Collaboration between Trust and Swindon Borough Council recognised at regional awards

We are thrilled that the WAY Beacons project won the Connecting People category at last night’s NHS England South West Personalised Care Awards.

WAY Beacons is a collaborative project between the Trust’s Children’s Safeguarding team, paediatric services, the Emergency Department and Swindon Borough Council’s Youth Justice System, Home Office Safer Streets and WAY Swindon.

It seeks to connect with young people during a moment of crisis, to provide a listening ear, guidance and to help them access further support and opportunities in the local community.

Often, vulnerable young people attend the hospital with issues including substance misuse, violence or other risk-taking behaviours. Sometimes, these patients might attend on multiple occasions, or present with longer-term or social concerns that emergency care isn’t always best placed to treat.

WAY Beacons aims to target those young people, and offer them a positive role model outside of the hospital environment who can support them through a mentorship programme. This includes pairing the young person up with a volunteer mentor – many of whom are local residents or members of Trust staff who have volunteered their time – who have similar interests or hobbies.

This relational, tailored, and holistic approach ensures that positive change is sustained long-term, with the aim of breaking the cycles of readmission and preventing ongoing involvement in poor behaviour choices.

The project has only been running in Swindon for a few months, but has already supported many young people.

The programme was shaped by young people from the very start, with social workers working alongside them to understand social and environmental issues, what support would be preferred and how the young people would like to be engaged with. Young people are also now involved in a re-brand of WAY Beacons, supporting with the colours and design of the WAY Beacons logo, t-shirts and materials.

A huge well done to the team in the Emergency Department and Paediatric Assessment Unit who have been working closely with colleagues from Swindon Borough Council for his regional recognition.

In fact, thanks to this recognition, the Swindon Borough Council Youth Justice Service has confirmed funding for the project to run for another year from the hospital.