HAYN Network: What has been happening?

The network has recently had two events, an online showcase and in person event where members had the opportunity to get together and discuss the best initiatives to help young people across the sector. As plans of the network grow, we wanted to reflect on the work that has been done already and what is to come.

For the network to work most effectively, three sub-groups have been set up to cover different issues:

• HAYN volunteering academy
• HAYN mental health
• HAYN VAYP – Violence affecting young people

HAYN – Mental health sub-group

The mental health sub-group is the newest HAYN sub-group, and therefore still in an scoping phase. We’re open to new members of the sub-group, and there is space for members of the group to shape the direction.

In my day job, I’m the Director of the Spotlight Centre, in Poplar in London. We have a wide range of programmes for young people at the centre, including various projects which focus on young peoples’ health and wellbeing. These include Healthspot, our in-house confidential GP service for young people, a mental health ambassadors programme which works with young people with experience of poor mental health to create and spread resources to inform others about mental health, and sports programmes with mental health and group sharing elements.

We will discuss these services and those of other HAYN members within the mental health sub-group, and consider whether we can collaborate, replicate, or modify these initiatives to fill gaps in the delivery of HAYN members.

HAYN VAYP (Violence Against Young People)

The HAYN VAYP partnership with the GLA Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) launched fully in the summer of 2021 with the appointment of 2 new roles: Project Manager and Project Coordinator. These roles were funded by 9 Housing Associations and have been working within the VRU over the past 7 months.

The overarching purpose of the partnership is to begin to explore how we could use our collective assets to do more to reduce the violence that affects young people and local communities.

The work completed so far has provided a greater insight into the root causes and complexity of issues that fuel increased levels of violence. We are now in the process of developing a ‘public health’ (in line with the VRU strategy) approach that involves all stakeholders and places young people and communities at the heart of solutions.

The programme of partnership work is focused on 3 key objectives for the next 5 months in preparation for year 2:

• To improve the joint working of HAYN (and its partners) with local authorities through the Violence and Vulnerability Action Plans (VVAP)
• Amplifying the voices of young people (Delivery)
• To record and share all learning and identify recommendations and a business case for phase 2 (2022-2023)