Best For You, an innovative approach to mental health care run in partnership by CW+ and three NHS Trusts, is celebrating two significant anniversaries this month.
Best For You digital – the first part of the Best For You programme to be made available to young people – launched on Wednesday 24 November 2021. Last year saw the opening of Arc, home to Arc Day Programme (a community-based service for young people with eating disorders) and other wraparound support for young people.
Chris Chaney, Chief Executive of CW+, said: ‘Three years ago, five organisations began working in partnership to deliver Best For You, an ambitious programme aimed at making a difference to young people affected by the urgent and growing crisis in mental health.
‘We are immensely proud of what we have achieved together to date, and it is my pleasure to be able to share some of our successes.
‘We are inspired and encouraged by all we have learned over the past three years and look forward to taking this forward into the next phase of Best For You and beyond.’
Award-winning digital resources reach over 150,000 young people
Since its launch three years ago, the Best For You website has welcomed over 159,000 active users who can find a diverse array of information on wellbeing, mental health, and mental illness as well as digital mental health resources and signposting to mental health support offers in north-west London.
Earlier this month, one of the Best For You animated films ‘What are eating disorders?’ won the award for Best Charity Film (Health and Wellbeing) at the Big Syn International Film Festival. As a result of the win, the film was highlighted on Piccadilly Lights at Piccadilly Circus in London on Thursday 14 November, a huge opportunity to raise awareness of Best For You and reach an even wider audience with the message that it is possible to recover from an eating disorder.
Find out more about the award-winning film in our news piece.
‘You helped today. More than you’ll ever know’ – new feedback on NATTER text service
The NATTER text service has been a core part of Best For You digital since launch in November 2021, ensuring that young people struggling with their wellbeing or mental health have 24/7 access to confidential support.
As of 4 October 2024, 374 texters had reached out by texting NATTER to 85258, benefitting from 940 conversations between them. When young people are struggling, having a safe, calm space to express themselves can make a huge difference, and the anonymous feedback from young people who have used NATTER speaks for itself.Â
‘Being able to talk, vent, cry for help, really helps. Thank you for all you do’
‘Thank you for your kindness and support in a very bleak time! I appreciate you!’
‘Thank you. I will always remember your kindness even in the darkest parts of my life. You helped today. More than you’ll ever know.’
‘The volunteer was lovely and I can’t thank them enough. Even just listening to me was lovely, it’s as great to speak to someone who wasn’t judging me.’
Find out more about how the NATTER text service works on the Best For You website.
New YouTube content designed and made with young people
The latest video on the Best For You YouTube channel was planned and filmed with members of the Hammersmith and Fulham Youth Council. As part of re-designing the youth hub page on the Council’s website, the Youth Council identified a need for a video, so we worked together to script the film, identify locations, and gather footage.
Thanks to support we receive as a partner in the YouTube Health Programme, we were able to film 10 videos earlier this autumn, welcoming therapists, a mental health nurse, and a psychiatrist to join people with lived experience of mental illness and create content that will inform, support and encourage young people.
‘You got us through the darkest day’ – how Arc and Arc Day Programme are changing lives
Arc Day Programme opened last year, and provides family-based therapy alongside nutritional, medical, and psychological care for young people, while empowering parents and carers to support their young person’s recovery.
Young people and parents and carers have sent heartfelt thanks to Arc Day Programme for the support that has enabled them to progress in their recovery:
‘A massive thank you to everyone […] for getting me to where I am today and thank you for my time at Arc, for making it as enjoyable as possible. I am incredibly grateful to have been given this resource and I hope you can continue to help other young people and show them the care and compassion you showed me.’
‘Without all the support from all of the people at Arc, I wouldn’t be able to say that I have a pretty decent relationship with food.’
‘All I can say is you have been amazing help through my four weeks and I hope the day programme can help many others. It has been difficult but with everyone’s help you have made it easier, so thank you.’
‘Dear all the lovely team at Arc, I just wanted to say thank you so much for all your amazing help and kindness […] You got us through the darkest day, we couldn’t have managed without your support. What you do is so important and valuable and I hope you all realise how special you are. Keep up the good work.’
One of the key principles behind Arc Day Programme is involving young people’s families and carers in their treatment. Offering this support to young people who are struggling in the community prevents unnecessary inpatient admissions and allows young people to remain at home, maintain contact with their support networks, and stay engaged with their everyday life, which aids recovery. Work is ongoing with the Mental Health Provider Collaborative to evaluate this novel approach.
Lisa Mukherjee (Consultant) and Camilla Finch (Service Manager) said: ‘A great deal of thought and consideration went into the design and layout of Arc, and the young people and carers have found the space welcoming and inviting.Â
‘Early indicators show that the service is achieving a reduction in inpatient referrals through the short four- to eight-week interventions from the programme. This outcome means a better quality of life for the young people as they stay at home with family while recovering.’Â
Mentoring and social prescribing leads to improved wellbeing and reductions in stress
Over the past two years, we have worked with Chelsea FC Foundation to run a social prescribing programme for young people.
The results of the programme for young people were positive and included improved wellbeing (World Health Organization 5 Wellbeing Index), progress towards co-designed goals (goal based outcome measure), and reduced stress (perceived stress scale).