Arch mentoring & support for young people

WE ARE ARCH

We are Kate and Melissa, we bonded over a shared love of championing women's rights, tackling period poverty and fighting the patriarchy. After a couple of years running empowerment workshops together for young people within the Cornish community, we have decided to take the plunge and create Arch.

WHAT WE DO & WHO WE’RE FOR

Arch aims to provide peer-led support, mentoring and resources to empower young people across Cornwall. Arch is a great first step for people who don’t feel like they are at the stage of needing professional therapy, are nervous about reaching out to more formal support services or want support quicker than the notoriously long waiting lists for existing services.

As a group, statistics show that young women have had the highest decline in mental health since the onset of COVID-19. This means that, coupled with the social pressures they face, it's incredibly important there are different support avenues available to them.

We will work directly with the community, specifically those who identify as women or non-binary between the ages of 16-25. We provide guidance with:

• Mental Health 
• Body Image and Self-worth
• Self-care and Wellbeing 
• Sex and Relationships
• Periods and Menstrual Health
• Activism

Workbook extract:

HOW IT WORKS

We work with each individual to create a tailor-made action plan to suit their needs. Each person chooses the subject areas they would like support with, as well as the level of interaction they would like throughout the process. For some, this could simply be receiving our workbook, so they can work through the exercises at their own pace. Or, for those who want more intensive support and guidance, we offer 1-1 mentoring sessions via text, phone or video call. Everyone receives the workbook, which contains resources, exercises, information, art and tear-out planner pages. 

Currently, Arch is focusing on reaching out through social media and established links with local schools but we have plans to hold workshops, talks and safe space conversations for small groups in the community when it is safe to do so.

Extracts from the Body Image chapter and the Periods & Menstrual Health chapter:

WHY CROWDFUND?

We want to provide this service for free, as this would make it a lot easier for young people to access the support we offer. The more money we raise the more young people we can help. 

The funds we raise will enable the running of our service, including everything from sustainably printing our Arch workbook, running virtual workshops and 1-1 mentoring sessions.

A Matt Haig quote from the Mental Health chapter:

www.wearearch.org