Young people in Letchworth will now have greater access to a professional counselling service thanks to a grant to Tilehouse Counselling from the Heritage Foundation.
Based in Hitchin, Tilehouse Counselling is a charity working with adults and young people aged 13+ across North Hertfordshire.
Nationwide, one in 10 children suffers from depression, anxiety or another diagnosable mental health problem. There’s a growing need for counselling for young people, reflected locally by increasing waiting lists.
Tilehouse Director Sue Barnes explains: “Sadly our waiting lists have been increasing steadily over the past 12 months. Criteria for support under the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services has changed significantly and many young people simply don’t meet the eligibility thresholds for NHS support. We are keen to help these people before their issues develop further.”
Sue and her team of professional counsellors provide a professional counselling service, working with issues such as anxiety, depression, gender identity, bullying, self-harming and abuse. The service is confidential and non-judgmental.
“Put simply we offer teenagers a space where they can talk without being judged,” said Sue, “along with the time and space to work through problems and difficulties. For many we’re the last option and the alternative doesn’t bear thinking about.”
At Tilehouse Counselling services for children are free of charge and for those 19+ and in employment an affordable contribution is asked for, starting at £16 per session for those on benefits or on a low income. In order to operate, the centre must fundraise or seek support from organisations such as the Foundation and BigLottery.
“We’re incredibly grateful to the Foundation for the grant, indeed we’re thankful to all our supporters and Patrons,” commented Sue. “It would be good if we could focus less on fundraising – allowing us to free up our time for our core activities, but we need a certain level of money to operate.”
Alastair Stewart, Letchworth Heritage Foundation, Head of Charitable Services, commented: “We know from our work with MIND Herts that the number of mental health cases at Letchworth GP surgeries is higher than the regional average. We’re delighted to be able to support this valuable service and hope our funding enables more young people of Letchworth to get the help they need.”
If you or someone you know would like to learn more about the counselling available call 01462 440244, send an email to counselling@tilehouse.org or visit the website – www.tilehouse.org.
