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Explore our services and get in touch Our Services 01. Custom Project This service is designed to tackle unique challenges and specific client needs. We collaborate closely to define project scope, deliverables, and timelines, ensuring a tailored solution built from the ground up. Your vision becomes our blueprint for success. Show more 02. Personal Solution Planning We offer dedicated time to understand your individual requirements and aspirations. Through focused discussions, we help map out actionable steps and personalized strategies to achieve your goals effectively. Let us guide you toward your desired outcomes. Show more 03. Expert Guidance Package Gain access to our specialized knowledge and proven methodologies. This package provides comprehensive support and strategic insights developed to overcome specific obstacles and accelerate progress. Empower yourself with expert advice. Show more

Information to help professionals regarding young people around drugs and alcohol. Professional's support Further down this webpage, you'll find a referral form for our services. If a young person is not yet ready to engage with us directly and would prefer to speak to a trusted adult such as yourself, we can offer confidential advice and guidance to help you support them more effectively. Our Support Includes: Confidential Online Call If you’re worried about a young person who isn't ready to engage, we can offer advice without a referral. Our administrator can arrange a call with a specialist practitioner. Click the button below to view our contact details. Young People's Screening Tool If you are working with a child or young person who is misusing drugs or alcohol, using a screening tool can be a helpful first step in starting a conversation about their substance use. Click the button below to access the screening tool. Drug & Alcohol Awareness Training Drug and alcohol awareness sessions for staff working with vulnerable young people in a range of settings including, residential settings, Children's Services, schools and mental health. Click the button below to view our contact details. Targeted Group Sessions For targeted groups of young people who have increased vulnerability to substance misuse we can provide structured and unstructured educational sessions tailored to the needs of each group. Click the button below to view our group offer. Contact Us Screening Tool Group Offer Contact Us Referrals to our Services To refer a young person you are working with, please use the referral forms below. If you need support, have any questions about the forms, or are unsure whether a referral is appropriate, we recommend contacting us to discuss. All three of our young people’s services are voluntary. This means that children and young people must understand what the service offers before a referral is made and must give their consent to receive support. Our YouCan & Unity services can also offer brief interventions to young people who may not require ongoing support. This can be up to 3 sessions. YouCan This service is for: Age under 19's Living in Norfolk Impacted by family/relative drug/alcohol use If you would like to refer an young person affected by a family members drug/alcohol use, please use the referral form below. YouCan Referral Form Unity This service is for: Age under 19's Living in Norfolk Want to stop/reduce drugs/alcohol use If you would like to refer a young person regarding their drug/alcohol use, please use the referral form below. Unity Referral Form OnTrack This service is for: 13 - 24 year olds Living in Norfolk At risk/not in education or employment If you would like to refer a young person who would like stupport to move closer to education, training or employment, please use the referral form below. OnTrack Referral Form Newsletter To keep up to date with what our young people's team has been up to, subscribe to our professional's monthly newsletter using the button below. Newsletter Sign-Up Working with Families We provide comprehensive support for our service users which can incorporate support for parents and carers. You can find out more about what we cover via the parents info page using the button below. Parent Info Getting Appropriate Accurate Advice and Information We have a resources page where we link to relevant resources to help better inform and support young people, parents and carers. If you work for an organisation that you think would benefit the young people we work with, please get in touch. Resources FAQ's Do you work collaboratively with other services? Yes, we actively engage with other service providers who are supporting a young person. What is the referral criteria? - Under 19 years old - Living in Norfolk - Either 1) Affected by a family member's drug or alcohol use or 2) would like to reduce their own use How do I make a referral? Here is a link to our referral form - Or you can phone us on our advice line: 0800 970 4866 Do I need consent from a young person to do a referral? Yes, we will not be able to accept a referral if consent has been obtained from the young person. How long is the support for? We tailor the support we provide to individuals based on their specific needs and circumstances. Do you provide an aftercare services for individuals who have completed the programme? After a young person has completed their time