Who is Guiding Lights for?
Guiding Lights is for adolescent girls aged 11-16, who live in Canterbury, Ashford and Folkestone & Hythe, and have experienced domestic abuse, are at risk of entering unhealthy relationships or Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE).
The programme supports young people to be safe, gain confidence and self-worth, and to build positive relationships which will lead to an increase in aspirations. Within weekly sessions, they will discuss topics such as domestic abuse, healthy/unhealthy relationships, staying safe online, consent and self-esteem.
Female facilitators will create a safe and trusting space for young people to speak openly and honestly about their thoughts and experiences on session topics. The group aims to increase emotional understanding and enable young people to learn from their peers, gain confidence to recognise unhealthy behaviours and enjoy healthy relationships.
Everyone’s experiences and trauma are individual, and we support everyone based on the personalised support that they need.
When and where is Guiding Lights run?
Guiding Lights is an 8-10 week programme of support delivered in schools across Canterbury, Ashford and Folkestone & Hythe. The first session will be a one-to-one session, followed by 6-weeks of group work, with the final session also being one-to-one.
The programme is made up of weekly 1 hour group sessions, hosted by female Outreach Workers, with approximately 6 girls in each group.
We have strong relationships with many schools across Canterbury, Ashford and Folkestone & Hythe, working closely with their safeguarding teams to create a safe and secure place for group sessions to take place.
What will young people gain from Guiding Lights?
Guiding Lights aims to help young people develop healthy relationships with themselves and their peers, whilst developing confidence and self-esteem. It does this through:
- Giving space and permission to talk about challenging topics and personal experiences and discuss these with peers – breaking down the stigma and secrecy of these topics.
- Offering the context and language to experiences and thoughts, through psychoeducational support around healthy relationships, trauma and emotional regulations.
- Building a trusted relationship with a professional adult and identifying a support network for young people to share their thoughts and feelings with.
- Show that they have a choice, and that their voice is important and worth being listened to.
