Rotherham Pathways Project wins national gong

A PROJECT to help vulnerable young people access support services has won a national award.

The Rotherham Pathways Project — which supports 17 to 24 year olds — has won the Innovation in Child and Young People’s Mental Health category at the Positive Practice in Mental Health Awards 2016.

The project has a forensic mental health practitioner and two pathways workers operating in the police vulnerable persons unit at Rotherham, identifying and engaging with individuals at risk.

The Rotherham Pathways Project is one of six nationally that form part of the T2A Alliance’s national Transition to Adulthood pathway programme and is delivered by Together for Mental Wellbeing in partnership with South Yorkshire Police, Rotherham Borough Council and the Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust (RDaSH).

Individuals are given practical support to manage their mental well-being and to access community resources, from employment and training, to housing, mental health and substance misuse services.

Asst Ch Con Jason Harwin said: “I am absolutely delighted that the excellent work of the Pathways Project has been recognised with this award.

“Pathways continues to perform sterling work in protecting some of the most vulnerable members of our community, leading them away from crime and preventing them from entering the criminal justice system.

“The aim of the Pathways Project is to equip our young service users with the personal resources to reduce their mental distress, risk of offending and dependency on emergency services. This award is a nod to those who are working tirelessly to ensure the project meets those aims.”

Linda Bryant, director of criminal justice services at Together for Mental Wellbeing said: “Young people come into contact with the police for all sorts of reasons - they may have mental health problems, issues with drugs and alcohol, and be at risk of abuse.

“Supporting them to tackle these difficult things in their lives can make the difference between a lifetime in and out of custody or working towards living the life they dream of.

“We are thrilled that our Rotherham Pathways service has won this award.

“Our belief is that the people we support are the experts in what works best for them, and our pathways services are designed to be flexible and allow people to define their own goals and the type of support they receive.”