At Helen & Douglas House we care for families and children between the ages of 0-19 at our hospice, in hospital settings or at home. Youth work is a big part of what we do at Helen & Douglas House and encompasses multiple teams supporting siblings of children with a life-limiting illness, young people as they start to transition to adult life and adult services.
What is Youth Work?
Youth workers build voluntary, trusted relationships with young people away from many of the other pressures they may be facing in their lives. At Helen & Douglas House, our teams work with young people aged between 11 and 19 with the aim of broadening their horizons, boosting their social skills and giving them a place to simply be themselves. At Helen & Douglas House our youth work spans 3 teams - Youth and Transition, Play Team and Siblings Team
Whether it's developing a personal skill, or trying to reach a goal, every session at Helen & Douglas House is child-led and tailored to their individual needs. Sessions provide a safe space to explore thoughts, feelings and experiences. Youth support is always the young person's choice.
Youth & Transition
The Youth and Transition team supports young people aged 13-19 and will usually work one-to-one with them in a place that suits their preferences. As well as individual sessions, the Youth and Transition team also run a monthly club called Network Saturday. This is an inclusive and welcoming club run at the hospice where young people can have fun, build friendships, socialise with peers and meet others in a supportive environment.
The team also run an annual Youth Weekend where the young people have the opportunity to have a sleep over with their friends at the hospice and get involved with lots of different social activities.
Session activities may include:
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Quizzes and scavenger hunts
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Themed activity days
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Animal visits
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Sports days including Boccia, Fencing, Basketball, Golf – all accessible/adaptive to needs
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Arts and crafts
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LEGO
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Board games
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Guest speakers: LGBTQIA+, internet safety, money, returning HDH users
Meet Dani - Youth & Transition Worker:
Dani is really passionate about working with our young people and love building genuine, trusting relationships with them. She loves having a laugh, getting to know their individual personalities and being someone they feel comfortable opening up to.
Meet Emma Youth & Transition Worker:
Emma is an outgoing, positive, bubbly person with a can-do attitude! Emma feels very lucky to work with such an amazing group of young people and we learn as much from them as they do from us.
The Play Team
Our Play Team work in the hospice and provide entertainment for children and their families while they stay with us at the hospice: daily art activities, weekly music events, parties, trips out, memory making:
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Small trips out: trips to the park, feeding the ducks, walks in town
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Big trips out: theatre shows, London visits, farm trips.
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Host regular in house parties for all the families and children – Christmas, Summer, Halloween etc.
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Host ‘Stay and Play’ days, and ‘Early Years’ mornings (under 5): a chance for children to come in with their families for a day of activities and a chance to meet others.
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Memory making for those who are in for End of Life care – a chance to make a keepsake for their family to cherish – often a handprint or cast.
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Fun, engaging and tailored activities for children in house
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People’s wishes – sometimes a child will have a particular wish which we try to ensure happens: meeting alpacas, camping out under the stars etc
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Therapy animal visits: dogs, penguins, alpacas, cats
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Music sessions with volunteers who come into the hospice
The Play Team work alongside the Care Team helping families and children make the best of their stay with us.
Meet Sian:
Sian is caring, compassionate, good ideas, always improving and developing her skills and sharing her knowledge with the team, and always a great listener!
Meet Polly:
Polly is a creative and open minded person with a love of music and art. She has a love for young people and teenagers, and is passionate that every child deserves the right to play.
Meet Kirstin:
Kirstin is a positive, happy-go-lucky person with a great outlook on life, and a warped sense of humour. Kirstin is a bit of a joker and loves making people smile and laugh.
Siblings Team
The Siblings Team offer support to siblings (aged 6-18) of children and young people who come to Helen & Douglas House, or those who have previously been supported by us. One-to-one support sessions are mostly delivered in school, although older young people may choose to meet in the community.
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Anger and frustration, sadness and grief
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Sibling relationships
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Building coping strategies
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Understanding and expressing emotions
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Memory-making and bereavement support
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Preparing for change and significant family events
The team use a variety of tools and approaches to help siblings understand their experiences, build resilience and develop practical strategies for everyday life. Drawing on approaches such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), they adapt evidence-based tools and techniques to suit the age, stage and needs of the individual child or young person.
The team also run monthly siblings groups and an annual Sibs Camp providing siblings with opportunities to have fun, meet peers with similar experiences and build supportive friendships.
Meet Holly:
Holly is an enthusiastic and understanding person who likes to think outside of the box and approach things from different perspectives. She is passionate in making sure our young people have space where they feel listened to, valued, and free to be themselves.
Meet Laura:
Laura has worked at Helen & Douglas House for over 15 years and brings a wealth of experience from supporting young carers, children and families. She is passionate about championing siblings and ensuring their voices are heard.
Meet Rosa:
Rosa has been with Helen & Douglas House for around eight years and brings experience from CAMHS, inpatient settings and wider children's services. She has a particular interest in supporting teenagers, older children and those with additional emotional or mental health needs.