Dave McNicholl is chief executive of Warrington Youth Club and writes a regular column for the Warrington Guardian

Since starting on my career in Youth Work in 1999 as a qualified Youth and Community Worker, Mental Health has always been an element of the engagement with children and young people. Over the past 25 years these issues have increased both in volume and severity.

As a newly qualified Youth and Community worker with a degree from the University of Wales I was set to embark on a career supporting children and young people, however, there was nothing about Mental Health covered within my studies.

As the Chief Executive of Warrington Youth Zone, we now expect most of our team to complete the Mental Health First Aid Course and for our army of volunteers Emotional Health and Wellbeing Training.

While there was an organic escalation in the prevalence of Mental Health issues in Youth Work, following the pandemic we have observed a significant increase in the number of children and young people who are facing challenges with their emotional wellbeing.

Over time the focus of Youth Work has shifted to include programmes that support children and young people in building their emotional resilience and wellbeing.

In April 2023 we launched the ‘Youth in Mind’ programme, providing young people access to a Youth Worker they can talk to on a one-to-one basis every day of the week between 3.30pm and 7:30pm at the Youth Zone. Since launching over 335 individual children and young people have benefited from this programme.

We have recently secured a contract with the Department for Health and Social Care to deliver a Mental Health Hub in Warrington.

This will allow us to develop a satellite service of the Youth in Mind programme across the areas of Warrington which are furthest from the town centre. We are going to work closely with schools, colleges, and partners in Health to raise awareness of the Youth in Mind Programme.

As part of the new contract, we are going to develop a digital pathway for young people to access the Youth in Mind Programme as we are aware that for some, entering the Youth Zone can be a barrier, use of a virtual space will widen access.

If you would like more information about Warrington Youth Zone or the Youth in Mind Programme, please contact us info@wyz.org.uk call 997271 or visit our website warringtonyouthzone.org