The story behind You Grow Girl
We need programmes like ‘You Grow Girl’ more than ever, to equip our girls with the skills they need to navigate the complexities of modern life
There is currently a youth mental health crisis in the UK
I have created the You Grow Girl programme because I am passionate about making a difference to young people’s mental health. Our mental health services are in crisis and are completely overwhelmed by the level of need in young people and their families. Furthermore, there is simply not enough emphasis on protective and preventative approaches to mental health and well-being. Every day in my clinical work for the NHS, I help young people to develop the skills and knowledge they need to cope with challenging situations and understand themselves better, and every day I wish that ALL children were taught these fundamental life skills!
It seems clear to me that we are not doing enough to up-skill young people to cope with the pressures and demands of modern life. The You Grow Girl programme is designed to build resilience in girls by helping them to develop the self-understanding and coping skills they need to meet the challenges of life with strength and flexibility.
I have a passion for working with adolescents; adolescence is a period of incredible growth and development, and it is also a time of such potential! Young people have so much creativity, energy and passion that can be so powerful if channelled in the right way.
A personal motivation
In 2020, I was profoundly affected by the suicide of our family friend, Fern Durrant, who took her own life aged 17. Fern was a gentle, kind and thoughtful human being with so much to give to the world. Her needless death has inspired me to create the You Grow Girl programme to provide support to girls at this extremely vulnerable stage of life. Fern Lodge, the home of You Grow Girl, is named in her memory.
The You Grow Girl programme is my small contribution to the crisis that confronts us all, and it is my sincere hope that I can use my skills and experience to make a difference to the lives of the girls who attend the groups. This programme has been years in the making and I really cannot wait to get started!
I am thrilled to work alongside my close friend, Dr Faizia Pask, to deliver the You Grow Girl Programme. Faizia is an experienced and skilled practitioner with a similar passion for empowering young girls to take on their teenage years. To find out more about Faizia, click here.