Making Every Conversation Count: How Centre 33 are supporting young people right when they need it

Making Support More Immediate and Impactful

This year, we’ve worked hard on a project to make our first mental health appointments with young people more meaningful and impactful. Instead of waiting for weeks, we focussed on getting to the heart of what was needed straight away – whether that was validation, reassurance, or some mental health support and education.

And the results were great: 90% of young people saw an improvement after that first meeting, and for 60%, the change was enough that they didn’t need further support for the time being. But if things change, our doors were always open. In fact our no-appointment-needed drop-in service means young people can come back to us whenever they need help.

It’s all about giving young people what they need right when they need it – no waiting around.

Reaching More Young Carers Than Ever Before

Young carers continue to be at the heart of our young people's work. This year, we reached over 6,000 people through outreach, training, and assemblies, helping to spread awareness of the support young carers need. And we didn’t stop there: we closely supported 1,130 young carers across the year, providing them with the support they deserve.

We’re proud to see that 79% of young carers reported an improvement in the impact of their caring responsibilities thanks to the support we provide. As one young carer said:

“I loved how I was able to get out of the house during the school holidays, which meant that I got a break.”

A Year of Growth and Impact

This year, we also celebrated some significant milestones.

Our holistic support services continue to make a real difference, with 90% of young people who accessed our services saying they were treated well, and 85% feeling listened to. It’s a testament to the care and dedication of our staff and volunteers.

We saw a 14% increase in the number of schools with a designated Young Carers Champion, now 247 schools have one. And we’re thrilled to share that Cambridgeshire was ranked in the top 5 counties for identifying young carers in the school census.

What’s Next for Centre 33?

Looking ahead, we’re excited about the future and the new opportunities we’re working on to expand our impact.

• Geographically Focused Services: In the coming year, we’ll be focusing on embedding multi-disciplinary teams across our North hubs (Peterborough, Wisbech, Huntingdon) and our South hubs (Ely & Cambridge) to make sure we meet the needs of young people wherever they are.
• New Hub in Cambridge: We’re refurbishing a new building on James Street, Cambridge to help us reach even more young people. This space will allow us to host more volunteers and collaborate with other organisations, enhancing the support we can offer. We’re also launching a fundraising appeal to fund the refurbishment of the new space.
• Expanding Support for Young Adult Carers: Our exciting two-year pilot project will continue next year, providing dedicated support for young adult carers aged 16-25. This group faces unique challenges, and our work is already making a positive impact as we work to better understand their needs and fill gaps in services.

We’re proud of what we’ve achieved this year, and none of it would have been possible without the incredible support from our community of donors, volunteers, and partners. Thank you for standing by us as we continue to support young people across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

If you’d like to learn more, you can read the full report on our website.