Reduce youth suicide and self harm - Art Therapy
Hi, my name is Sue and I run a Social Enterprise called Untapped. We provide Art Psychotherapy to vulnerable young people in Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch. Referrals to our service have increased by 80% during the pandemic. Not all of those families can afford to pay for a private Art Psychotherapist, and unfortunately the NHS/CAMHS is in crisis, with waiting times up to 2 years. We need your help to deliver our services free to those who need it.
WHAT IS ART THERAPY?
‘Art Therapy’ is the process of creating art with the guidance and support of a professional Art Therapist, and is a type of psychotherapy. Through the process of making art, young people are able to explore their inner world, develop greater self-awareness, express thoughts and feelings, access creativity and self-esteem, and better cope with stress. Art Therapy is proven to be effective in treating depression, anxiety, trauma, bereavement, addiction, mental health diagnoses, as well as difficulties related to learning or physical disabilities, neurological conditions and physical illnesses. The opportunity to fully explore unconscious and conscious feelings using art materials in place of the pressure to communicate verbally provides an unique freedom.
I AM RUNNING TWO MARATHONS IN A MONTH TO HELP RAISE FUNDS FOR OUR CAUSE.
We need the money by mid September, when most young people return to school. £3000 means we can deliver 12 individual sessions to 5 young people OR 15 sessions of Group Art Therapy to 8 young people. We hope to beat this target with your help.
CURRENT DIFFICULTIES FACING YOUNG PEOPLE
The young people we aim to support are likely to have been emotionally vulnerable prior to Covid19, and are now experiencing even greater distress due to the impacts of poverty, bereavement, SEN, LD, trauma, neglect, domestic violence, homelessness, sexual and criminal exploitation, issues around gender and sexual identity, racial discrimination, being EEA Nationals, being refugee and/or migrant children, looked-after children, young carers, dealing with addiction, as well as social isolation. Added to this the anxiety over interrupted education, the insecurity over exam results and future employment, psychological support is needed now more than ever, in order to prevent future crisis admissions to CAMHS. We know that improved mental well-being increases engagement and achievement in education, dramatically improving life-chances for young people.
“Even before the pandemic, people who self-harmed could struggle to access support – with only 38% of people who self-harmed receiving medical and/or psychological support.
It is extremely worrying that for the first time in five years, the suicide rate in the UK has increased, with 686 more deaths than in 2017. In particular, in recent years the rate of suicide in young people has increased, and the suicide rate in young females under-25 is the now the highest on record.
There has also been a significant increase in the suicide rate in young men, since 2017. Significantly more people aged 45-49 took their own lives also, and middle aged-men remain the group at greatest risk of suicide overall.
Young people have told us that lack of access to mental health support is a major concern.” (Samaritans, 2021)
PLEASE HELP US TO PROVIDE VITAL SUPPORT TO YOUNG PEOPLE, AND RELIEVE THE PRESSURE ON LOCAL NHS SERVICES
Want to help us in other ways? Untapped (Uk) CIC are petitioning for Art Psychotherapy to be funded and provided to more Uk schools, colleges and universities, available to all children and young people (CYP) who need it.
Please sign our petition HERE - https://www.change.org/Untappedcause
