Getting Help
There are lots of services in Manchester that specialise in helping young people. Some of these are NHS services and others are offered by ‘voluntary sector’ organisations (such as charities). The NHS services may need a referral from a health professional (apart from the Emerge Team). You are often able to contact the voluntary sector organisations yourself. There are also things that you can do to help yourself, this is often referred to as 'self help'. See below for more information.
NHS Services
Voluntary Services
Help Yourself
NHS Services
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
Child and adolescent mental health services in Manchester offer a range of services including psychiatry and psychology. Appointments are mainly held in a location in North, Central or South Manchester, depending where you live. There is information on their website which tells you more about these services and what to expect. Find out more here and look under 'families'.
You cannot refer yourself to most CAMHS services. They accept referrals from GPs, Community Paediatricians, School Doctors, Educational Psychology, Health Visitors, School Nurses, Social Services and Youth Offending Teams. However, the service below does accept self referrals if it sounds like it is for you.
Emerge 16/17 Community Mental Health Team
Confidential support for 16 and 17 year olds around mental health issues. One to one and group support. The service will accept referrals from young people, family members, carers and professionals.
0161 226 7457
Who’s Who in CAMHS?
Factsheet from Young Minds. A useful factsheet which tells you about the different professionals in CAMHS and their roles.
Voluntary Services
42nd Street
Offers individual support for anyone aged 13 to 25 and under stress. Services include counselling, groups and individual support.
0161 832 0170
Swan Buildings, 20 Swan Street, Manchester, M4 5JW
Asian Girls/Young Women’s Project
Project offers counselling, support, advice and information to young Asian women
0161 273 2946
c/o Longsight Youth Centre, 422 Stockport Road, Longsight, Manchester, M12 4EX
Brook
Free and confidential sexual health advice and services for young people aged under 19. Services include counselling.
0161 237 3001
Commonwealth House, 81 Lever Street (near Great Ancoats Street), Manchester, M1 1FL
Counselling Service
Free and confidential counselling service for young people aged 13-19. Young people can be seen at Longsight Youth Centre, Moston Youth Centre and Wythenshawe Youth Service. Other services offered through the counsellor include: therapeutic group work; parent teen mediation; educational issues/liaison and worker information and support about counselling for young people.
0161 273 7588
Longsight Youth Centre, 422 Stockport Road, Manchester, M12 4EX
Moston Youth Centre, Houghall Road, Moston, Manchester, M40 9NJ
Wythenshawe Youth Service (Connexions Building), The Focus. Barclay Building, Rowlandsway, Wythenshawe, Manchester, M22 5BQ
Eclypse
Citywide service for under 19s who use or are at risk of using drugs and alcohol
0161 273 6686
73 Ardwick Green North, Ardwick, Manchester, M12 6FX
Hideaway Youth Project
For young people who feel they aren’t being heard. Hideaway offers a safe space to sharpen basic life skills and add focus to life. Work with young men and women aged 13-21.
0161 226 7325
The Armani Centre, Shoreham Walk, Moss Side, Manchester, M16 7DG
Lesbian and Gay Youth Manchester
Support, information and fun stuff for all young gay, lesbian and bisexuals living in and around Manchester.
0161 273 7838
PO Box 153, Manchester, M60 1GL
Manchester Foyer
Offers housing, support and advice to 16-25 year olds, including 61 self-contained flats where young people can learn to live independently.
0161 276 1000
61 Booth Street West, Hulme, Manchester, M15 6PP
Manchester Settlement Young People’s housing Project
Supported housing with ongoing support around practical issues for 16-25 year olds.
0161 231 1114
31 Bosworth Street, Beswick, Manchester, M11 3AP
DePaul UK – Reconnect Project
Free and confidential family mediation and one-to-one support for young people aged 16-25 who are homeless or at risk of being homeless as a result of family relationships breaking down. They also run a Parenting Programme supports parents to learn strategies to respond to their child.
0161 232 0604
Wesley Centre, Royce Road, Hulme, Manchester, M15 5BP
Wai Yin
Services include a wide range of employment, education and community services for both men and women in the Chinese communities including the Youth Project which is open for all young people aged 16 – 25.
0161 237 5908
61 Mosley Street, Central Manchester M2 3HZ
Young Adult Advice & Support Project (YASP):
YASP is a community based Young Mental Health Project providing practical advice and support for 15-25 year olds around issues such as housing, benefits, money, health, education, relationships and sexual health
0161 221 3054
832 Stockport Road, Levenshulme, Manchester, M19 3AW
Young Black Perspectives
Works with BME and Refugee and Asylum Seeker young people aged 11-25 in inner city Manchester, Trafford and Salford. Project delivers peer-led education and one to one support for young people.
0161 455 1502
Kath Locke Centre, 123 Moss Lane East, Manchester, M15 5DD
Young Carers Forum
The ‘Young and Unique’ Carers’ Forum provides information, advice and social activities.
0161 629 9859
Unit 6, Cariocca E-Manchester Business Park, 2 Sawley Road, Miles Platting, Manchester, M40 8BB
Young People’s Support Foundation:
City Centre Project – support for 16-25 year olds in moving towards independent living. Services include information and advice, casework, resettlement, supported housing, access to opportunities in education, work and training, peer education programme and tenancy training courses.
0161 228 7655/4
52 Oldham Street, Manchester, M4 1LE
Signpost – project based in Wythenshawe providing information, advice and support to young people about issues including homelessness, benefits, debt and employment
0161 436 5432
St Andrew’s Hall, Brownley Road, Wythenshawe, Manchester, M22 0DW
Help Yourself
What can I do to help myself?
There are many different positive steps that you can take to look after your mental health. The important thing is to find ways that work for you. There may be times when you need support from other people, and it is important to seek help and not feel you have to struggle on alone. The following steps work well for many young people:
Being creative
Scribble, draw, paint, make a collage or write about how you are feeling. Doing something creative is a good way of converting negative feelings into something more positive.
Letting out your emotions
It’s fine to cry or let people know you are angry. Bottling up feelings only creates more problems.
Taking time for yourself
Listen to music, read a book, see a film, have a relaxing bath, give yourself time to think about things – whatever works for you.
Seeing friends
Seeing friends is good for your mental well being. If you’re feeling isolated and don’t have many friends around, join a local group or activity where you can get involved and meet new people.
Getting active
Exercise is a good way of converting your anxiety and emotions into positive energy that is good for your body and mind.
Talking about it
Find someone you can talk to about your worries or concerns. It could be a friend, tutor, someone in your family, your GP or one of the voluntary sector agencies that offer support to young people. More information and links are below.
Finding space for yourself
It may help to find your own ‘safe place’ where you can think through any problems. You can use it as a place to retreat to when you want time for yourself.
Eat Well
What you eat affects how you're feeling, so eating food which is good for your body will be good for your mind too. Eat a proper well balanced diet including lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. Bananas, turkey, oily fish such as tuna and mackerel are all good mood food.
Learn and use relaxation exercises
Relaxation is essential for our health and well being. Learning to relax reduces stress and helps people to switch off and wind down. Activities such as yoga and deep breathing exercises are very good for this. Try to find time to chill out at least once a day. Here is an example of a breathing exercise: sit back comfortably, breathe slowly and deeply, establish a rhythm by counting to 7 breathing in, 11 breathing out. Breathe 5 complete breaths like this without pausing. Once you have mastered this, try to extend the time it takes to breathe in and out. Just make sure that you take longer to breathe out than to breathe in.