Names have been changed to protect those involved. Samuel first came to us by a referral from a Local Authority Community Safety Team. He had been involved in numerous incidents in the borough and had built quite a reputation for fighting and violent outbursts. Around the same time, we received a referral for Joshua, another young person in the same borough. We quickly learned that he had a history with Samuel - an altercation between the two had ended in Samuel assaulting the boy's girlfriend. And then we learned of his response: he had arranged for a member of a…

We are delighted to announce that we have secured a new project from the National Lottery Community Fund that enables us to extend our support to vulnerable young people and families in Barking and Dagenham, Havering, Redbridge, Thurrock and Tower Hamlets in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This funding allows us to employ two full-time Outreach Development Workers to assist vulnerable young people who are on the cusp of serious youth violence, who are at risk of criminal exploitation, who are engaging in criminality and gang activity, who are not in employment, education, or training, or who are experiencing mental…

Why should employers care about mental health? The World Health Organisation defines mental health as "A state of wellbeing in which every individual realises their potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and make a  contribution to their community." Work contributes a great deal in our mental health and wellbeing. The Royal College of Psychiatrists claims that work is central to many people's happiness, as it provides not only the money we need to live, but also social interaction and support, as well as keeping us physically and mentally active. Through work, we develop new…