A&E Navigators -Reachable Moments project overview

Reachable Moments support young victims of youth violence who have been admitted to the Medway Maritime hospital, Medway and William Harvey Hospital, Ashford. We strongly believe that this is a critical moment for these young people, where we can make a real difference by supporting them with intervention at the earliest opportunity. We understand that gang culture is a challenge that young people and our community face and the risks our young people have around county lines, child sexual exploitation, domestic violence, and substance misuse. This work is in partnership with the safeguarding teams at the hospitals and is building relationships with the local police.

The navigators are not only trained to work with young people but they are also highly experienced in engaging with them. This helps to build barriers between young people and the navigators which can help them to understand that they have an opportunity to step back from the risk-taking behaviour that makes them so vulnerable.

In our research and through intervention workshops around knife crime and gangs, we have come to learn about “RedThread” and the impact they are making in major trauma hospitals around the UK. We see this as an important service and something that is significant for every community to support those most in need. Through our large network of referral streams, we can offer young people workshops and one-to-one work within their schools and community programmes that offer diversionary activities away from criminality.

As the first part of the intervention, the navigators will meet with the young person and support them whilst they are in the hospital; This is to gain a better understanding as to why they are there and what services can do to support them now and in the future. Based on previous experiences of working with young people, the navigators understand the best time to start intervention is when young people are at their most vulnerable moment.

We experience these “teachable moments” in our service. We recognise that there is a greater chance of success in making a connection with the young person when they are currently experiencing a low point and so the navigator will work with the young person to develop a pathway with a toolkit of programming opportunities and an additional support system. This will include working with youth services who will support them with social and personal development opportunities. In addition to this, we tailor support around the individual’s needs and interests and can include sports training and leadership training opportunities through our partners and agencies such as Public Health, Community Safety Partnerships and employment services.