Last month’s blog was all about our visit to Southampton to meet the Barnardos team at Miss U – U Turn, to make the most of our trip we spent a couple of days in the sunny south, so after our stop in Southampton we stayed overnight in Brighton (which we hope to return to soon to visit some more projects!).

With the sun shining we drove along the coast to Eastbourne to meet Erica and Lucy who work for Catch 22. Catch 22 are a large organisation who run a variety of projects working with both young people and adults. In April 2010 they were commissioned in Eastbourne to work with young runaways. Hence the start of the Young Runaways Mentoring Service…who aim to prevent young people running away from home or care by addressing the risk factors which have contributed to the missing episode, and promote positive life opportunities for young people. They have a helpline that is available 24 hours a day – manned by volunteers, they conduct home return interviews which can lead to intensive/long term mentoring of young people. As well as the mentoring service they also have a worker dedicated to education and outreach which involves providing PSHE lessons, prevention workshops, providing group work for young people who are at risk of exclusion. We could not believe that all this was done with only 2 full time workers, however Catch 22 have a great base of volunteers who help to deliver their services!

Thanks to Erica and Lucy for looking after us so well!!