New Wellbeing Hub to help young people to thrive

Called the Young People’s Wellbeing Hub, it’s based within the Hartlepool Now website and covers several areas including:

• Thriving – If you’re looking to make new friends, learn a new skill or just want something to do.
• Getting Advice – If you’re worried about something and need a bit of advice and support.
• Getting Help – Local organisations that can help you.
• Getting More Help – National organisations you can speak to on the phone or online.
• Risk Support – If you or someone you know are at immediate risk and need support.

Young people worked with Hartlepool Borough Council’s Youth Services Team to create the web page, which is based on the NHS iTHRIVE model.

Recognising that young people can sometimes feel worried, frustrated or under pressure, it uses the tagline ‘We can all feel like a bit of a monster sometimes.’

Building on this theme in a humorous way, the young people worked with local artist Mandascat to create some colourful but friendly ‘monster’ cartoon characters which feature as links on the web page.

The monsters also feature on promotional posters which the young people designed with Mandascat, which have been put up around the town.

Some of the young people involved in the project - (left to right) Oliver Huermann, Matthew Tyson, Georgia Robson, Amy Naylor, Layla Gibson, Emily Birkbeck and Reece Athey – with some of the promotional posters they designed with local artist Mandascat

Layla Gibson, one of the young people involved in the project, said: “Our group had previously completed a wellbeing project and young people’s feedback told us that they had found it difficult to know where to find support.

“This webpage will make it easier for young people to find out what activities and support is available to them in the town.”

To find out more, visit www.hartlepoolnow.co.uk and search for ‘iTHRIVE’

Any Hartlepool organisations which have services or activities which may be suitable to be included on the Young People’s Wellbeing Hub can apply to have them listed by using the ‘Create Account’ section at the top of the Hub’s introductory page.