with our service, we will conduct a follow-up phone check on how they are getting on. Additionally, they have the option to connect with us through our live chat for support. Do you offer services for family members of individuals struggling with addiction? We have a parent support group for parents/carers of children who are under 19. Does a young person's parents/carers need to know that they are receiving support from you? If a young person is under 13, they will need consent from their parent/carer to receive support. If they are over 13 years old and competent, we can support them without their parents' consent. Can I discuss a young person I am worried about before referring them? Yes, you can chat to us via the live chat, advice line or via email - Contact Us | Unity (matthewprojectyoungpeople.org)

Support for those worried about a family member or relative using drugs/alcohol Welcome to YouCan! YouCan is a free and confidential service for children and young people under 19 in Norfolk who are affected by a family member’s drug or alcohol use. You might feel worried or scared about their safety, feel like you have to take care of them or hide things, change your own behaviour to avoid conflict, and feel alone about what’s happening at home. If someone you live with is drinking alcohol or using drugs and it’s affecting how you feel, think, or live day to day, YouCan is here to help you. What YouCan Offers Here's how we can support you: One-to-one support that’s personal to you We’ll take time to listen and understand what’s going on for you, working together to build confidence and help you cope with difficult feelings and challenges. Support that fits you We can meet in person, for example at school or in the community, somewhere you feel comfortable. We can also chat by phone, text, or email. Support to explain things to others If you want help talking to your family, carers, school, or other professionals, we can support you with that too. Linking you to other services If you need extra support, like help with housing, mental health, or other challenges, we can point you to the right people or services. Activities Alongside one-to-one support, you can take part in activities that help build confidence, connect with other young people who have similar experiences, and develop new skills. These activities take place during the school holidays. If you’re 13 or older , you can choose to become a peer mentor . Peer mentors help support activities and other young people. It’s a rewarding experience that helps you grow personally, connect with others, and make a positive difference. If you’re 11 or older , you can also join our YouCan Advisory Group . This is a space where young people share their views and help shape how the YouCan service works. You’ll work alongside staff to help make decisions and improvements. Get support To access support, click the button below to fill out our referral form. A social worker, teacher, or youth worker can complete it for you, or contact us for help. Click Here Contact us Still unsure? Would you like to talk to someone before deciding if you want to receive support? You can chat with us through our anonymous Live Chat, via email, or over the phone. Click Here

On Track is a free service supporting young people in Norfolk to move closer to or get into education, training, employment, or volunteering, while offering guidance and practical help. Welcome to On Track! A free service that supports 13-24-year-olds to move closer to or get into education, training, employment, or volunteering. On this page, you can find out about our projects young people can participate in. SafeSPACE SafeSPACE is for young people aged 13 - 18 (up to 24 depending on circumstances) who are not in education, training or work - or may be at risk of this. We run regular, fun activities in small groups (no more than 10 people), all based in Norwich. Young people from across Norfolk are welcome, as long as you can get to the sessions. It’s a chance to meet new people, try new things, build confidence, and feel more positive about your future. King's Lynn and West Norfolk Coaching This project is for young people aged 16 - 24 living in King’s Lynn and West Norfolk. We offer one-to-one support out in the community, as well as group activities focused on skills and getting ready for work or training. We’re here to help you figure out your next steps, build confidence, and move closer to employment, education or training. Supported by Borough Council of Kings Lynn and West Norfolk, Hornsea 3 Community Fund and Norfolk Community Foundation through the West Norfolk Employability Fund. Central Gt Yarmouth Engagement Coaching This project supports young people aged 14 - 19 living in the Nelson Ward area of Great Yarmouth who are not in education, employment or training - or may be at risk of this. We offer one-to-one support in school, college, or out in the community, alongside group activities that build confidence, motivation, and future goals. It’s all about helping you feel more positive, connected, and ready for what’s next. We are a delivery partner for NRThirty to ensure that young people in Central Great Yarmouth have access to the best possible support and opportunities. What We've Been Up To See the latest activities, trips and opportunities young people in On Track have been getting involved in. March Highlights