i-Rock Hastings

i-Rock shortlisted for national award

i-Rock, a unique project which supports young people in Hastings and Rother has been shortlisted for a prestigious award at the first ever National Children and Young People’s Mental Health (CYPMH) Awards.

i-Rock is a place where young people aged 14-25 can seek support for things including mental health, wellbeing, housing, employment and education. Since opening in July 2016, the service has seen nearly 400 young people, many of whom said that they would not have accessed other services had i-Rock not been there for them.

i-Rock is open between 10am and 6pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and is based at Rock House, 49-51 Cambridge Road in Hastings.

The i-Rock drop-in centre in Hastings is a finalist in the ‘Partnership working and co-production’ category at the inaugural CYPMH Awards, which celebrate outstanding mental health services, innovations in care, and the individuals and groups that have made a real difference to young people.

Viki Ashby, Youth Services Project Manager said: “Everyone at i-Rock is really excited to have been shortlisted in the first ever National Children and Young People’s Mental Health Awards for partnership working and co-production. The importance placed upon the engagement of young people makes us especially proud.

“i-Rock continues to support young people in Hastings and Rother with a wide range of concerns, and hopes to extend the service to two further venues over the next year.

“We are so pleased that the dedication of many local young people in supporting the development of i-Rock has been recognised and we hope that we can continue to support many more 14-25 year olds who are experiencing difficulties in their lives.”

i-Rock is a partnership service led by Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, East Sussex County Council and Hastings & Rother CCG. The project works closely with a wide range of third sector providers including Princes Trust, Education Futures Trust, Youth Employability Service and Counselling Plus.

Winners of the National CYPMH Awards will be announced at a ceremony at Manchester Town Hall on Saturday 6 January 2018.

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust provides NHS mental health, specialist learning disability services across and beyond Sussex. For more information call the Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust press office on 0300 304 0664 or email communications@sussexpartnership.nhs.uk

Also in: Health Matters