Help Address A Growing Mental Health CRISIS #EMPOWERFUTURES
Youth Chair, Jhemar Jonas shares his insight to young people’s mental health and wellbeing
Today’s young people are facing unprecedented challenges—but with the right support, they can build resilient futures. The pandemic and ongoing economic uncertainty have deepened a mental health crisis that’s especially severe for underserved young Londoners. Last year alone, 1.3 million young people were referred to mental health services—a staggering 75% increase in 5 years (Young Minds). Nearly half of young people from underserved backgrounds report high levels of distress (UCL), and 3 in 4 are struggling to access the support they need (Trust For London).
At Spiral Skills, we’re dedicated to expanding access to the resources young people deserve, equipping them with tools to manage mental health, build resilience, and confidently navigate life’s challenges. With your support, we can create a future where every young person feels supported, hopeful, and ready to reach their potential.
Championing A Holistic Approach to Careers Education
Our mentoring services support young people in understanding their values and passions, setting goals for their future, and planning how to reach them. Through 10 free-to-access mentoring sessions, we aim to build self-esteem, provide resources for personal and professional growth, and connect them to opportunities aligned with their passions. Through our personalised one-to-one mentoring sessions, young people are guided by mentors trained in mental health first aid and trauma-informed care. Our mentors, often drawing from their own lived experiences, build trusted relationships that pave the way for positive and lasting change. These relationships foster a sense of self-worth and belonging, as one participant expressed:
This holistic approach to employment services, integrating career mentoring and community connections, can provide the trusted support network young people need to thrive. Once we understand the needs and aspirations of a young person, we draw upon our opportunity community and referral partners to connect them to employment, training, further education opportunities, or referrals to specialist support services. Collaborators such as Mosaic Clubhouse, a mental health resource, and Ebony Horse Club, which promotes emotional well-being through animal interactions, enrich the opportunities available to our young people. We aspire for our new office at The Factory in Brixton to be an environment where young people can access these resources and receive immediate support during crisis moments, providing both stability and a foundation for growth.
Spiral’s commitment to well-being extends to our staff, ensuring they are equipped and supported to serve effectively. We’ve collaborated with organisations like Partisan and The Learning Moment to provide therapeutic and coaching sessions for our youth workers. This supportive culture has earned us a Pride in Practice Gold award for our inclusive approach to LGBTQIA+ staff and young people.
the impact donating to one-to-one support can have
Mentoring fosters optimism and future planning—crucial factors for mental health and growth. Our data shows that 91% of participants feel more motivated to succeed in school, and 94% feel hopeful about their future. As one young person shared, “Spiral helped me set targets to achieve my goals in school,” reflecting how our programmes inspire a proactive and goal-oriented mindset. Data from our school mentoring programme made possible by Building Young Brixton and the GLA showed:
100% of participants report improved mental and emotional well-being
94% of our participants feel more prepared to tackle challenges,
81% report new connections with people who can support their ambitions.
Our mentoring provision has been made possible by The Walcott Foundation and the GLA, and in the past academic year our youth development and progression team have:
Through our holistic framework, Spiral Skills empowers young people in South London to overcome their challenges, build resilience, and envision a brighter future. Join us in building a future where every young person has the tools and support they need to thrive. Together we can make a stronger, more connected community.
We are fundraising to expand our services to include additional therapeutic support for both young people and youth workers in high need.
We know mentoring alone is not the answer. Young people are in need of access to specialist clinical provision to support their mental health and wellbeing. A £50 one-off donation can support us to supply a high-need service user with a therapeutic session with a clinical specialist.
Explore ways you can give to support more holistic education services and boost a young person’s access to supportive services below
or become a monthly impact champion
£5 monthly | Connect Partner
Support a young person's access to Spiral Skills safe space within The Factory
£20 monthly | Develop Partner
Sponsor a young person's personal and professional development across a 10 session programme
£50 monthly | Empower Partner
Sponsor the professional growth of a youth worker, ensuring local and lived experience leaders can inspire the next generation
make one single impactful donation
£20 one off | Inspire a Career
Sponsor a one-to-one career coaching session with a mentor
£50 one off | Boost Well-being
Fund a therapeutic session for a young person to support their mental health
£100 one off | Digital Inclusion
Sponsor laptops and media tech to boost young people's access to opportunity, CV building, and portfolio development
share our campaign #EmpowerFutures
If you are not in a position to donate, follow and share our campaign journey with your network to amplify our message and help make young people feel valued again.