Our Standing In the Gap Programme works with youth between the ages of 14yrs – 18yrs old, using a Coach to meet with the young person on a one-to-one basis for a minimum of twice a month but ideally once a week. Meetings between the coach and young person are at least 1 hour long but often longer, we offer further telephone contact between the young person and YP coach to underpin the work carried out during the session.
The young person and coach will be expected to sign a confidentiality and coaching agreement. It is important to state that the young person must be in agreement to work with our Coach, without the willingness to do so we will not offer our support package.
The programme will not work with any young person in isolation, meaning that the parent/carer of any young person engaging with a coach is also required to work with our parent coach. The parent coach will hold at least one telephone/video or face-to-face meeting with the parent/carer of the young person for one hour at least once every 4 – 6 weeks (more often if required). These meetings may be held for one hour straight or over two or three 20/30-minute calls.
These interactions are held to offer support advice and guidance pertaining to the young person, this could be to explore previous incidents and decision making regarding ongoing issues and how they are being managed. The parent coach will offer and explore strategies to support positive outcomes for the young person. The parental support does not seek to work with the parent and child together the coach will rely on the honesty of the parent and feedback offered from the YP Coach who is working with the young person.
The parent/carer, young person and coach will be expected to sign an agreement committing to working together for the duration of the agreed support period.