Milton Keynes YMCA to offer mental health support to young adults

A hostel for young homeless people has employed professional staff to deal with clients' mental health so as to improve their lives.

The YMCA in Milton Keynes said it had reduced emergency calls to 999 services by 23% since support workers were on-site to deal with residents in crisis.

Some 200 adults aged between 18 and 35 live in the YMCA's supported housing.

TJay Thomas, who was housed by the YMCA in February, aged 23, said its mental health support had saved his life.

He used to spend nights in Northampton nightclubs or sofa-surfing, then get the bus to work in Milton Keynes.

The father of three, who had an addiction to drugs and alcohol, had been homeless for the fourth time when he arrived at the YMCA.

"My mental health, I would say, was at an all-time low," he said.

"I've always suffered with mental health and anxiety, mainly.

"I felt worthless, to be honest, and you start blaming yourself, and then you just get deeper and deeper until you just hate yourself."

With mental health support, he has been able to avoid alcohol and drugs for the past four months.

"My life has completely changed, and it might sound like a cliché, but I would say that is down to the YMCA," he said.

Kat Newman, of YMCA Milton Keynes and Northamptonshire, said: "Mental health challenges can have really significant impacts on our young people.

"It can prevent them maintaining relationships, it can prevent them from getting into education and employment, it can help them to see themselves in a really negative light."

She said the YMCA "have to do quite a lot of work to change that" but hoped a new project called Mental Wealth would help.

The project will see professionals offering mental health support within the YMCA itself.

These will include drop-in sessions and none-on-one help from psychologists. Bosses at the hostel have also replaced overnight security staff with support workers.

The project is being funded by the National Lottery, which has given the scheme £500,000 over four years.

Jane Lambert, chief executive of Madewell, a private health care firm contracted to run the YMCA's mental health service, said: "She said: "It's going to provide them with some expert clinicians, but fast.

"We know that if people are referred to the NHS there's such a huge demand.

"Waiting potentially for two years to be seen is going to have a massive negative impact.

"Whereas if we can bring really experienced clinicians into the residence, within weeks of them needing it, then hopefully we can prevent things getting worse for them."

A report by the University of Northampton found seven out of 10 young adults living at the YMCA in Milton Keynes identified as having mental health issues.

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