Supporting Children & Young People in North Yorkshire
The aim of the Compass Phoenix service is to improve outcomes for children and young people in relation to their emotional wellbeing and mental health by strengthening the range of mental health support available to children and young people.
We offer:
- Support and interventions for children and young people aged 9-19 (and up to 25 for those with special educational needs or disabilities) experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties. Support for key stages 3 and above is predominantly delivered via virtual groups, and for those under 13 we offer a digital platform. 1:1 interventions are delivered by exception where appropriate.
- Support to schools to develop a whole school approach in relation to emotional wellbeing and mental health through the delivery of training.
- Professional Consultation to school and college staff, providing advice and guidance on emotional wellbeing and mental health to help make sure that children and young people get the right support at the right time in the right place.
- Our BUZZ US text messaging service.
- Our dedicated team help young people to make sustainable lifestyle changes in order to improve their long-term health, resilience and emotional wellbeing, reduce risk to themselves and others and equip them to reach their potential.
We also work with school and college staff to build their confidence and knowledge of approaches to support the emotional and mental health needs of the children and young people.
How the service can help you
If you are starting to struggle with your mental health, then our caring and dedicated team can meet you face-to-face or we can support you on the phone or by an online video call.
We use ‘talking therapies’ (sometimes called ‘therapeutic interventions’) designed to help you cope and to understand your particular issues. We can also suggest useful ways family members and others close to you might be able to support you at home – but this is something we would talk to you about first.
How you can get support if you’re a child or young person or for your child if you are a parent / carer
You can speak to someone from Compass Phoenix by ringing us on 01904 661916 or on our Freephone number 0800 008 7452.
If you are a young person or parent / carer wanting to make a self-referral, please download our Request for Support form, then email the completed form to phoenix@compass-uk.org
Correspondence is sent by email so it is important to provide an email address and check your Junk mail for appointment details.
Learn about our BUZZ US text messaging service.
Professional referrals
Professionals are also welcome to make referral but we ask them to complete a referral form. If you would like to have a chat first please call 01904 661916 to talk over their concerns before completing a referral form. Download our referral form.
If you work in a school, before you make this referral, please consider which school staff the child/ young person already has a bond with. We recommend that our Professional Consultation service is accessed before making a referral for direct interventions. Our Professional Consultation service is designed to support school staff in North Yorkshire to provide support for mild- moderate mental health issues within the school setting.
Staff can expect to receive any or all of the following supports:
- A safe space to discuss the mental health needs of the child/ young person and any concerns you may have
- The opportunity to discuss any existing supports and how to build upon these
- An individualised selection of targeted, evidence-based interventions and resources
- Any additional advice and signposting required
- Compass Phoenix Training and Consultation workers will complete a Professional Consultation form following the conversation. This contains all the information discussed as well as any resources and facilitation guidance documents. This form is usually sent to the staff member within 1 day of the conversation, so it is a very timely mode of support.
There is no referral form for the Professional Consultation service and it is completely free to access. All staff need to do is phone 01904 661916 and a phone call will be set up at a consultation time to suit you. There is no need to gain the consent of the child/ parent as they are discussed anonymously.
Correspondence is sent by email so it is important to provide an email address for any referrals made and advise young people / parents to check their Junk mail for appointment details.
If you would like to request a call back, please complete our Call Back Request
Whole School Approach
How to Access Our Training
Our training and consultation workers deliver free emotional wellbeing and mental health training to school / college staff across North Yorkshire. To see what training your school can access please click on the ‘View Compass Phoenix Training Webinars’ tab at the top of the page or click here:
How to Access Professional Consultations
Professional Consultation appointment are arranged for school staff to anonymously discuss a young person’s mild to moderate mental health concern and receive timely advice, guidance, support, resources and signposting.
This enables school staff to deliver preventative, targeted interventions with the young person / group of young people or to be given the appropriate advice to access other specialised support.
This process provides schools with:
• Timely support and advice
• High quality interventions
• Support children/young people need, when they need it
A more creative approach will be used for primary aged children focusing on character building and self esteem with a focus on motivational skills, self awareness and managing relationships for secondary aged young people.
BUZZ US Text Message Service
Compass offers a confidential text messaging service to young people aged 11-18 across North Yorkshire.
Text 07520 631168 for confidential advice, support and signposting from a wellbeing worker within one working day via text.
When you text BUZZ US, you’ll get a message back letting you know if we’re open or closed. It’ll also tell you what you can do if we are not open and you need help in the meantime.
This might include contacting your doctor, visiting an NHS walk-in centre or calling NHS 111. You can also look up your local child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) crisis number. Also remember that if it is an emergency dial 999 or visit A&E.
Text us!
Young people can text BUZZ US about any mental health or wellbeing worries. Such as low mood, stress, eating problem, self harm, anxiety or self esteem.
We will get back to you within a day during the week.
If that feels like too long and you are in need of urgent help or you feel in crisis, please contact the help suggested above and here.
Real people, real help
Once the qualified wellbeing worker – it’s a real person! – has introduced themselves, they will ask you questions around your problem to make sure that they are offering you the right support, advice or signposting to other people who can help you.
After you have received the help you need, we’ll ask for your feedback. But you can text us again if you need us again!
The service is open Monday – Thursday 9am-5pm and Friday 9am-4.30pm (excluding Bank Holidays).
You can also stop receiving messages from BUZZ US at any stage by texting STOP to the number. We at Compass record and keep all messages they receive in our central files.
Please note this important information
We do not usually inform parents, teachers or anyone else if you contact BUZZ US. We might inform someone if we were concerned about your safety, but we would usually speak to you first.
Your messages are stored and can be seen by other Compass staff who follow the same confidentiality rules. We aim to reply to you within one working day and you should get an immediate bounce-back to confirm we’ve received your text.
