How We Work

Fundamental to all aspects of our work is the vision of mental well-being for the young people of Hackney, as they emerge in to adulthood.

Mental well-being is beyond a policy statement and is embedded securely within all aspects of our work. Therefore all of our Counsellors, Art Therapists and Dramatherapists are registered practitioners in their respective fields and deliver services in a multi-disciplinary context, which is facilitated by inter-agency working across voluntary and statutory sectors. Staff qualifications vary from Diploma to Master of Arts level, with many staff post-graduate qualifications in a range of psychotherapeutic approaches. Our Advice, Information & Guidance Case worker delivers service to young people seeking assistance with a range of difficulties such as homelessness, benefits, training, education, etc. The role is integral to the counselling and therapy aspects of our service as young people are able to engage with psychotherapeutic and psychosocial support at one access point as their needs unfold. With reflective practice at the core of our delivery all staff engage in regular clinical / case management supervision and professional development training.

We have been successful securing funding from:

• Comic Relief to support young people affected by separation and loss
• London Borough of Hackney Adult Community Services, for counselling for 18 to 25 year olds.
  Hackney Community Partnerships to support aspects of Advice & Information services for young people;
• City & Hackney PCT to support young people affected by / experiencing mental health difficulties and developing a Young Men’s Early Intervention Service
• Team Hackney for the HYPAC (Hackney Young People Affected by Crime) service
• City & Hackney Young People Service supports our work with young people  around their sexual health from an psychological perspective
• Big Lottery Fund to support development of psychosocial work with young people who do not need counselling or therapy but benefit from support in developing confidence and skills within different social contexts
• Big Lottery (Awards for All) to support Off Centre upgrading Information, Computer Technology to better process client information

Partnerships

Partnership working is an essential facet of actively assisting young people as they develop a deeper sense of identity, as such Off Centre has developed partnership working across the following organisations within specific projects / forums:

• HYPAC (Hackney Young People Affected by Crime): working with Youth Offending Team, Metropolitan Police, Victim Support, and East London Mental Health Trust (CAMHS) – supporting victims of crime aged between 13 and 18 years old.
• Seeing Red – Feeling Blue: partnership with Rathbone (Hackney) to support young people experiencing difficulties in regulating their responses to strong emotions using semi-structured group work interventions.
• Case Histories: partnership work in delivering introductory workshops to the use of art and creative-expressive approaches to young people sharing their narratives of being young in Hackney.