A NEW two-year project providing mental health and well-being support for women aged 18 to 25 is being launched in York.

The 'ROSE Growing' project will begin at Spark:York in Piccadilly on Wednesday, October 25 from 4.30pm to 6pm and builds on Kyra Women’s Project’s previous work with the ROSE (Reaching Out, Supporting, Empowering) group of younger women looking to make positive changes.

The Kyra Women's Project is a York charity - a one-stop-centre - that provides training programs, counselling and support services to women who need assistance to improve their lives. 

Sherrie Wood, project leader for the ROSE Growing project, said: “Many of the young women who come to us are struggling with their mental health and they find the activities we do and the peer support makes a big difference to their coping.”

Read next:

Painting donated to York community centre after personal 'journey of recovery'

York business that started life in a barrow in 1998 expands again

York council says axing cash payments in city parking machines would save £90k

One of the ROSE members commented on what the group means to her, saying: “Because of my autism, I can find it hard talking to new people.

“Trying to navigate and balance mental health recovery with things such as education and coping with demands of life can be extremely difficult.

“Coming to ROSE has helped me feel more confident socially and I feel this massively helped me when I first started university.

“Although I have support through the community mental health team, I hugely benefit from coming to the ROSE project.”

The project will bring twice weekly group sessions for the young women, as well as two additional well-being courses each year.

As part of the project, members have been working on photography with local photographer Lucy Bedford to create images to represent ‘Mental Health and Me’.

Invitations are open to go along and see the photographs and talk to members.

At the launch, people will have the chance to see some of the photographs taken by ROSE members including the image recently ‘Highly Commended’ in the Two Ridings Community Foundation photography competition.

David Kerr, programme and delivery lead for York Community Mental Health Transformation programme, Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Community groups and schemes such as ROSE can address some of the issues that can affect people’s mental wellbeing in the first place, such as social isolation, anxiety and depression.

“Taking a different approach and investing in local community schemes not only offers people alternative support, but also provides a form of early intervention by potentially addressing people’s needs before their problems worsen and there becomes a need for a referral to secondary mental health services.”

The ROSE Growing project will run until June 2024 and evaluation will include improvements in the young women’s mental health and ability to cope with everyday tasks, as well as changes to their use of health services.

Kyra does not provide an urgent or crisis response service.

If you feel you are at risk, please contact your GP for an emergency appointment, the York and Selby Crisis Team on 019 0452 6582 or attend your nearest A&E Department.