Texts will not be seen outside of normal working hours. If you need help before you hear back from us, contact your doctor, visit a NHS walk-in centre or call NHS 111. If it is an emergency, dial 999 or visit A&E. Our text number does not receive voice calls or MMS picture messages.
We support messaging from UK mobile numbers only (which does not include messages sent from landlines, international mobile numbers and some ‘number masking’ mobile apps).
Prevent BUZZ US sending messages to you by texting STOP to our number. Please respect your school’s mobile phone policy. Messages are charged at your usual rates.
Opening times
Most of the appointments we offer tend to be between 9:00am and 5:00pm Monday to Thursday, and 9:00am and 4:30pm Fridays – but if these times don’t suit you, just let us know and we’ll see if we can arrange something at a time that’s more convenient to you. We are not open on weekends or bank holidays.
If you require support out of these hours and feel you are in danger or at risk of harm, you can contact the CAMHS Crisis service on the following numbers:
- If you live in Scarborough, Whitby, Ryedale, York, Selby, Harrogate, Ripon, Hambleton and Richmondshire call CAMHS Crisis on 0800 051 6171 which is available 24/7.
- If you live in Craven call FIRST RESPONSE (CAMHS Crisis) on 01274 221181 which is available 24/7.
- Or in an emergency dial 999.
If you are looking for support with a substance misuse issue, please contact the Humankind charity on Telephone: 01723 330730 (option 2) or Freephone: 08000 14 14 80 (option 2)
Meet the team
Hi, I'm Rachael, I have worked for Compass since 2016. I am proud to be part of the services Compass Phoenix provide to young people in North Yorkshire. It is a privilege to support young people to improve their resilience and emotional wellbeing to enable them to reach their full potential.
Hello, my name is Sarah, and I am the Senior Practitioner at Compass Phoenix.
I have worked at Compass for seven years supporting young people with their emotional wellbeing and mental health.
No two days are ever the same and I feel extremely privileged and proud to be supporting young people and seeing the progress they make.
Outside of work, I enjoy walking on the North Yorkshire Moors and in the Lake District, baking and knitting.
Hi I’m Caroline I joined Compass as an Administrator in October 2020 and I am delighted to be part of a team that is committed to care and support the young people from North Yorkshire.
Hi, I’m Laura, the newest administrator to join the team at Compass. I hold a master’s degree in religious studies and have a background in youth work. I’m passionate about mental health support and I’m excited to collaborate with this fantastic team at Compass to provide resources and support that can truly make a great difference to people’s lives.
Hi, I'm Alice. I studied Religious Studies at university and completed a Master’s Degree in Social Work in 2012. I worked as a Children and Families Social Worker for several years, protecting vulnerable children and young people. I am hugely passionate about promoting positive mental health and challenging stigma; I’m delighted to be part of the Compass Phoenix team.
Hi I’m Clare, I thoroughly enjoy supporting groups and individuals with their wellbeing and am passionate about helping young people build self-esteem and reach their full potential.
Before joining Compass, I worked as a primary school teacher and teacher trainer in the UK and Ghana. More recently, I worked as a Senior Mental Health Lead in York, delivering bespoke training and support to school staff and parents/carers and providing emotional wellbeing packages for children.
I’m proud to work for Compass and share the aims of the Charity, particularly in providing high quality early intervention.
Hello I'm Charlotte, I joined Compass Phoenix in March 2022, having an academic background that includes BSc Psychology and MSc Cognitive Development & Disorders. I am also a voluntary trauma informed speaker and spoken to teachers, police and other MHST’s promoting a trauma informed way of working. Prioritising both psychological health and physical health is something which I am extremely passionate about.
Hi, I'm Emma, an Emotional Wellbeing Practitioner covering Harrogate. My background is working with vulnerable people in different settings and with different community partners to ensure people have the right support at the right time. I have just completed a PG (Dip) in Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing Studies in Community and Primary Care Settings, it has further cemented my beliefs of making mental health accessible through technology and community provision. I also believe that early intervention and building children and young people’s skills and resilience is key in empowering them to strengthen and future proof their mental health. I am passionate about supporting children and young people with their emotional health and wellbeing and I am excited to be part of this team.
Hi, I’m Hannah. I have worked for Compass Phoenix since 2021. I feel very lucky to work with a great organisation that has such a positive influence on the health and wellbeing of young people; being a part of a wonderful team contributing to the empowerment of young people to help them realise and fulfil their potential.
Hi, my name is Jessica. I have worked for Compass for 5 years. It is a privilege to work for such a fantastic service, helping to support young people to develop the skills and tools to help them improve their wellbeing.
Hello, I’m Jonny, an Emotional Wellbeing Practitioner for the Selby district, which I’ve represented for five years. I’m passionate about empowering children and young people to create healthy outcomes that support their happiness, confidence, and resilience. My previous experience as a youth and community developer has provided me with valuable skills and experience in delivering a caring, person-centred approach to people's needs.
I am interested in sports, arts, sociology, philosophy and psychology.
Hi, I’m Rachael, my background is in music education and alternative provision, and in 2022 I completed my MSc in Psychology in Education. I am passionate about helping children and young people to thrive and believe that whole school approaches are the best way to support the mental health and wellbeing of a school community. I’m looking forward to being able to facilitate amazing positive change across North Yorkshire with the fabulous team at Compass Phoenix.
Hi, I’m Sarah, an Emotional Wellbeing Practitioner covering the Harrogate area. I graduated in 2017 with a BA (Hons) and in 2021 and gained a diploma in psychology. I have worked in a school setting with a pastoral and wellbeing role, for 15 years. I am passionate about supporting children and young people and giving them the right strategies to empower them fulfil their potential.