Welcome to Colchester and Tendring Youth Enquiry Service

y.e.s. provides a confidential, non-judgemental and informal service for young people between the ages of 11 and 25 within Colchester and Tendring, who are facing difficulties in their lives.

If you are facing homelessness and need housing advice, if you are having family problems, if you are feeling low, depressed or suicidal, if you need advice about debts or would like to check you are claiming all the benefits you are entitled to, if you are teenager and are pregnant, if you are a young family who needs support, or if you need a CV, training or work advice, then y.e.s. can help you.

y.e.s. can provide help and support with many problems that you may be experiencing – and if we can’t help you ourselves then we will find someone who can, and will support you in getting that help.

EARLY HELP SUPPORT/FAMILY INNOVATION

The Essex Family Innovation Fund (FIF) has been a huge success with in excess of 10,000 referrals since 2015 and at The Colchester & Tendring Youth Enquiry Service we have accepted 400 of those counselling referrals for 11-25 year olds and around 200 for 6-10 year olds. Sadly however, this project will close on the 31st March 2019.

Please see the communication below from Essex County Council regarding this:

The current Family Innovation Fund (FIF) contract ends in March 2019. Essex County Council is continuing to commit to early intervention and now in the process of awarding FIF Grants for 1st April 2019. However, because of developments in early help services, for example the newly established Family Hubs, together with significant financial challenges, the funding has been reduced and the FIF model adapted accordingly.

Parenting, Counselling and Mediation services will not be recommissioned by ECC under FIF 5 from 2019. Therefore providers delivering this support will stop taking referrals for those FIF funded services with immediate effect. This will ensure providers can conclude any work with children, young people and families by the end of our contracts in March 2019.

However Y.E.S. is still providing a Counselling service for 11-25 year olds and Teenage Pregnancy and young Parent support work. If you would like to make a referral for either of these services please fill in the referral form below and someone will contact you shortly.

OR…

Follow this link for local services www.essexpartnership.org

Thank you for your patience in this matter.

For a friendly chat, or further information, call us on 01206 710771, use the ‘Contact Us’ option, or pop in to see us at 9 Trinity Street, Colchester, Essex, CO1 1JN

LATEST – Colchester’s very own early Youth Enquiry Service has been serving the community for 30 years now and here’s what we have learnt:

1) The issues facing young people are increasing in severity and impact

2) The attitude towards mental health has positively progressed within our community, but is not gaining enough support at government level

3) Our early intervention services have helped thousands to avoid crisis support services later in life, saving millions in social care

4) The people we see are not constrained to any specific demographics

5) Sometimes all people really need is someone to listen and encourage

6) Children today are exposed to innumerable more influences through social media than ever before

7) A couple hours in a garden can be all it takes to bring out a long-forgotten smile

For the vast majority of Colchester that are unaware of what we do, here are a few highlights from the last 17 days:

– We have received 33 enquires for assistance with homelessness or pending homelessness

– We hosted a young parents family day, providing a welcoming environment for young parents to mingle and being available for any concerns or problems to be voiced to our project workers

– Provided a one-on-one intervention for a local youth, enforcing both personal confidence and direct assistance with his CV composition and active job-hunting

– Members of our staff attended Gender Awareness and HIV training

“If you need help, the answer is y.e.s. – supporting young people.”

Donate to Y.E.S. via our Just Giving Page

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Youth Enquiry Service (y.e.s.)