from the On Track Team At The Matthew Project , our On Track service supports young people across Norfolk who are not currently in education, employment or training (NEET), or who may be at risk of disengaging. Through a mix of group activities and one-to-one support , we help young people develop confidence, build new skills, and explore future opportunities in a supportive, non-judgemental environment. March was a busy and positive month, with young people getting involved in a wide range of ac Matthew Project February Highlights from the On Track Team At The Matthew Project , our On Track service supports young people across Norfolk who are not currently in education, employment or training (NEET), or who may be at risk of disengaging. Through group activities and one-to-one support, the team helps young people build confidence, learn new skills and explore future opportunities. February was a busy and exciting month, with young people getting involved in everything from creative workshops and careers events to wellbeing Matthew Project Get Support To access support, click the button below to fill out our referral form. A social worker, teacher, or youth worker can complete it for you, or contact us for help. Click Here Contact Us Still unsure? Would you like to talk to someone before deciding if you want to receive support? You can chat with us via email or over the phone - 01603 723845 Email us Thank you to our funders & partners

The Matthew Project is a Norfolk charity offering free, confidential support for young people dealing with issues around drugs, alcohol, or family substance use. Our services include YouCan (help for under-19s affected by a family member’s substance use), Unity (support for under-19s impacted by personal or others' substance use), and On Track (guidance for 13-24s facing barriers to education or employment). Supporting Young People Across Norfolk Find the right support for you Our Young People Services Take a look at our three services and see which one could help you. Read More YouCan If you’re worried about a family member or relative using drugs or alcohol, use the button below to see how we can help. This service is for: Aged under 19 Living in Norfolk Impacted by family/relative drug/alcohol use Read More Unity If you're worried that your own drug or alcohol use is having a significant impact on you or others, click the button below to see how we can help. This service is for: Aged under 19 Living in Norfolk Wanting to stop or reduce their drug or alcohol use Read More On Track If you’re facing barriers that make it difficult to find or stay in education or employment, use the button below to see how we can help. This service is for: Aged 13–24 Living in Norfolk At risk of, or not currently in, education or employment Accessibility We’re here to make every young person feel welcome and supported. Whether you meet us in person or online, we aim to make accessing our services straightforward. Click the button below to find out more. Accessibility Support What's New Our latest news, events, and updates. New Substance Info Pages for Young People The Flourish Survey 2024 revealed a statistic that almost 1 in 5 young people in Norfolk said they have no one or nowhere to get information about alcohol use. At The Matthew Project, we wanted to help change that. With the input of young people, we’ve developed five brand-new substance information pages on our website designed specifically for young people who want clear, honest, and reliable information. These pages cover: Real stories from young people we support Har Ketamine: A Young Person’s Story Here is a real story from a young person within our service, sharing their experience with ketamine. Their journey highlights how use can develop over time and the impact it can have on wellbeing, relationships, and everyday life. At The Matthew Project , we support young people at all stages of their journey, offering a safe, non-judgemental space to talk openly and explore the changes they want to make. By sharing this story, we hope to raise awareness and help others recog March Highlights from the On Track Team At The Matthew Project , our On Track service supports young people across Norfolk who are not currently in education, employment or training (NEET), or who may be at risk of disengaging. Through a mix of group activities and one-to-one support , we help young people develop confidence, build new skills, and explore future opportunities in a supportive, non-judgemental environment. March was a busy and positive month, with young people getting involved in a wide range of ac Our YouCan Residential at How Hill Last week, staff members Josie, Kev and Léa took 10 young people from our YouCan service at The Matthew Project on a two-night residential to How Hill and it’s safe to say the trip was nothing short of incredible. This was our second visit to How Hill, having last been in 2024, and we were so excited to return. From the moment we arrived, it felt like something special. Day 1: Settling in and Exploring We arrived at the house at 10:30am, where the group got to know the hous 1 2 3 4 Your Stories Read real stories from young people like you. YouCan Service "The Matthew Project and all of the workers there have helped me over the years so much and i wouldn't have been able to cope with certain situations without their support. I have always