A new online programme to support young people’s mental well-being has been launched by a Dalston-based charity which was forced to cancel all its projects because of the lockdown.

ReachOut connects mentors with schools to build confidence in young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. It also helps to develop core learning skills, numeracy, literacy, communication and memory skills. In Hackney, one of the 10 most deprived authorities in England, it works with teenage boys at risk of exclusion.

Peter Blackwell, chief executive of ReachOut, told Eastlondonlines the new programme aims to replicate the mentoring sessions online. Blackwell explained that ReachOut Home works via Zoom, using the breakout rooms for the one-to-one mentoring and the main space for group activities. He added: “So far I’ve seen a quiz, yoga and even a samba!”

Prior to lockdown the mentoring sessions took place face to face. He said: “At The Petchey Academy in Dalston, the kids would come at 6 PM, there would be 16 volunteers and one staff member who does the planning and safety and kicks off with an activity to start the session”. 

He said there would be a session every week, including one-to-one conversations with mentors, discussing schoolwork and how things were at home. At the end, the whole group would come back together to do an activity.

However, in March, the lockdown forced ReachOut to cancel all of their projects. Blackwell said: “We thought we’d have to cancel them for the whole year but all of the people involved have been really understanding and helpful, all the volunteers, staff, mentors and funders”.

He said: “Since then we worked to find a way to keep supporting the young people. We designed and launched a new mentoring site online called ReachOut Home”.

Blackwell told ELL: “When we talked to schools, ‘we asked what do you need from us right now?’ They said anything that can get the pupils talking and help them to deal with the uncertainty, anxiety and other mental health concerns”. 

He said: “I’m a big believer in good role models, you can always do with having great people in your life”. He added: “We weren’t sure, but the kids have been really keen to come to ReachOut online. I’ve been positively surprised by the attendance.” Blackwell said the pilot is going well and they have received good feedback from schools.

He said: “Kids need to be out playing and socially interacting but it’s not safe.” He said the government has been very cautious but it’s difficult to support young people at this time because the risks are huge. 

He told ELL: “It would be great to fund a ton of summer schoolwork and put on good quality programmes to help with social acclimatising.” He said this was particularly for Year 6 children transitioning to secondary school.

Blackwell also backed the campaign by Manchester United footballer Marcus Rashford for free school meals for the summer holidays. In Hackney, 33% of pupils from local authority maintained secondary schools are known to be eligible for and claiming free meals. Hackney is the second highest borough in London after Tower Hamlets at 37.3% and higher than the England average of 14.1%.

Rashford forced the Government into providing £120m for a one-off COVID summer food fund. Blackwell said: “If all people in the public eye were as socially proactive as Rashford, it would probably be a good thing”.