Target reached!
Any extra funds we are fortunate enough to raise through your incredible generosity ...
Willow Tree Children's Support
Saint Leonards-on-sea, East Sussex, United Kingdom
Aim
We will provide free support for children and young people experiencing the impact of family illness, bereavement or suicide.
Our aims.
Willow Tree Children's Support will provide peer support groups for children and young people between the ages of 5-16 in local Primary and Secondary schools and community venues to promote a sense of hope whilst experiencing the impact of family illness, bereavement or suicide.
Through arts and crafts, storytelling and discussion we will support the children and young people in our groups to share and express their thoughts and feelings, discover coping techniques to improve their emotional health and well-being and minimise the feelings of isolation and loneliness which can be overwhelming.
At such challenging and emotional times, it is vital for children and young people to have a space they can feel safe and secure in, to share their worries and concerns with those who understand, to know they are not alone and there is help available to them.
How you can help.
Willow Tree Children's Support is passionate about providing support to children, young people and their families experiencing the impact of family illness, bereavement or suicide.
Every penny raised will go towards delivering peer support groups in our local Primary and Secondary Schools and community spaces in Battle, Robertsbridge, Bexhill, St Leonards and the surrounding villages.
Reaching £5000 will enable us to offer 8 weeks of free support to 4 schools in our local Rother community and host 1 after school group in a suitable community space.
Any extra funds we are fortunate enough to raise will all go towards enabling us to provide further free support within the Rother area, in schools or community spaces, through peer groups, 1 to 1 support or events and workshops.
Willow Tree will also provide support to families, carers and education staff via telephone, email and drop-in sessions. We will be there to listen, to offer advice and guidance of how best to continue their support of the children and young people in their care and ensure everyone involved has a place to turn to at difficult times.
Through your incredible generosity, Willow Tree Children's Support will be able to purchase all materials, resources, story books and games needed for support sessions and cover all admin, facilitation, travel and venue hire costs to make peer support groups meaningful, engaging and impactful for the children and young people in our local communities who desperately need our help.
Peer Support Approach.
While peer support groups come in many different forms, they always involve people with similar backgrounds and ages to create emotional, social, or practical support to one another. Research by The Children’s Society has found over 70% of children and young people who experience a mental health problem have not had appropriate interventions at a sufficiently early age.
‘Before the pandemic, one in eight children and young people aged 5-19 in England had a diagnosable mental health condition'.
Willow Tree Children's Support strongly believe in the positive outcomes early intervention can create for children and young people, and through our peer support groups we will help minimise the negative impacts on mental health which can also lead to school non-attendance, isolation and loneliness.
The Team.
Our experienced professionals in mental health and bereavement peer support have witnessed the lasting impact early intervention therapeutic sessions have for all involved.
Through our own personal experiences of living alongside family members with serious illnesses and having experienced significant bereavements and suicides of loved ones, we have a deep understanding of just how important it is to provide children and young people with a safe, supportive and nurturing space to express and explore their emotions, to speak and be heard.
Everyone involved in Willow Tree Children's Support is incredibly passionate about supporting children, young people, their families and carers during such challenging and emotional times. We are dedicated to helping those who need us whilst they navigate their way forward through life.
We are grateful for your support which will enable us to provide this invaluable service for the children and young people in our communities.
With heartfelt thanks,
Willow Tree Children's Support x
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East Sussex Community Wellbeing Fund - 2022 has provided £3,000 of match funding
This project successfully funded on 5th January 2023