felt comfortable and listened to." "They listen and give you good feedback and don't try to pretend that things are ok but actually have a human conversation and you feel like you're actually being listened to." "I feel like i understand how it affects me. She made me realise how well I can cope with it and if needed I can message her. Now I feel comfortable with talking to my dad about his alcohol abuse knowing my worker has comforted me with it and given me advice on how to deal with the affect it has on me." Have Your Say Your thoughts and ideas help us make our services better and easier to access for young people. Click the button below to find out more about the different ways you can have your say. Have Your Say Social Media Take a look at what we’ve been up to over on our Instagram page! Load more

Information to help parents and careres who have a child struggling with drugs/alcohol or is affected by family use. Support for Parents and Carers Worried about your child? You're not alone. At The Matthew Project, we understand that seeing your child struggle - whether with their own substance use , the impact of a family member’s substance use , or challenges with education and employment - can be stressful and confusing. Our Young People’s Services are here to support both your child and your family, helping you navigate these challenges with care, respect, and confidentiality. Support for Adults As a parent, support is available to help you. Here are two ways we can provide assistance: Monthly Parents' Group The Matthew Project runs a parents' group for sharing experiences, getting support, and practical guidance in a safe, confidential space. The group meets once a month on a Thursday from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm at our centre on Oak Street. Sign-Up Form Next Steps: Adults in Recovery If you are an adult in recovery from substance use yourself, our Next Steps service offers a welcoming and supportive community space. Looking after yourself is an important part of supporting your child. About Next Steps Our Young People's Services We have three young people services - YouCan, Unity and OnTrack YouCan Affected by a Family Member's Substance Use When a family member uses drugs or alcohol, it can affect children and young people, leaving them worried, confused, or alone. YouCan offers a safe, confidential space for young people to explore their feelings. About YouCan Worried About Their Own Substance Use If your child is worried about their own drug or alcohol use. The service offers confidential, non-judgemental support to understand choices, reduce harm, and make positive changes. About Unity Unity Not in Education, Training or Employment If your child is struggling with school, college, or work, On Track can help. The team supports them to build confidence, life skills, and work towards education, training, or employment goals. About OnTrack OnTrack Useful Resources Here are three resources you might find helpful as a parent. Guidance Guidance for parents and carers on talking to your child about substances Guidance for parents Substance Information Clear information on common substances, including alcohol, cannabis, ketamine, cocaine, and MDMA. Resources FAQs Answers to frequently asked questions from parents and carers about our services. Parent FAQ's Referral As a parent or carer, you can refer your child to our services (with their consent). Referral Forms Contact us If you’re unsure which service is right for your child, we can talk this through with you. Contact Us “When shut out of your son’s life, and all doors seemed closed, The Matthew Project opened theirs. A big thank you. As a parent I was desperate, how must my son feel?” Parent/Carer

Contains information on our safety, privacy and safeguarding policies along with how we handle confidentiality. Privacy & Safety Info Confidentiality Worried about speaking with us? We get it - talking about topics that may be personal to you such as drugs or alcohol can feel risky. We’re here to help, not get you in trouble. What you tell us stays private, unless we believe you or someone else is at serious risk of harm, or a serious crime is involved. Your worker at The Matthew Project will explain this to you when you first meet with them. Examples of where we may need to share information: Someone is being abused. There is a serious threat to your life or safety. Examples of where we wouldn’t need to share information: You’ve been using drugs or alcohol. You’re worried about how substance use is affecting you. Contacting us When you contact us, we will listen without judging and explain our confidentiality policy. We may ask you questions so we can explore your needs and provide you with the best support. Any information we record will be confidential and stored securely. We will only share information about you when we think that you or someone else is at significant risk of harm. When you contact us the information we collect from you will depend on why you have contacted us, what you are comfortable sharing and what action you would like us to take. Advice line call information will be stored securely, detailing the date/time of the call and the reason for the call. We will not keep your name or contact details unless you have asked us to contact you back. We will only keep data for as long as is necessary. Privacy We take your privacy