SUFFOLK YOUNG PEOPLE’S HEALTH PROJECT

WHERE HAS IT COME FROM?

The Suffolk Young People’s Health Project (SYPHP) was formed in 1997. It had its origins in a conference organised by Dr Fran Reader, a Consultant at Ipswich Hospital, in June 1996.

 

One of the outcomes of the conference, which was organised to look at the sexual health needs of young people in the Ipswich area, was a decision to carry out a more detailed assessment of the health and well-being needs of young people.

 

This assessment concluded that young people in Suffolk needed a number of centres that would be welcoming and user friendly, providing day to day facilities, like a crèche and café, under one roof, along with a variety of services from statutory and voluntary groups.

 

The centres would thus provide a ‘one stop shop’ for services including contraception and sexual health; counselling; housing and general advice; legal; drug misuse; and employment. They would be open to all young people aged 12 to 25, but focussed particularly on those with the greatest need for help.

 

As a first step a multi-disciplinary and multi-agency steering group was established under the chairmanship of Dr Brian Keeble, Director of Public Health for Suffolk, with the aim of opening the first such centre in Ipswich – the place with the greatest concentration of potential users.

 

Between 1997 and 1999 steady progress was made in establishing the SYPHP as a charitable limited company.

 

In 2000 this progress was accelerated by the appointment of a full time development officer for a six-month period. This allowed the SYPHP to develop its business plan and to complete a successful first stage application for Healthy Living Centre funding from the New Opportunities Fund.

 

In May 2001 a second stage application was completed and in November the SYPHP learnt that it had been awarded £1million over a five year period.

 

In June 2002 the Management Committee employed a full time project development manager to assist in bringing the vision to a reality.

 

The Project began delivering counselling services using partner agencies premises in September 2003 and became fully operational, in its' own premises, on 28th June 2004 and officially launching on the 13th January 2005.