Safe Spaces Trail- YPAS
This is a transcript of the podcast you will listen to that guides you around YPAS during our Safe Spaces Trail. To listen to the podcast, click here.
YPAS offers a range of wellbeing and therapeutic services for children aged 5 -15 years, young people aged 16-25 years and families in Liverpool.
Established in 1966; YPAS is a charity that supports children, young people, and families to address their mental health and emotional well-being difficulties.
The delivery of our citywide services includes primary schools, secondary schools and across 3 community hubs.
Everyone here at Comics Youth are very good friends with YPAS- We have done many a collaborative project with them and have always admired their drive for community, safety, and wellness within the spaces they operate. But enough about what we think! We spoke to Chris, the well-being service team leader over at YPAS, about his thoughts on all the wonderful work they do. Due to Covid regulations, we wanted to be sure to keep this safe for all- so our team here at Comics Youth have recorded the audio from Chris’ email responses.
How would you best describe what YPAS is and what you do?
YPAS is a mental health and wellbeing charity for children, young people, and their families. We have a lot of specific services such as primary school therapy, wellbeing clinics in secondary schools and I lead on the LGBTQ+ projects which includes group work, 1:1 support, community engagement, consultation, and training- usually across the 3 broad areas of education, health and social care and the children & young people’s workforce.
- Do you have a favourite memory from working within YPAS?
My favourite memories are always from Pride events. I absolutely buzz off seeing LGBTQ+ young people at their first Pride starting anxious and then skipping and shouting down the streets.
- If you could create a safe space for people, with no limitations, what would it be like?
It would have to have core intersectional principles; the safe space would need to be dynamic enough to meet the accessibility needs of those who often struggle with sensory overload like loud noises while also creating space for those who want to be loud. It would need to be accessible for different age groups, cultures, ethnic backgrounds, disabilities and for me a real focus on trans inclusivity and leadership. As a white cis male, I’m aware of the space that I take up and would love to not take up so much space!
- As part of that same safe space, what would you bring from YPAS to the new, limitless space?
I’d bring the youth! We have a children and young people focus, we are linked to every primary school in Liverpool and many secondary schools as well as the CAMHS partnership. We get a lot of referrals for LGBTQ+ support from these places and I’d love a safe space for them to socialise and grow as a community. Our staff have various mental health and youth work training so that combo is always useful.
- And finally, if you could give any young people advice on how to feel safe in public spaces; what would that be?
Try and identify the safest part of the public space or the nearest safe person. This helps you not feel trapped. I see safety as a spectrum. There is always the safest person and safest place to exist in a particular space. Know that you are not alone, most people are not out to harm you. Know that you being within that space makes it safe for someone else. You ARE the safe space.