very seriously. Before you start chatting with us, we will ask you to read our information, so you understand what this means for you and when we may have to share your information. If you follow any links to any other website, you will no longer be subject to our privacy terms. What is Data Protection? The Data Protection Law is in place to make sure that we use your personal data lawfully and keep it safe. If you have any questions relating to GDPR/Data protection, please email dataprotection@matthewproject.org . You can see our Data Protection Procedure for more information. We will go through this in more detail when we meet, but you can find out more here. You can see our Privacy Policy here . Consent By starting a Chat, you will be consenting to us having information about you. You can withdraw your consent at any point by telling the worker, or by emailing us at unity@matthewproject.org What Information we collect and who will see it. We use your information to provide you with the support you have requested. There may be times where sharing information is helpful, for example, if we have serious concern for your safety or the safety of someone else. When you use our Online Chat, we will save your IP address and details about why you have contacted us. We will keep a Transcript (a written record) of conversations between you and our workers. Your full information will only be seen by our staff unless we have a serious concern for your safety or the safety of others. Anonymised data collected from our Online Chat or website may be used to provide statistical data for our funders. No personal details will be shared. Keeping your Information Safe We do all we can to keep the information we hold about you safe, please read our Privacy Notice. We use other companies to provide services for us, we ensure that these providers meet all legal requirements in line with GDPR guidance Data protection laws. Our website is provided by WIX https://support.wix.com/en/article/wixs-privacy-policy who process all the data collected from people who visit our website, including our ‘Contact us’ forms. Comms 100 provide our Online Chat https://www.comm100.com/platform/security/ Chat transcripts will stored securely and kept by us for a period of three months, they will then be automatically deleted. If there are safeguarding concerns in a chat transcript, these will be kept in a separate folder of the Unity chat email inbox for 12 months. Any safeguarding concerns will be shared with our safeguarding Managers and may be shared with other services if required. They will automatically be deleted after 12 months unless they are part of an ongoing investigation. If you are already accessing support from Unity and you would like your chat to be saved to your record, or a message passed to your worker, we may need to ask you a few questions to confirm your identity. Your Rights - Right of Access/What to do if your Info is Wrong You have the right to ask for a copy of the information we hold about you. If you want to access your information, send a description of the information you want to see and proof of your identity by post to The Matthew Project, 70-80 Oak Street, Norwich NR3 3AQ. We do not accept these requests by email, so we can ensure that we only provide personal information to the right person. If any if this information is wrong, let us know and we will correct it. If you have any questions, please contact our Support Team on 01603 626123 or enquiries@matthewproject.org. Essential Cookies Like most websites, we may use ‘cookies’ to help us make our site, and the way you use it, better. Cookies are small text files that sites transfer to your device (computer, phone or tablet) and make interacting with a website faster and easier. You may disable these by changing your browser settings, but this may affect how the website functions.

Resources to help inform you and keep you safe around drug and alcohol use. Leaflets and Posters Download and print our leaflets and posters to use in your school, workplace, community centre, or anywhere that young people may want to learn more about our services. YouCan Leaflet Poster Parent's Leaflet Unity Leaflet Poster Parent's Leaflet On Track General Leaflet King's Lynn and West Norfolk Coaching Kings Lynn and West Norfolk SPACE Great Yarmouth Support Norwich Safe Space Confidentiality Is it safe to talk here? Leaflet Substance Information Ketamine Poster Substance Information Support for Professionals Professionals' Poster Refugees & Asylum Seekers - translated into 6 languages English Arabic Farsi Kurdish Sorani Pashto (Afghan) Kurdish Kurmanji Tigrinya

