Why make a young person in need of counselling wait for help? Our initial target of 3,600GBP was to help reduce the waiting list for therapy for young people in and around Bedford suffering anxiety and depression. We've raised enough to clear the waiting list and provide access to therapy for over 140 young people. A new waiting list has already started. We aim to raise a further 3,000GBP to help ensure a total of 160 young people receive timely, expert help when they need it most.
Fewer than 1 in 3 young people with a diagnosable mental health condition get access to UK National Health Service care and treatment. Of those who do get referred, 34% are not offered treatment and are diverted to the strained voluntary sector. Providers of Talking Therapies (counselling) like Bedfordshire Open Door are dealing with the consequences of Covid-19 and more complex cases involving suicidal thoughts, trauma and self-harming. Waiting lists are growing. This isn't a safe situation.
Bedfordshire Open Door has a strong voluntary ethos, but it can also pay qualified counsellors to provide additional therapy sessions. We have raised enough to clear the 70 person waiting list and help a further 70 young people. By raising a further 3000GBP we can fund complete therapy courses for another 20, a total of 160 young people helped. Every 15GBP donated will buy a single therapy session with a true cost of around 50GBP including other overheads - an excellent return on investment.
The life chances of 140 young people have been significantly improved. Funding a total of 160 places will provide a 90 person waiting list cushion. The funds will enable Bedfordshire Open Door to recruit more counsellors, widening the breadth of expertise within the team and extend opening hours to include Saturday afternoons. Young people who overcome anxiety and depression can live happier lives, be less dependent on health services and make a fuller contribution to our community.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
