A Day in the Life of a Frontline Youth Worker

Working on the Paediatrics Ward at Gloucester Royal Hospital and in the Community.

My day starts off with handover. We look at who has been admitted to the paediatrics ward, who has been discharged and whether there is anything important the ward team needs us to know. We plan for the day, which young people we need to see, whether there are meetings or calls to attend, and where our time might be most useful. However, the plan can change very quickly because when you’re working on a hospital ward, you never quite know what the day is going to bring.

One of the first things we do is go around the ward and say hello to the young people.

For someone we have met before, it might just be a quick: “How are you doing today?” “How was your night? “Fancy doing something later?”

For a young person we’ve never met before, we introduce ourselves, explain who we are and what Young Gloucestershire does.

We also speak with the nurses and other professionals supporting the young people, finding out what the day looks like, whether they have meetings, visitors or assessments.

We will normally then focus on the new YP. They will have been seen by the mental health team and a decision made to refer to Young Gloucestershire for support when they leave hospital. We spend time explaining what that support could look like, where we could meet, what they might want to work toward and what they want from the support we can offer. We gain consent from the young person to confirm they want to work with us (All youth work is based on a voluntary relationship, so this is key) and start getting to know them, we learn about their mental health needs as well as who they are as a person.

Once we have seen the new young people, we will spent time with those we have met before. An example of a session is making a vision board, which could include music, places they would like to visit, things they are good at, activities they want to try, people who make them feel safe, goals they want to achieve and what makes them smile! It might look like we are simply doing a creative activity, but it’s much more important than that, we are creating space for a young person to think about who they are outside of their current circumstances and the goals they want to achieve.

A highlight of the role is when a young person is deemed medically fit having completed their mental health assessment. They are then ready to leave the ward. Before they go, we make sure they know that their support doesn’t have to end when they leave hospital and here at YG we can help create that bridge between hospital and the community. A hospital admission can become all about what’s gone wrong. Youth work gives us an opportunity to explore what could go right. We also spend time speaking with parents and carers, where appropriate, because supporting a young person often means supporting the people around them too.

Why does youth work matter in suicide prevention?

Suicide prevention isn’t only about what happens when someone reaches crisis point. It’s also about what happens before, during and after that crisis. It can be about: having someone who listens without judgement, having something to look forward to, helping young people reconnect with their identity, their interests, their relationships and their future.

Youth work can build and create trusted relationships, support young people, reduce isolation, build coping skills, improve access to help and provide a safe space for a young person to open up.

A Message for Suicide Prevention Month

During suicide awareness month, we want young people to know that they matter, their voice matters and they do not have to face difficult moments alone.

Life can feel overwhelming, you can feel lost, exhausted, angry, lonely or feel like things will not get better. It is okay to ask for help and talk to someone. There are people willing to listen without judgement and provide a space where the right words do not need to be found.

Talk to your youth worker, your friends, your family, someone you can trust and keep talking until someone listens.

Crisis Numbers (In an emergency call 999):

Shout 85258: Confidential, 24/7 text support for anyone in crisis

Gloucestershire Crisis Team (24/7): 0800 169 0398

Samaritans: 116 123 (Free, 24/7 support)