Support for those that are worried their own drug/alcohol use is having a significant impact on them or others Welcome to Unity! Unity is a free, confidential service in Norfolk for young people under 19 who feel like their own drug or alcohol use is affecting them or people around them. You might be feeling like you need to use drugs or alcohol to cope, can’t control how much or when you use, hide your use from family or friends, or notice that your mood, sleep, school, friendships, or daily life are being affected, and if this sounds like you, Unity is here to help. Nervous about speaking with us? We get it - talking about drugs or alcohol can feel daunting. We’re here to help, not get you in trouble. What you tell us stays private, unless we believe you or someone else is at serious risk of harm, or a serious crime is involved. You can find out more about confidentiality here . Substances Information If you’d like to learn more about substances, click the buttons below. Ketamine Cannabis MDMA Alcohol Cocaine Click Here Click Here Click Here Click Here Click Here What Unity Offers Here's how we can support you: Confidential one-to-one support We’ll chat about how you’re feeling and we can meet in person at school, college, or somewhere in the community you feel comfortable, or talk by phone, text, or email. Information about substances Learn how drugs and alcohol affect your brain and body. While the only way to completely avoid risks is not to use substances, we can show you ways to reduce harm. Health support You can get advice about sexual health, including STI testing, blood-borne virus checks, and Hepatitis B vaccinations. Connecting you to other help If you need extra support, like help with housing, mental health, or other challenges, we can point you to the right people or services. Get support To access support, click the button below to fill out our referral form. A social worker, teacher, or youth worker can complete it for you, or contact us for help. Click Here Contact us Still unsure? Would you like to talk to someone before deciding if you want to receive support? You can chat with us through our anonymous Live Chat, via email, or over the phone. Click Here

Discover the facts about MDMA (Ecstasy), including its effects, risks, and harm reduction advice. This resource provides clear, youth-focused information to help you make informed choices. What you should know about MDMA This page talks through the effects of MDMA, risks and harm reduction. Young people helped create this page, working alongside the Unity service. Therefore, the stories featured relate specifically to Norfolk. ⚠️ Contaminated MDMA ⚠️ Some MDMA in Norfolk has been found to contain other potentially harmful substances, including synthetic drugs called Nitazenes. Nitazenes have been linked to overdoses and even deaths. Risks of using MDMA Hover over the photos below, to see the risks of using MDMA. Physical Health Increased heart rate and blood pressure Dehydration & overheating Nausea, vommiting, & jaw clenching B lurred vision Agitation Feeling Disconnected or Psychotic Symptoms Low Mood or Depression Panic Attacks Memory Problems Mental Health Anxiety, panic, or paranoia Depression or low mood Confusion or memory problems Sleep disturbances Snorting MDMA can cause damage to the nose and sinuses. Bombing MDMA can lead to an increased risk of overdosing Substance-Related Effects MDMA and the Brain MDMA is a type of amphetamine that also has hallucinogenic effects. It changes how your brain works by increasing certain chemicals (Neurotransmitters). MDMA mainly affects four neurotransmitters: serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, and oxytocin. Serotonin Serotonin helps regulate mood and body temperature. Dopamine can make you feel excited, focused, and motivated. Norepinephrine increases energy and alertness. Oxytocin , the “love hormone,” helps you feel connected to others. Drawings by Sam Pearson. Serotonin plays an important role in a lot of what our bodies and brains do, it helps us regulate our mood and emotions, often helping us feel calm, relaxed and happy. However, it also plays an important role in many other functions like our sleep, nervous system communication and attention. For this reason, MDMA use can come with a lot of complicated side effects . Users have reported panic attacks, anxiety, low mood and confused episodes, after using MDMA. These side effects can become more significant if you already have mental health problems or use more frequently. If you use MDMA regularly or for a long time, it can change the way your brain is able to use Serotonin , making it harder to feel good naturally. That’s why overuse of MDMA can lead to long-term mood problems, anxiety, or depression. Long term use may also affect memory and your ability to think, remember stuff and solve problems. Daily life can become much harder to manage. Serotonin Syndrome Serotonin Syndrome is caused by too much serotonin being released in the brain at once. This can cause unpleasant problems like diarrhea, twitching, insomnia, shivering, sweats, overheating, rapid heart rate, high blood pressure, and more. In severe cases this can lead to tremors, seizures, irregular heartbeat, and death. Some mental health medications such as SSRI anti-depressants can effect how Serotonin is released; This generally means there is less effect from the MDMA. Taking more may not make any difference, but it will place you at higher risk of overdose . Taking MDMA when on an anti-depressant like this can be a dangerous combination as both increase the brain’s release and use of serotonin. This can result in “Serotonin Syndrome ”. Blood Borne Virus A blood-borne virus is a virus (such as Hepatitis or HIV) that spreads from one person to another through blood. This can happen through sharing snorting equipment like straws and tubes. As a service, we can offer young people the Hepatitis B (Hep B) vaccination to help protect you from the virus. Stay Safe Tips For You and Your Mates If you decide to use MDMA, it’s important to know there are always risks . The only way to completely avoid these risks is