Jon
My name is Jon and I have been a member of CYA for a year now. In that time I have made a lot of new friends and been able to partake in some amazing activities and meetings. I remember my first CYA meeting well. I was quite worried about it as I didn’t know whether or not the group would accept me. But as soon as I walked through the doors I was made to feel welcomed and relaxed. Over the past year I have met a variety of characters through CYA, and I can honestly say that I get along with all of them, they’re more than friends. They become a support structure of people your age with the same experiences that you can talk to if you have a problem and that will try to help you in any way that they can. More than making friends, CYA teaches you a lot of life skills. For instance, I have been on the panel for multiple interviews for different jobs within the mental health services and this has helped me gain confidence and the ability to structure questions clearly. I have also taken part in a programme called upload, in which the young members of CYA have a day long training session with mental health professionals to teach them to look at things from a young persons point of view.
But CYA is about more than just the friendships and the fun work. It helps teach you many life skills that will be useful in later life. It gives you the confidence to meet new people and to share your story. It gives you the support and comfort that you need when you are feeling down. Most importantly for me though, is that it has given me an amazing group of friends that I will never forget. CYA has definitely changed my life for the better, and I consider myself extremely lucky for being part of it.
Jon, aged 18