A visit to an ED department can be a disorientating and overwhelming experience for those who are vulnerable or in crisis. Distinguished by their vibrant yellow t-shirts, the CONNECT Youth workers engage and support vulnerable young people aged 15-25 when they arrive at the Ulster Hospital. They are often in distress and many of them are repeat attenders to the ED.
Ulster Hospital’s Clinical Nurse Specialist Cathy Armstrong explained how the incredible work carried out in their ED by staff from the Education Authority-led project and the support that they offer is, “critical.”
CONNECT Youth Worker Philip King explained how the service was established in Derry’s Altnagelvin Hospital, with services also available in Craigavon and will mark two years at the Ulster in February next year. CONNECT is part of the NI Executive’s Programme on Paramilitarism and Organised Crime (EPPOC).
A recent evaluation of the CONNECT service shows that in just one year, Youth Workers in these hospital settings helped more than 1,400 young people escape violence and exploitation. This work is having a positive impact on the lives of many young people who most need support.
Philip continued, “We work with people aged from 15 to 25 and we try our best to support them when they present to the ED. We also follow up and signpost services in the community that can help them in the hope that they don’t attend for the same issues.”
Philip described how when some of the young people he has worked with present to the ED, “a lot of times they are in crisis and they are in need of support and help.”
“A lot of these people present on their own and we offer support in many ways, be it sitting down with them, listening to them, talking to them and maybe even offering them a cup of tea, a slice of toast. It’s just those basics that might make their time in the ED that bit less stressful. From that initial meeting we hope to build a relationship with that person with a view to supporting them outside in the community.”
Philip continued, “The ED in every hospital can be a really intimidating and stressful place, it is very busy. Medical staff don’t have the time to support young people who present as vulnerable. The medical staff are there to fix medical issues. Our role is to follow up with that emotional support and help them be at ease as much as they can.”
A “challenging role”, Philip added that it is also a, “very satisfying one.” “Especially when young people can move forward and start fulfilling their potential.”
With 18 years Nursing experience, Clinical Nurse Specialist Cathy Armstrong highlighted the “massive difference” the CONNECT team are making within the ED.
“They really are part of the team here at the Ulster – their approach and the service has made me look at my own approach to nursing and my patients. “Having the youth workers embedded in the ED allows us to offer a more diverse service to our patients as they come in. It gives us confidence as clinicians to know that once we have dealt with the immediate medical emergency we are able to offer an additional service where the youth workers can advocate, mentor and support young people in accessing services outside of the ED that will hopefully change the path that they are on and prevent re-attendance with violence and aggression,” said Cathy.
“This service is vital because the presentations that we are getting to the ED are completely different than what we would have historically seen.”
Philip’s colleague and fellow CONNECT Youth Support Service Worker Sandra Lawler highlighted how “crucial” the service is, “to the young people who are presenting to the ED with vulnerabilities around harm.”
“We meet a lot of young people who are very stressed and upset and who are maybe on their own in the department. We can be a friendly face at that reachable moment, to start a conversation and support them while they are here in such a busy environment. It is very important to support young people who are vulnerable as it allows us to use youth work practice in a clinical setting.”
EPPOC Director, Adele Brown, said, “Our Programme is working to end the harm from paramilitarism in there here and now whilst also looking to break the cycle of violence for future generations. This means investing in innovative approaches like the CONNECT project to reduce youth violence and vulnerability, whilst in tandem helping manage the demand on our pressurised critical care services.”