Counselling and Support for Young People relocation offers chance to give more help

A young persons counselling service has 75% more capacity after moving to a new office.

Counselling and Support for Young People (CASY) has relocated to a new site in Millgate, Newark, which has seven counselling rooms ­— four more than at its previous office on London Road.

The charity’s chief executive, Mick Mason, said they had outgrown the former premises.

“We had every room being used constantly throughout the day,” he said.

“There are nearly 100 people on our four-month waiting list so the move to a bigger office will help to reduce the waiting time.”

Mr Mason said the move had been made a lot easier thanks to a £10,000 grant from the Clothworkers’ Foundation to refurbish the building.

Internet service provider TIMICO donated new furniture to CASY to go in their new building.

They donated eight office desks, 30 small drawer cupboards, four arched desks, three filing cabinets, a large white board, an over head projector and a round desk.

Mick said: “The furniture was a big help and made the move a lot easier.

“The local community has also been wonderful. We have received many one-off donations from people raising money in pubs and through events.

“The community has really come together since I first came here eight months ago. I want to thank every single person.”

In the long term, Mick hopes the move will help CASY become an education centre.

CASY works with more than 65 counsellors and 40 schools.

An average person will have eight counselling sessions, helping those suffering with conditions such as anxiety or depression.

Over the last three or four years there has been a 15% increase in the number of referrals from schools, parents, careers, or young people themselves.

Last year they helped nearly 2,000 young people.

Although referrals are constant, Mr Mason said that exam time and just after Christmas could often be difficult for some young people.

He said: “Just after Christmas can be difficult for some young people.

“There’s an expectation that Christmas will be a happy time and a good chance for families to get together, but this isn’t always the case.