It's Your Choice

At a glance

Causes

Counselling / advice
Housing and homelessness
Young people

Other details

Geographical remit:

Local

Objectives

TO RESPOND TO THE EMOTIONAL HEALTH AND WELL BEING NEEDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE, TYPICALLY AGED BETWEEN 12-25 YEARS, INCLUDING THOSE EXPERIENCING DIFFICULT SOCIAL OR ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES. WE SHALL DO THIS BY, ESTABLISHING, MAINTAINING AND DEVELOPING INFORMATION, ADVICE, COUNSELLING AND SUPPORT SERVICES DESIGNED TO HELP THEM MAKE SAFE, POSITIVE CHOICES AND LEAD FULFILLING LIVES.

Vision

Our vision is that all young people are able to lead healthy, happy and fulfilling lives and to make a positive contribution to society for the benefit of both themselves and their communities.

Mission

Our mission is to offer a safe, free, and confidential support service that is accessible to all young people, typically aged 12-25, who live in the areas in which we operate and require our support. Through the provision of information, advice, guidance, counselling and casework support, delivered through our various drop in centres, outreach work, workshops, and projects or, where necessary, by signposting to other services, we will aim to provide young people with the knowledge, skills and information they need to make safe, positive choices on issues which affect their lives.

At the heart of all our work with young people will be a commitment to be non-judgemental, to show them respect, to empower them, and to involve them as much as possible in the development and delivery of our services.

Activities

The charity provides information, advice, guidance (IAG), and counselling to young people, aged 12-25 (occasionally young people aged 11), who live in and around the New Forest. However, a significant proportion of our commissioned or grant funded work is now ‘targeted’ rather than ‘universal’ and delivered in the form of targeted projects or casework.

We estimate that approximately 60% of the charity’s work is targeted at young people whose needs are commensurate with Levels 2 & 3 of the Hampshire Safeguarding Children’s Board and Children’s Trust Thresholds Chart i.e. young people with additional or multiple needs.

IYC’s current service portfolio includes:

Weekly ‘open access’ IAG drop in’s – delivered at 6 locations (Totton x 2, Fordingbridge, New Milton, Holbury, and Brockenhurst) and used by approximately 400 young people per year
Sexual Health Service – includes pregnancy testing, chlamydia screening, condom distribution and sexual health advice
Healthy Transitions – an age appropriate counselling service delivered to 75 18-25 year olds per year (IYC is the lead agency with 6 partners delivering this counselling service to 450 young people in various locations right across Hampshire)
Hampshire Youth Access Counselling – a counselling service delivering 615 sessions of counselling to approximately 100 11-17 year old young people each year
Targeted Youth Support Service (TYSS) – a new intensive casework support service targeting 160 11-17 year olds per year including those on the edge of care
18 plus Homelessness Support Service – a casework service targeting 70 young people per year who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and have multiple needs
Emergency provision - issuing of food parcels, health/hygiene packs, clothing etc.
Money Advice Service – a project supporting 20 young people facing debt and financial management issues
Pre-emptive emotional health and well-being workshops in schools – delivered to approximately 2,000 young people each year covering a host of issues including SRE, self- harming, substance misuse, child sexual exploitation, sexting etc.
Free helpline telephone – accessible 24/7 for young people or parents to leave messages to which we respond at the first available opportunity

No current opportunities

Search for volunteer opportunities with other organisations.