Welcome!

Here you can see our young people services that we run at The Matthew Project. Our services aim to support, empower and advise young people.

YouCan

If your worried about a family member or relative using drugs/alcohol, use the button below to see how we can help.

This service is for:

Age under 19's

Living in Norfolk

Impacted by family/relative drug/alcohol use

If you are worried that your own drug/alcohol use is having a significant impact on you or others around you, click on the button below to see how we can help.

This service is for:

Age under 19's

Living in Norfolk

Want to stop/reduce drugs/alcohol use

Photo of 4 young people with a staff member. Young people are holding up pumpkins.

Do you have barriers making it difficult to find/stay in education/employment. Use the button below to see how we can help.

This service is for:

13 - 24 year olds

Living in Norfolk

At risk/not in education or employment

Photo of the back of two young people's head.

We believe all young people should have equal access to information and support regardless of barriers. To see how we do this follow the button below.

Photo of four young people and two staff members litter picking in Great Yarmouth. Standing in front of the beach.

We value our young peoples feedback and ideas. If you would like to see how you can have your say, please follow the button below.

Photo of two children and two staff members bird watching.

Want to know about another young persons experience? Click the button below to see some short stories from other young people we have helped.

Our latest Norwich SafeSPACE session was held at a Cat Café! 🐱☕

This project supports young people aged 13 - 18 who are not in education, training or employment (or are at risk of becoming so), by offering regular positive activities and community connection.

👉 Find out more on our website (link in our Bio).

🚲 Earlier this week, three young people from our King’s Lynn and West Norfolk SPACE project got hands on at a brilliant bicycle maintenance workshop delivered by Black Cat Cycles!

They learned how to:
🔧 Do a full bike safety check
⚙️ Adjust gears and brakes
⛓️ Check chain wear
🧽 Clean wheels and check for truing & spoke tension

Each young person left with the bike they worked on, plus a helmet and safety lock. Huge thanks to Black Cat Cycles for sharing your skills and making this possible!

More information about the SPACE project on our website (link in our BIO).

🍫 Last week, our Norwich SafeSPACE group got baking! Five young people and one volunteer joined Steven to make delicious brownies!

Huge thanks to everyone who came along and a special shoutout to Steven for running the session!

Want to know more about the projects we're running for young people? Head to our website: https://www.matthewprojectyoungpeople.org/on-track

📢 Have your say!

Public Health have launched a new questionnaire to better understand the support needs of parents, carers, and family members affected by or concerned about a young person’s (up to age 25) use of alcohol or drugs.

If this sounds like you and you'd like to share your views, please take a few minutes to fill in the questionnaire. Your feedback will help shape future support services for families 👉 https://forms.office.com/e/bvpvreNxd5

🌟 Reminder: Parent/Carer Support Group Tonight! 🌟

The Parent/Carer Support Group is on tonight from 7 PM to 9 PM at our centre on Oak Street!

If you'd like to attend, please contact Unity. This is a safe space where you can talk through your worries about your child's substance misuse with others who understand.

📍 Location: 70 - 80 Oak Street, Norwich
📧 To book, contact Unity: unity@matthewproject.org

🧵 Earlier this week, we had our King’s Lynn and West Norfolk SPACE activity. It was an upcycling workshop where we made tote bags!

A big thank you to Ali from CREA for doing a fantastic job facilitating the session 👏

Want to know more about the projects we're running in West Norfolk? Head to our website: https://www.matthewprojectyoungpeople.org/on-track

🛼 Last week, our SafeSPACE project went to Funkys with four young people for an afternoon of roller skating! There was loads of encouragement as everyone gave it a go! 🌟

You can find out more about this project on our website: https://www.matthewprojectyoungpeople.org/on-track

🌟 It’s Volunteers’ Week! 🌟

A huge THANK YOU to all the amazing volunteers who support our young people’s services. 💙

Whether you’re a befriender meeting one-to-one with a young person as they near the end of their support journey, or part of an organisation offering brilliant activities for our school holiday programme that rely on volunteers to make them happen, we are so grateful for you! ✨

#volunteersweek

🍕✨ Last week, four young people from our SafeSPACE project took the lead in running a youth panel interview for a potential volunteer at The Matthew Project and they did so well!

Staff were so impressed with how confidently and thoughtfully they expressed themselves throughout the process.

Afterwards, we all cooked and shared a couple of pizzas while debriefing. You can find out more about our SafeSPACE project on our website: https://www.matthewprojectyoungpeople.org/on-track

Our Service Manager, Luke, joined us for our May Half-Term Gel Blaster activity, and the young people definitely kept him on his toes! 😅

Here’s Luke at the end of the session, enjoying a well earned slushy!
Luke said, “It was great seeing the young people working together, developing such positive relationships with each other, and seeing their confidence grow!”

