Month: June 2019

Ring of Steall and Ben Nevis Challenge

Tuesday 25th June 2019

Chief Executive Chris Hickford will lead a crack team of adventurers to tackle Ben Nevis and the Ring of Steall – 28th to 30th June 2019

 

On the weekend of the 28th to the 30th June, some of Eikon’s most committed and brave supporters will be taking on a mammoth challenge in order to raise much-needed funds for Eikon’s vital, award winning work with young people.

Based upon a classic route set in the Mamores mountains, but with the added challenge of ascending Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the UK, this physically very demanding test of endurance includes 8,500 feet of ascent!

Please encourage participants with a donation – and make a real and lasting difference to the lives of young people who are very much in need of Eikon’s support. Thank you. You can donate here: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/ros

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Ben Nevis

Downing Street Reception for Eikon

Wednesday 12th June 2019

Eikon CEO Chris Hickford and Chair Jenny Griffiths OBE with Philip Hammond, Chancellor of the Exchequer and MP for Runnymede and Weybridge

We had a wonderful evening at the end of February when we were guests of the Chancellor of the Exchequer at 11 Downing Street. Eikon’s constituency MP, Philip Hammond, hosted this prestigious event in which we were able to thank our current supporters and introduce new potential donors to Eikon’s work.

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Eikon CEO Chris-Hickford and Chair Jenny Griffiths OBE with Philip Hammond

The room was packed, as two ‘Eikoniks’ (young people helped by Eikon) told their immensely powerful life stories. They explained the almost unimaginable circumstances they’d experienced and how they’d been helped by Eikon’s dedicated staff. The impact on all those in the room was deeply moving and inspirational. Jenny Griffiths and Chris Hickford, Eikon’s Chair and CEO respectively, explained Eikon’s founding story, the reason for our existence and the principles and values that underpins all that we do.

Chris explained that early intervention and strong and trusted relationships with young people are the key ingredients that power the transformation we see in young people. Eikon is incredibly passionate that these principles remain at the core of every service offered to young people. Eikon will continue to lead with courage, resolve and by example in promoting prevention and the strong bonds that young people need if they are to thrive.

The Chancellor also gave a very powerful endorsement of Eikon: “Over the past twenty years, I have seen Eikon grow from the small charity it started out as (the New Haw Youth Project), to the great charity it is today. This year, Eikon will support 15,000 young people across 132 schools.”

He commended Eikon for being well run and retaining the passion and commitment to the wellbeing of young people throughout the twenty years. He encouraged those who were curious about Eikon’s work to become committed donors to it.

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Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and Early Intervention

Eikon continues its role delivering child and adolescent mental health services on behalf of the Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.

Eikon has successfully built, led and managed a partnership with four other Surrey organisations: Step by Step, Relate West Surrey, Learning Space and Heads Together ─ part of the YMCA East Surrey.

The Eikon Partnership was initially commissioned to deliver a preventative programme in schools and one-to-one early intervention for 600 children and young people. However, since the start of the contract, in April 2016, there has been a very significant demand for therapeutic support for children, young people and their families, far outstripping the level of demand expected.

 

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Surrey Borders NHS Foundation Trust

The Partnership responded to this increased demand and in the last financial year, delivered 11,500 counselling sessions to over 2,100 children and young people. This proactive early intervention approach is at the core of how Eikon works. Getting involved before problems escalate is key to the success of the Partnership, particularly in an area of need that continues to grow.

We have also addressed the priorities for transforming Children and Young People’s mental health and emotional wellbeing services, as set out in Surrey’s own transformation plan and more recently in the Government’s Green Paper, by recruiting new staff to train as Children’s Wellbeing Practitioners (CWPs).

The CWPs are trained to deliver evidence -based guided self-help to young people experiencing mild to moderate anxiety and to parents of younger children experiencing anxiety or behavioural issues.

In addition to the ongoing delivery we are delighted to be involved in strategic discussions with Commissioners looking to the future development of this work in 2021, emphasising the importance of working collaboratively with Public and Third Sector Partners; an approach that Eikon has always advocated.

Head Smart – Wellbeing Ambassadors in schools. Delivering prevention & early intervention work such as this is a core principle of our work.

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