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This paper describes the development of a successful, confidential, drop-in health facility for students aged between 11-18, within the grounds of their College. The initiative has been student-led throughout and involves a highly effective multi-agency approach, with professionals from differing agencies working collaboratively with young people. Ferry-Health is situated in the grounds of Ferryhill Business and Enterprise College, which is a small village in the North-East of England
Ferryhill is a small, ex-mining village with higher than national incidences of indicators for unemployment, drug and alcohol abuse, teenage pregnancy, and mental health disorders. Ferryhill Business and Enterprise College is an 11 - 18 school with over 850 students on roll, with the catchment being Ferryhill and the surrounding villages. The College employ a registered counsellor (this author), who supports students with emotional and behavioural difficulties.
During 2002 the author began to be increasingly concerned at the risk-taking behaviours disclosed during counselling sessions by many young people. Students were also beginning to seek support from the author with issues that would have been more appropriately addressed by a health professional. When it was suggested to these students that there were mainstream services available to them, the usual response was that, for various reasons (often trust or accessibility issues), this young client group were reluctant to engage with existing provision.
Following consultation with colleagues from the school nursing service, local GPs and community education, a small steering group of professionals was established. This group was keen to research students ' views on the issues and the author advertised a meeting within the College that any interested student could attend.
This first meeting was well attended by a group of around 30 students, of varying ages and both sexes. Students and professionals discussed the concerns of the author and students alluded to the fact that the difficulty of them accessing mainstream services was more even more acute than had been anticipated by the adults. From this meeting the most interested students (ten Year 11 girls and two Year 11 boys) formed what became the Student Health Partnership (SHP). This group became the driving force behind the initiative, which was eventually named Ferry-Health (FH), Confidential Student Centre. The students became the decision-makers, acting as the board, with the author as facilitator (akin to the role of Chief Executive).
The SHP began to meet weekly, with clear agendas and minuted meetings. They researched, via focus groups and questionnaires, the views of other students. After much information gathering and discussion, the SHP formed a vision that was communicated to the steering group: to create an easily accessible, welcoming drop-in generic health centre within the grounds of the College. The centre was to provide advice, information and support from health professionals and peers in the areas of emotional, physical and sexual health. The students wanted the centre to be open during lunch times and at the end of the school day.
Throughout the development of FH, the Governing Body, the headteacher and his senior managers, and the remaining staff at College were always exceptionally supportive of the initiative. All appreciated that students will only reach their learning potential if all their needs are being met. The College has a strong pastoral care ethos, and FH was seen as a natural extension of the existing systems.
The Steering Group wrote bids to the local Primary Care Trust and to the National Lottery, and was awarded grants of £7,500 and £5,000 respectively. This was used to refurbish a disused portakabin in the grounds, as well as the purchase of laptops, Internet connection and a telephone line for the centre.
During this early stage of development, the SHP made decisions on all aspects of the centre. The SHP chose the layout of the rooms, the colour scheme and the furniture. They organised a whole-College competition for the naming of the centre and awarded prizes to the winner. The students held discussions with the steering group about the professionals who were to be involved, and various other agencies were invited to staff the FH on a rotational basis.
As more professionals began to hear about the initiative, so more staff were recruited to join the steering group and take a turn on the staffing rota. Adults who are now involved and attend at least one session/week are: the college counsellor, the school nurse, sexual health outreach worker, a youth worker, the Sure Start dad ' s worker, a midwife, a practice nurse and a health visitor. The GP can be called on to see a young person at FH as, and when, needed.
All staff give their time free of charge, apart from the GP, who is paid directly for the extra hour from the Primary Care Trust.
Ferry-Health opened in January 2003, with the SHP making presentations and conducting tours for invited guests, who included the Director of Education and the Chief Executive of the Primary Care Trust. Governors and representatives from Social Services, Health and Education were also in attendance. The event celebrated not only the empowerment of the students themselves, but the successful multi-disciplinary partnerships that had been established.
Ferry-Health continues to be a successful and well-used asset within the College community. A whole-college evaluation of the centre by questionnaire demonstrated that students valued this development. In the summer of 2003 FH was awarded the inaugural ' Sheena Amos Award ' , which recognises excellence in sexual health promotion for young people nationally. The author and two students gave a presentation to a large audience in Sheffield, and were honoured to receive the £500 ' gold award ' .
Although FH continues to provide its ' core ' service of advising, supporting, and signposting young people, there have been several spin-offs to the centre and what is offered. Many young people were requesting support with smoking cessation and, as a result, the school nurse is now facilitating smoking cessation groups.
The two college counsellors are using the centre to run groups during lesson time. These support students with specific difficulties, such as anger management and low self-esteem. The original SHP members have all now left the college and new teams of students have been recruited to sustain and develop the centre. These students have had generic training and are now termed ' mentors ' . Their base is in FH and, as well as facilitating other students ' use of FH, they are undertaking other tasks in the College, such as the induction of the new Year 7 cohort.
The latest initiative that is anticipated is the introduction of a text message advice service. Although the centre is being well used, the SHP and mentors suggest that perhaps some students are unwilling to attend the centre for various reasons. A text service could be a way to establish an initial relationship with these young people and encourage a face-to-face meeting, or indeed, answer their query by text.
Clearly, there are potential benefits for the whole college community as a result of this development. The research has shown that our students are now more willing to access mainstream services as a result of using Ferry-Health. Staff are now able to readily refer students who have problems, leaving their time for the more appropriate tasks that their roles demand. However, one of the most satisfying and longer-lasting benefits of Ferry-Health is the growth in confidence, experience and self-esteem in the students who have been involved in the establishment and development of this centre. Students who were part of the original SHP have gone on to employment or college placements and have impressed their new employers and trainers with the range of skills they have learned. Equally, the existing mentors have a sense of purpose and are taking advantage of the extra responsibilities their new roles are affording them - demonstrating very real values of citizenship.
Ms Karen Cromarty is a Registered Counsellor and the Co-ordinator of Counselling Services at Ferryhill Business and Enterprise College. The service is staffed by a team of two and provides 1:1 counselling for students, families and staff. The service also runs anger management and self-esteem groups. Karen also facilitates the Student Council, the management of Ferry-Health and chairs the Staff Health and Well-Being Group. In another half-time post, Karen co-ordinates Durham Schools ' Counselling Service - a service that has ten counsellors working in ten secondary schools across County Durham. She is also Deputy Chair of the Counselling in Education Division of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy, and is Chair of the Governing Body of Framwellgate School, in Durham.
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