A huge thanks to everyone who took part. The team is already busy planning our summer activity programme! ☀️

Got a story to tell? We want to hear from you!

Whether you’ve:
✨Got something to say about your time at The Matthew Project
✨Enjoy creative writing - poems, short stories, or anything in between
✨Or want to share your experience (anonymously if you like)

Your words could be part of our Summer of Stories campaign, helping raise awareness and combat the stigma around substance use.

We can support you through the writing process so you can share only what feels right for you.

Please get in touch to submit your story or to find out more. https://buff.ly/2EvUjaY

We had a great time at yesterday’s Gel Blaster activity! 💥🎯

Young people teamed up to take on exciting teamwork challenges like Capture the Flag! They especially enjoyed the chance to shoot at staff members, particularly at our service manager who joined in the fun!🌟

The Understood Award: For outstanding contribution towards ensuring children and young people feel listened to, understood and part of the decision-making that impacts them. ✨

Nominate people, projects and teams for a Flourish Award at www.norfolk.gov.uk/flourishawards2025 by 30 May.

Let’s celebrate those who go above and beyond for Norfolk’s children and young people! ✨

Nominations for Flourish Awards are open until 30 May. Submit yours at www.norfolk.gov.uk/flourishawards2025

🌟 At our latest SafeSPACE activity in Norwich, five young people took part in a confidence building workshop facilitated by The Garage! 🎭💬

Find out more about SafeSPACE on our website: https://www.matthewprojectyoungpeople.org/on-track

The Resilience Award: For outstanding contribution towards helping children and young people develop the confidence and skills to make their own decisions and take on life’s challenges. ✨

Nominate people, projects teams for a Flourish Award at www.norfolk.gov.uk/flourishawards2025 by 30 May.

🧵✨ Next up on the King’s Lynn and West Norfolk SPACE Project… an Upcycling Workshop with Ali from CREA Norfolk! ✨🧵

📍 Saint Augustine’s Healthy Living Centre, Columbia Way, King’s Lynn, PE30 2LB
📅 Monday 2nd June
🕜 1:30 – 3:30 PM

This activity is for young people aged 16 to 24 who are not in education, training or employment.

👉 If you would like to join, head to our website and complete a referral form:
https://www.matthewprojectyoungpeople.org/on-track

Supported by Norfolk Community Foundation through the Sir Norman Lamb Mental Health & Wellbeing Fund. @NorfolkCF #ShineBrighter #NorfolkCF

The Opportunity Award: For outstanding contribution towards ensuring children and young people can access a wide range of opportunities which nurture their interests and talents. ✨

Nominate people, projects and teams for a Flourish Award at www.norfolk.gov.uk/flourishawards2025 by 30 May.

Communities are vital for our mental health!💙 This Mental Health Awareness Week, let's celebrate the supportive networks that make a real difference! A huge shoutout to all our incredible staff for the compassion and care you bring every day. ✨ #ThisIsMyCommunity

The Learning Award: For outstanding contribution towards helping children and young people achieve their full potential and develop skills which prepare them for life. ✨

Nominate people, projects and teams for a Flourish Award at http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/flourishawards2024 by 24 May.

This week is Mental Health Awareness Week! ✨

Leaving education early, whatever the reason, can sometimes feel overwhelming - but you don't have to figure it all out alone.

Our On Track service supports young people aged 13 - 24 to move closer to education, training, employment, or volunteering. Through one-to-one coaching and group activities, we help build confidence, skills, and hope for the future.

If you feel you would benefit from being part of this community, you can find out more on our website: https://www.matthewprojectyoungpeople.org/on-track
#ThisIsMyCommunity

🗣️ Start the Conversation

This Mental Health Awareness Week, we’re shining a light on the power of talking openly and breaking the stigma around mental health and substance use.

At Unity, we support young people who finding that their substance use is impacting them. Some young people tell us they fear being judged by professionals, friends, or even family. Some worry about the consequences of speaking up.

Let’s change that. Let’s create spaces where young people feel safe, heard, and supported.

If you're a professional and want help starting these important conversations, check out our free screening tool: https://www.matthewprojectyoungpeople.org/professional-info

#ThisIsMyCommunity

Nominations are still open for the Flourish Awards! ✨ We want to celebrate the best people, projects and teams helping children and young people in Norfolk to flourish. Who will you nominate?

Visit www.norfolk.gov.uk/flourishawards2025 by 30 May to make a nomination.

