Step Together youth outreach - help and support

This page contains links to advice and support aimed at children up to 18 years of age. Youth Workers from the Step Together programme signpost children towards these resources when they meet them out and about. This page brings all the links together in one place and will be updated on a regular basis. If there is something missing from this page then please let us know. Services are free.

You are not alone, one of us wants to help. Take the first step and ask for help.

Looking for community activities to link young people with? Visit Coventry - Happy Healthy Lives to access resources.

Services

Family

Coventry Family Hubs: support, services and advice for young people based at buildings across the City.

Drinking, Drugs and other substances

Positive choices, Coventry: we help young people with advice and support around drinking and drugs, relationships, and sexual health. Our service is for people aged 5 - 24. It's free and confidential

Sexual health

The new sexual health clinic in West Orchards Shopping centre is a walk-in centre, and they can provide help and support for STI screening, access to contraception and general advice etc. The service is funded by Coventry CC Public Health. Tel 0300 247 0069

Food and Cost of Living support

Coventry City Council portal for help and support with food, fuel and other cost of living issues.

There are also a variety of social supermarkets, food hubs and food banks operating in Coventry.

Mental health

Emergency and urgent mental health support:

• In an emergency, always contact 999.
• You can contact the local mental health crisis line 24 hours a day, 365 days a year via NHS 111 and selecting 'mental health option'

Kooth is an emotional wellbeing support offer that provides anonymised free online advice, support and guidance to young people aged 11 to 25 years living in Coventry.

Shout is a free, confidential and 24/7 text messaging service for anyone in the UK who needs support. If you are struggling to cope and need to talk, our trained Shout Volunteers are here for you. To start a conversation, text the word ‘Shout’ to 85258.

The Coventry and Warwickshire Mental Wellbeing Line is available for anyone aged 16 or above who feels they are feeling low, anxious or stressed, are having a difficult time coping, and need to talk to someone in confidence to find the right service. Call: 0800 616171

Peer Mentor Service: this service provides support for young people aged 16.5 to 25 who are experiencing mental health challenges. Support is offered for a period of 6 weeks to 6 months, tailored to individual needs. You can also read their referral form and referral guidance.

Young Black Men Service: this service supports young Black men aged 11 to 30 years old, offering culturally informed mental health and wellbeing support through one-to-one and group work. For further information, watch their promotional video and access the referral form.

Confidential support for children worried about anything not covered in a category above

SafeCall is a free, confidential and anonymous helpline and support service for young people and family members that are affected by missing, county lines and criminal exploitation. Have you been told to hold drugs or weapons and you don’t know what to do? Scared, worried and not sure who to talk to?

If any of this sounds familiar or like a situation you are in, SafeCall is here for you, you can call or text us on 116 000, for free, confidential support. You don’t have to give us your name or any details. We can help you to talk through what is happening for you and help you to understand what choices you have.

Childline: a free, private and confidential service where you can talk about anything. We’re here for you online, on the phone, anytime. They also have a large range of resources to support and give advice and guidance, for example, bullying, online safety, grooming, sexting, nudes.

Report Remove is here to help young people under 18 years old in the UK to confidentially report sexual images and videos of themselves and remove them from the internet.

Childnet: help & advice for 11 to 18 year olds. Helpful information and guidance on a range of key online safety topics including: sexting, influencers, online sexual harassment, fake news, online bullying, phishing and scams, staying safe on social media, online grooming.

Samaritans: contact a Samaritan. If you need someone to talk to, we listen. We won't judge or tell you what to do.

Location of safe spaces in the city: Coventry Safe Spaces - Google My Maps

Safe to Talk  - the council's comprehensive website on domestic abuse and sexual violence, includes the perspective of a child or young person in the household where it is occurring.

Fearless: report anonymously any concerns about other young people. Fearless is the dedicated youth service of the independent charity Crimestoppers. We provide you with the opportunity to give information about crime 100% anonymously. You can give information to us using our online form or by calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Apprenticeships in Coventry and Warwickshire

Prospects: careers support for young people. If you need advice on your next steps and have not settled into a job, apprenticeship, college or sixth form you can contact us using the free phone number 08007313219 to make an appointment for one-to-one confidential and impartial advice on all of the options available, including guidance on how to make the best choice to achieve the career you want.

Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce Training offers a wide range of Apprenticeships with employers across Coventry and Warwickshire. Apprenticeships offer a great way to develop a career path, build valuable experience and enjoy all the benefits of the workplace. Whether you're just leaving school or college or have been in a job for a while, apprenticeships could be your route to a brighter future.

Find an apprenticeship: search for an apprenticeship in Coventry.

The Jobs Project is a service that works with 18 to 29-year-olds who are care leavers and/or NEET young people. Services in Coventry include a 10-week course that will provide employability skills and a potential job with Amazon or a preferred positive destination e.g. apprenticeships, employment outside of Amazon.