42nd Street is an innovative Greater Manchester young people’s mental health charity with 40 years’ experience of providing free and confidential services to young people who are experiencing difficulties with their mental health and emotional wellbeing.

Their objectives are:

• To improve well-being and recovery
• To increase opportunities for young people to shape their own care and influence change
• To improve and increase inclusion and accessibility to appropriate services and support
• To increase awareness and reduce stigma

The 42nd Street team recognises that many young people can feel disempowered, that some services are difficult for them to identify with and access and that their mental health and personal difficulties can be made worse by the health, social, cultural and economic inequalities that they might experience.

They understand how difficult it can be to take that first step and tell someone how you’re really feeling. Their workers, counsellors and therapists are on hand to help young people understand the things that are affecting them and develop positive coping strategies along the way.

A choice of effective, creative, young person-centred and rights-based approaches are offered.  All of the services are free, confidential and give people the opportunity to open up in a safe and understanding environment. 

Projects

42nd Street has a number of projects running through the year read about some of them below:

We Tell You

​A Manchester peer research group based at 42nd Street and supported by Manchester Metropolitan University, has authored and published a new research report and manifesto. Co-produced with 27 young Black men on how to better understand and improve young black men’s access to mental health services.

Film 42

Funded by Comic Relief and delivered in partnership with Sagita Media, Survivors Manchester and TIPP, Film 42 is a project which empowers young Black men to explore mental health through filmmaking. The films seek to change the way that young Black men access services for support and in turn, how these services ensure they have the best possible experience.

Cloud 42

Care Leavers aged 16-25 have come together to lead on research into how mental health services can be improved to better support care experienced young people.

Thriving at Work

Young people with experience of mental health conditions led a project looking at how young people can thrive in the workplace.

Our Support

Having discussed the various projects that are ongoing this year, we have decided to allocate our 2021 donation towards the amazing online support that is offered at 42nd Street. It’s a service that has been needed this year more than ever – it’s allowed young people to continue to access groups and support throughout lockdowns and Covid-19 restrictions. But without continued support this service would not be possible and we are so happy to be able to contribute to the fantastic work the team are doing.

You can read more about the charity and make donations at 42ndstreet.org.uk/

Love The SPK UK Team x