the service, feel free to contact us. We would encourage you to do this when the young person is with you. They can then speak to a worker, arrange a time to come down if they want, and have a named person to ask for when they come in. It also means that any information is shared openly, with the young person's knowledge. If they would like some support to come down to Castlegate please feel free to come along with them, although we will usually invite them to speak one to one if they wish to.
Services for Young People at Castlegate
- Drop-In
- The drop-in has information workers from the old YES and Connexions Advisers. Young people can get help with many different things, for example:
- Finding somewhere to live, housing options and housing rights
- Advice about benefits and rights
- Help with employment, education and training
- Internet access to search for further information, job search etc.
- Computer use for writing letters, c.v.s etc.
- Photocopier for keeping copies of documents, c.v.s etc
- Sexual-Health Services
- During drop-in on a week day, and during the Saturday drop-in, young people can access sexual health services:
- Condom distribution: young people can get condoms for free at Castlegate (up to 24 per month if they are over 16). Castlegate operates the Youth Service's 'C-Card' scheme where young people can register with the scheme and get a card with an ID number on it as a simple 'passport' to condoms. Young people need to spend a short session with one of the trained workers to be able to register with the scheme, checking they know how to use condoms safely and what to do when things go wrong.
- Chlamydia screening: as part of the screening programme in York, young people can leave a urine sample at Castlegate for us to pass on to Yorscreen for testing. If they prefer, they can take a pack to bring back a sample later.
- Pregnancy testing: young people can have a pregnancy test there and then. This is offered in conjunction with support both before and after the test, and information and/or referral or signposting to appropriate services as necessary.
- Counselling
- We ask young people to contact us themselves to arrange counselling. If this is difficult for them, you can phone on their behalf - it is better if they are present. You can also call in to Castlegate with them to talk to a worker about what counselling involves.
Young people will be offered an initial 'first contact' appointment, usually with the Counselling Coordinator, within 2 weeks. This will be to talk through what counselling is about, whether it is what they want at this time, who they are getting support from, and checking practical details like contact mechanisms and availability.
There is a waiting list for counselling at Castlegate, and young people are encouraged to use Castlegate drop-in to talk to a worker in the mean time if they feel they need some support, and other places of support are discussed.
- Mental Health Advisor
- Sue Grant is the Young Person's Mental Health Adviser based at Castlegate. She works with young people 16-19 who are worried about their mental health or emotional well-being. Young people can contact her themselves for support, or can be referred through other agencies. She works one to one with young people and also runs an anger management group work programme, 'Chill-Out' at Castlegate. She is currently setting up a self harm group for young people with issues around harming themselves.
- Careers Guidance
- There are Careers Guidance appointments available at Castlegate for young people 16-19 who would like to spend some time discussing their long term plans for education, training or employment. Appointments can be made by calling in or speaking to one of the Connexions workers at Castlegate.
- Legal Advice Team
- Castlegate offers young people appointments with students from York Law College to discuss any legal or rights issue. Appointments can be made on a Thursday 5-7pm by calling in to the drop-in. Advice is given in writing after the appointment and is supervised closely by the supervisor at the college.
- Survival Guide
- Castlegate will continue to produce the Young People's Survival Guide to York. This is a small, free book published annually, and is aimed at 16-25 year olds giving information about many different subjects such as housing, benefits, health, education and employment, rights etc, and contact details for local and national organisations that may be able to help.
If you are not on the mailing list for guides but would like to be, please contact Emma James who is the main worker for the Survival Guide.