to not use MDMA. But if you do decide to use it, keep these tips in mind: Start with a small amount (1/4 or 1/2 of pill), wait 60 minutes before taking more. Every pill/powder is different and how it effects you may be very different to how it effects others you are with. Avoid mixing MDMA with alcohol or other drugs, reactions are highly unpredictable and can cause overdoses or death. Sipping a pint of water over an hour can help to avoid dehydration. Having regular breaks from dancing to avoid overheating. If someone is overheating, take them to a cooler and calmer place, removing outer clothing to cool them down. When bombing (powder wrapped in thin paper, swallowed), MDMA can take longer to kick in . Wait 2 hours before deciding to take more. Snorting - grind into a fine powder , use clean personal snorting tools and avoid using bank notes , limit how often you’re snorting, alternate nostrils and rinse your nose after use with sterile or bottled water, this helps avoid powder sitting in the nose and causing damage to the nasal passage. Having a sober trusted friend to ‘trip sit’ if something goes wrong, they can call help if needed. Do call an ambulance if needed, you will not get in trouble with police and it may save a life. We offer Hep B inoculations - 3 vaccinations. Over 90% effective after the full series. The vaccinations contain non-infectious parts of the virus so it trains the immune system to recognize and fight off hep B if you’re exposed. Use your own clean equipment i.e. straws, snorting tubes What Young People in Our Service Have to Say Hear from young people in our service about the impact of MDMA use on their life. MDMA Video Play Video Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tumblr Copy Link Link Copied After my 17th birthday I started using MDMA just to try it, but then it became more of a frequent use for 5 months, then it slowed down. When people talked about their MDMA experiences it made me wonder how I would feel on them, as they were described as “cool,” and I then got hooked on them. MDMA now makes me live every day questioning if things are happening. It ruins my work days as I cannot focus, and my relationships with people, as I feel they never understand me. MDMA also increased as my tolerance built up. The one event that made me realise I needed support is when I realised my day-to-day life was unhinged and my only hobby was doing substances. I felt odd living my life, when I realised I can’t remember much of my past and I questioned if things around me were real. I noticed physical changes to my body, such as my face looking horrible, feeling sick all the time, and my heart having problems. The biggest challenge I faced to make a change was to speak up and ask for help. I never asked for help because I felt I was okay and nothing was going to happen to me, but then I felt super uncomfortable with my life and realised my mental health was ruined. The Matthew Project helped me out by realising once you call out for help it will actually help you. Meeting someone new and talking about personal issues does actually take some weight off the shoulders. It’s also taught me new things about the things I do and has taught me better safety for myself. Videos Prefer watching instead of reading? Check out these videos about MDMA to see how it affects people and get the facts you need. MDMA - Respect Your Brain Play Video Did you know: MDMA Play Video How Not To Die From Ecstasy Play Video MDMA Information Watch Now Share Whole Channel This Video Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tumblr Copy Link Link Copied Share Channel Info Close About The Matthew Project If you’re under 19 and using ketamine or other substances, our Unity service is here to support you. You won’t get in trouble for reaching out. Click the button below to learn more about the Unity service. If you are 19 or over, you will need to contact Change Grow Live. Unity Service

See frequently asked questions about our service and what we do. Frequently Asked Questions How do I get support for someone I know/myself? Anyone can get in touch with us to make a referral. This could be a parent, carer or professional or you. If you want to refer yourself or someone you know, you can do this by going to our contact us page to chat with a member of the team in the most accessible way for you. What happens when I get referred? We will contact you, or the person referring you and arrange to come and meet, in a place you feel comfortable. What happens if I change my mind? Just let us, or the person who referred you know. Our support is totally voluntary. We understand that people change their minds. You are always welcome to come back. Will you tell other people what I have said? We offer a confidential service. Confidentiality means us not telling anyone else about the things you tell us, we will talk to you about who you are comfortable with us talking to. Sometimes your parents, carers or teachers may be aware that you have been referred to us, particularly if you chose to see us at your school or home, this does not mean we will tell them everything that you tell us, we will discuss this with you and agree what information YOU feel comfortable sharing. If there’s a risk of very serious harm to you, or someone else, we may need to share some of what you have told us, we will try and talk to you and let you know what might