Lancaster youth charity help to relaunch Kendal based mental health network for young people

Monday, 23 June 2025 08:35

By Beyond Radio News

A Lancaster youth charity is helping to relaunch a vital mental heath support service for young people in South Cumbria.

Escape2Make and Wave Forward – the young person’s mental health charity – along with the Brewery Arts Centre, have united to launch a bold new chapter for The Helm Youth Network, to offer a new kind of support - creative, collaborative, and radically youth-led.

The scheme will see the operation of a monthly safe space for 16–20-year-olds that blends free creative workshops, peer connection, mental health support and opportunities to lead real change.

Escape2Make, who are based on Church Street in Lancaster, aim to help all 11 to 18-year-olds from the Lancaster and Morecambe area to escape from boredom, social media, loneliness and life pressures.

They will offer their expertise to deliver regular creative workshops with The Helm, starting with the first one focussing on Stop Motion Animation and Managing Anxiety next month, hosted at Brewery Arts Centre and delivered alongside Wave Forward’s mental health facilitators and young Wave Changers.

The monthly gatherings are designed for creating opportunities to decompress, talk honestly about the stresses Young People face, explore identity challenges, tackle loneliness and better understand the huge pressure this generation is under.

Wave Forward director Lil May said: “We know the mental health crisis facing Young People in Cumbria isn’t easing. Waiting lists are still growing and too many are left without support when they need it most.

‘’Often we hear that Young People aren’t seeking help as they think others are in more need, only compounding issues later down the line. But we also know that clinical services aren’t always what young people want.

‘’They’ve told us they need spaces that feel safe, social, creative, and most importantly, co-created, so we’re bringing together the strengths of Wave Forward, Escape2Make and the Brewery Arts Centre, along with the incredible backing of the Co-op’s Gamechangers Fund, to build something local, powerful and urgently needed.

‘’It’s not just about delivering support, it’s about listening to young people and changing how we, as a charity sector, deliver it.”

The first session - Stop Motion Animation and Managing Anxiety – takes place on Friday, July 4, 4pm–7pm at the Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal

You can book your place here