Helping Professionals Support Young People

In November, we launched three new specialist training sessions for professionals who work with children, young people and families across Norfolk, and they’ve been a big success! People from lots of different organisations joined us, all wanting to learn how to support young people better when it comes to substances.

We know that if you’re worried about drugs or alcohol, you might not want to go straight to a service. You might prefer to talk to a trusted adult in your life, like a youth worker, teacher, support worker or family member. And that choice should always be yours.

That’s why these sessions matter. They help professionals understand how to listen, support and respond in a way that feels non-judgemental, respectful and genuinely helpful.

What were the sessions about?

Professionals could choose to attend one, two, or all three sessions. Each one focused on a different (but connected) topic:

Understanding substance use in young people

This session explored different substances, possible risks, and what’s happening locally. It helps professionals understand the reality of substance use, rather than relying on myths or assumptions.

Having better conversations

This was all about how professionals talk to young people. The focus was on listening properly, avoiding judgement, and making sure young people feel heard and respected when talking about substances.

When substances affect families

The final session looked at the impact of a parent or carer’s substance use. This helps professionals understand how that might affect a young person’s wellbeing, so they can be more empathetic and offer the right support.

What’s next?

We’ve got six more sessions running before the end of March, and four are already sold out.

If you’re a professional and want to book a session, you can do that here: https://matthewprojectyoungpeople.eventbrite.com