Mental Health Awareness Week Begins! ✨

This year, Mental Health Awareness Week is all about community - celebrating how the connections we build support our mental health and wellbeing. Community brings us together, gives us a sense of belonging, and reminds us we’re not alone. 💛

Our YouCan service creates a community for children and young people affected by a family member’s substance use. We run activities during the school holidays to help young people connect, have fun, and learn new skills!

Find out more about the YouCan service here: https://www.matthewprojectyoungpeople.org/youcan

#ThisIsMyCommunity

🌟 Safe Space has started in King’s Lynn & West Norfolk! 🌟

We’re so excited to share that our Safe Space project, part of our On Track service has officially kicked off in the area! We recently had a Financial Foundations workshop from NatWest. ✨

Young people learnt about:
💡 Understanding payslips & tax codes
📊 Budgeting tips & tools
🧠 Money management methods
📈 How to build a credit score

Supported by Norfolk Community Foundation through the Sir Norman Lamb Mental Health & Wellbeing Fund.

We had a brilliant afternoon playing board games for our latest SafeSPACE activity! 🎲 You can find out more about SafeSPACE on our website: https://www.matthewprojectyoungpeople.org/on-track

Yesterday we said goodbye and good luck to Rach from the On Track team as she heads off on maternity leave! 💛 We’ll miss you, Rach, and wish you all the very best for this exciting new chapter. A huge thank you to Val for the amazing cake! 🎂✨

🌟 Reminder: Parent/Carer Support Group Tonight! 🌟

The Parent/Carer Support Group is on tonight from 7 PM to 9 PM at our centre on Oak Street!

This is a safe space for parents and carers to talk through any worries or concerns they have about their child misusing substances. If you’d like to attend, please contact Unity.

📍 Location: 70 - 80 Oak Street, Norwich
📧 To attend, contact: unity@matthewproject.org

We’re here to support! 💙

Last Thursday, 8 young people joined us at High Altitude for trampolining! 🎉

This is all part of our Safe Space project. Find out more on our website 👉 https://www.matthewprojectyoungpeople.org/on-track

The Family & Friends Award: For outstanding contribution in supporting children and young people to understand and engage in healthy, safe relationships with friends and family.✨

Nominate people, projects and teams for a Flourish Award at www.norfolk.gov.uk/flourishawards2025 by 30 May.

Flourish Awards: celebrating the people, projects and teams helping children and young people flourish in Norfolk. Who will you nominate? ✨

Visit www.norfolk.gov.uk/flourishawards2025 to make a nomination before 30 May.

✨ Anita and Melissa from our On Track team had a great time at the Help Hub Networking Event at LynnSport in King’s Lynn earlier this week!

It was a brilliant opportunity to connect with local services and share more about how we support young people across Norfolk.

Want to learn more about the On Track service? Head to our website: https://www.matthewprojectyoungpeople.org/on-track

Know someone making a huge difference in the lives of children and young people in Norfolk? ✨ Nominate them for a Flourish Award, recognising incredible organisations, people, projects and teams.

Visit www.norfolk.gov.uk/flourishawards2025 to make a nomination before 30 May.

Last week at our SafeSPACE session in Norwich, 6 young people got creative with canvas painting! 🎨

One of the group said “All the people here are very positive and friendly. The activities are always fun, and I like how they are different every week”. ✨

SafeSPACE is part of our On Track service. Head to our website to find out more: https://www.matthewprojectyoungpeople.org/on-track

This week, at our SafeSPACE session in Norwich, 7 young people went on a wellbeing walk to the cathedral! We had a hot drink at the refectory café and then came back to the Matthew Project to chill on the Mezzanine! ☕🚶

SafeSPACE is part of our On Track service. Head to our website to find out more: https://www.matthewprojectyoungpeople.org/on-track

Exciting news! Nominations for the Flourish Awards 2025 are now OPEN! ✨

Do you know an organisation, team, or individual making an outstanding contribution to helping children and young people in Norfolk flourish?

Nominate them today at www.norfolk.gov.uk/flourishawards2025

🌟 A huge thank you to everyone who took part in our holiday activities - we hope you had an amazing time! We’re already busy planning activities for May half‑term and the summer. ⚽🎮🎸🎨

🍕 At our last SafeSPACE session in Norwich, 7 young people got creative in the kitchen and made pizzas from scratch with Steven and they were delicious!

SafeSPACE is part of our On Track service. Link to our website in our BIO to find out more!

🎨🐣 Last week, the Mezzanine at The Matthew Project was buzzing with creativity and fun!

Our YouCan young people got crafty with Easter themed squishies and handmade cards, while others got stuck into board games like Herd Mentality, Jenga, and chess.♟️🎲

There was table football, pool, and table tennis too - plus some impressive piano playing 🎹👏

Last week, On Track participants headed to Downham Market Town Hall for a slow cooker workshop!

