Building Brighter Futures: How Yellow Door on Canvey Island is transforming young lives
A spotlight on how targeted support and dedicated youth work is transforming vulnerable young people’s lives in the Castle Point borough.
The Yellow Door story
The Yellow Door project on Canvey Island is an independent charity reaching out and supporting young people, aged 11 and 25, in the Castle Point area.
Essex VVU is proud to support this local community initiative, by providing funding as part of our work to give a voice to, and respond to, local communities, building resilience and through this preventing violence.
Through working with Essex VVU, Yellow Door is able to expand its reach, work with more young people and deepen its impact in transforming young lives.
The VVU funding enables youth outreach, a youth club and the employment of a specialist youth worker. The specialist youth worker has targeted hours across the week providing a trusted adult presence for young people aged 12–18 who are at risk of exploitation, anti-social behaviour, or criminal activity. This investment in dedicated, professional support has yielded remarkable results, with the project more than doubling it’s expected reach of young people.
Safe space and a trusted voice
The aim of the project is to build emotional resilience, improve mental wellbeing, and help young people develop confidence and essential life skills. The evidence tells us that placing a trusted adult in a young person’s life and helping to build resilience are key protective factors against violence.
The funding enables the employment of a specialist youth worker for a number of targeted hours a week in the Castle Point area, providing a trusted adult presence for young people aged 12–18 at risk of exploitation, anti-social behaviour, or criminal activity. Through drop-in sessions, outreach activities, and one-to-one mentoring, the youth worker provides consistent support.
Personalised mentoring sessions also provide the young people with dedicated support tailored to their specific needs. This trauma-informed approach helps build emotional resilience, improve mental wellbeing, develop confidence and essential life skills..
Real Lives, Real Change: Case Study
C’s story: 12-year-old child with neuro-divergent needs
When the youth worker first met C, their family was in crisis. Police were being called to the home on a weekly basis due to violent outbursts at home. Through consistent mentoring, C learned to manage their emotions, communicate better, and use calming strategies. Through feeling connected and supported with Yellow Door – C could see change was possible and helped to take steps towards achieving this, with the support of the VVU funded specialist youth worker.
Transformation in just 10 weeks
- No more police callouts to C’s home
- C returned to part-time education (previously not attending)
- C now uses healthy coping mechanisms
- C communicates with their mum and removes themselves from stressful situations