happen next. Will you tell me to stop using drugs/alcohol? No we understand this is your choice and people use substances for a variety of reasons. We are not here to judge you, or tell you what to do, we will support you to decide what you want from the support. Do you have to tell my parents that I am working with you? If you are over 13 and we feel you understand what it means to get support from us, we do not need to tell your parents that we are supporting you. If you are under 13, we do need to get consent from your parent or carer to be able to offer you support. This doesn’t mean we will tell them what we talk about with you. Will I get into trouble? We will not share the information you tell us unless we are extremely worried for your safety, our aim would be to keep you safe not for you to get into trouble. How long can you work with people? For the YouCan and Unity service. Our support is not time limited we can continue to support you for as long as you feel you need the support. We can see you weekly, fortnightly, or monthly, depending on what works best for you. For On Track, there are sometimes time limits depending on the service. Contact On Track's (https://www.matthewprojectyoungpeople.org/on-track)for more details. Is there a waiting list? We do have at times a waiting list but we will be in contact within 2 weeks and will always keep you updated of when a meeting will be booked. Can I see you in school? Yes we can come and meet you in a place you feel comfortable this could be at home, school, college, wherever you feel comfortable. Can I talk to you about other stuff? Yes we understand that drug or alcohol issues can be one of the issues you are facing, we will complete an assessment with you that will look at what other support may be useful, this could include mental and physical health, housing, education and relationship advice. Will there be a change in worker? We try not to change your worker, we know it can be difficult when one of our workers leave, if we have to change you to a new worker, we will ask you what kind of person you would feel most comfortable with and try and match you with one of our workers. Can I bring someone with me? Yes we understand it can be a big step meeting someone new. My parents/carers don't drive, how do I get to you? We come to you! We can meet you in a location you feel comfortable such as school and for our holiday activities we can arrange transport so you can attend.

Contains information on our website accessibility. Accessibility We want all young people to feel welcome and supported when using our services. Whether you're meeting us in person or checking out our website, we’ve tried to make things as easy to access as possible. Everyone’s needs are different, so if there’s anything we can do to support you, just let us know. We’re here to help make your experience a positive one. Guide We’ve put together an accessibility guide to help you feel more comfortable before visiting us at our Next Steps centre, checking out our website, or reading our resources. This guide is here to ease any worries you might have and give you a clear idea of what to expect. Click here to view it. How We Make Things Easier For You: Non-Judgemental We know that you may be worried about accessing support around drugs and alcohol as you are worried about the stigma. We actively work hard to reduce any stigma and we are here to support you. Young Person Focused We design our service with the needs and preferences of young people. We actively seek your feedback and make amendments to the service from these. Safe Spaces We meet you in a space you feel comfortable and where you are free from discrimination. We also meet you at a time which is convenient for you. Participation This service is voluntary, which means that it’s your choice if you want to work with us. We also encourage you to voice your ideas and any concerns through our young people advisory groups, online surveys and 1-2-1 with your worker. Flourish Flourish is all about helping young people in Norfolk live their best lives. It’s built around what matters most to you like feeling safe, being understood, having good friends, learning new things, and getting the chance to grow into who you want to be. It’s a promise from the people who support you to listen, include you in decisions, and help you thrive in every part of your life. The Matthew Project pledges to continue helping children and young people flourish. For our pledge this year we will create and develop opportunities for young people in our service to have a have their voices heard by our Board of Trustees. This will enable young people to influence and help shape what we do through co-design and production. This gives young people a voice, enabling them to develop their knowledge and skills which will benefit them throughout their lives. In 2023 , we received the best news that we won the Safe and Secure Flourish Award. This award was for outstanding contribution towards keeping children and young people safe from harm. In 2024 , our senior practitioner in the Unity team, Zee was nominated for a Flourish Award and has been judged as Highly Commended in the Healthy Award Category. This is for outstanding contribution towards helping children and young people understand decisions that impact their health and be empowered to lead their happiest and healthiest lives.