We cooked up a tasty chilli and learned from the best - big thanks to Steven for his expert tuition! 👨‍🍳

Our Fridays won’t be the same! 🥹

For the past 6 months, we’ve had the pleasure of having Mackenzie join us from a local sixth form on placement - and what a brilliant addition to the team he’s been!

Mackenzie has worked so hard, brought positivity and enthusiasm to everything he’s done, and quickly became a truly valued part of our team.

Last week, we held a little leaving do to thank him for all his hard work, reflect on his time with us, and of course enjoy some very well earned tea and cake! ☕🍰

We’re so proud of everything you’ve achieved, Mackenzie, and we wish you all the very best for your next steps!

You can read all about Mackenzie’s experience with us in his blog here: https://www.matthewproject.org/post/what-it-s-like-to-do-work-experience-with-the-matthew-project

🎳 Last week, 6 young people from our Safe Space project enjoyed a couple of games of bowling and a slushie!

Safe Space is all about supporting young people aged 13 - 18 in Norwich who aren't in education, training, or employment (or are at risk of disengaging). We offer regular positive activities in small, supportive groups (max 10 people), all based in the Norwich.

Find out more via our website! Link in our BIO.

We’re Hiring!

Our Unity service is looking for a Band 6 Young Persons Substance Misuse Nurse to join our team! 🌟

📌 Fixed term contract - 9 months
📌 Part time - 22.5 hours per week
📌 Based in Norwich city centre

Interested? Click the link below for more info and to apply via the NSFT website! 👇
https://www.nsft.nhs.uk/apply-now/#!/job/v7036966

🚨 Reminder: Tonight is our Parent/Carer Support Group! 🚨

Join us from 7pm to 9pm at our centre on Oak Street in Norwich for support if you're a parent/carer of a young person who is misusing substances. We offer a friendly space for:

✅ Information and advice
✅ Emotional and moral support

📝 Booking is essential. Please contact: unity@matthewproject.org

🐐🐇The On Track Team had an amazing time at Wroxham Barns as part of our Safe Space project! ✨

The goats definitely knew that we had bags of feed! We got to meet the cutest bunnies, guinea pigs, baby lambs, calves, and donkeys. Such a fun day - we can’t wait to go back!

Safe Space supports young people aged 13-18 who are not in education, training, or employment (or at risk of becoming so), offering regular positive activities and community engagement.

🌟 Last week, we had an amazing time at @fakenhamacademy's Teen Agency & Drop in Day, sharing the support available for young people through our Young People’s Services! 💙

A huge thank you to Fakenham Academy for having us - we loved chatting with students and raising awareness of the support available!

📢 We’re Hiring: Young People’s Practitioner 🌟

📍 Location: Great Yarmouth
⏱️ Hours: 22.5 per week
📄 Contract: Fixed term until 31st October 2025

Are you passionate about making a real difference in young people’s lives? We’re looking for an enthusiastic individual to join our On Track team.

In this role, you’ll:

👉 Support young people aged 13-19 with multiple and complex needs
👉 Help them sustain education or move towards employment or training
👉 Deliver one-to-one and small group support in educational settings and the community

What we’re looking for:
✨Relevant qualification and/or experience working directly with young people
✨Strong understanding of the challenges young people face
✨ Excellent knowledge of Great Yarmouth’s local services and support available to young people

🔗 Click on this link to apply: https://www.matthewproject.org/post/young-people-s-practitioner

🌟 We’re Hiring: Fundraising & Events Officer 🌟
📍 Location: Norwich
⏰ Hours: 37 per week (permanent)

Are you ready to make a real impact? 💙 Join us as a Fundraising & Events Officer and help us transform lives across Norfolk and Suffolk.

Apply now 👉 https://www.matthewproject.org/post/fundraising-and-events-officer

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What's New

Need to chat?

We're here to listen!

Our anonymous live chat is open for young people aged 13 and up, Monday to Thursday, 4 pm to 7 pm.

Just visit our website during these hours and tap the orange circle in the bottom-right corner to start chatting with one of our friendly workers from the young people's team.

Young People

Welcome!

Here you can see our young people services that we run at The Matthew Project. Our services aim to support, empower and advise young people.

YouCan

Unity

On Track

Accessibility

Have Your Say

Your Stories

What's New

Need to chat?

Young People

Welcome!

Here you can see our young people services that we run at The Matthew Project. Our services aim to support, empower and advise young people.

YouCan

Unity

On Track

Accessibility

Have Your Say

Your Stories

​

What's New

Need to chat?