Sutton Youth Awareness Programme

Sutton Youth Awareness Programme, or YAP as it is known, offers free confidential information, support and counselling to young people up to the age of 25 years, who have specific interest in drug use. This can mean legal or illegal drugs, tranquillisers and prescription medication, alcohol, tobacco and solvent abuse.

Coming to Sutton four years ago as an offshoot of the successful ten year old Newham program, they are jointly funded by the London Borough of Sutton, The South London Training and Enterprise Council, The European Social Fund, The Single Regeneration Project and The South West London Probation Service.

Work is concentrated in three main areas - education, counselling and training.

The work in schools and youth clubs covers all key stages of the National Curriculum and is geared to the age of the young people involved. Within primary schools the workshops address how alcohol, tobacco.solvents,cannabis and medicines affect the body and show techniques for coping in situations where substance use occurs.

In secondary schools they provide factual information on all substances, legal and illegal as well as discussion regarding attitudes towards drug use and related issues.

YAP are often asked to set up workshops for both teachers and parents.

Literature Available

A variety of literature, posters,workbooks,teachers notes and other tools have been produced by YAP to accompany their work This includes "Sort it Out", a slim volume containing poems, comments and experiences of pupils from five local high schools.The book's aim is to stimulate debate, discussion and further creative writing as well as give information on the use and misuse of drugs.


Also available is a workbook and source of drug related information, called "Sorting it Out". Not to be confused with the above publication it is a combination of fact and exercises aimed at raising drug awareness in the 9 to 11 age group. It covers many areas of the National Curriculum and is priced at £10 per copy.

The majority of their Counselling clients are under 25 years of age although their experienced team of counsellors is willing to help people of any age if the need arises.

The Counselling Service is free and confidential to young people.

The very young are usually referred to them by other agencies and YAP work with Sutton Social Services and Education Departments, including Educational Welfare as and when necessary, If a visit to the project is not possible then a YAP worker can make outside visits.

Sutton YAP has a team of outreach workers covering St. Helier, Roundshaw, Stonecot Hill and Sutton. Teamed up in pairs they carry a variety of information to be distributed to the young people they meet. As the service is ongoing they are well positioned to build informal relationships and a sense of familiarity with the young people.

The YAP workers themselves are quite a young team, with many coming to them either on work experience placements, or volunteering their services to aid the work in schools. All volunteers have six months training. As well as covering obvious drug information the course teaches equal opportunities and basic first aid. Their studies form the basis of a Foundation course at NVQ level and enables them, if they wish, either to go on to other higher education courses or into any kind of care work. This not only means that YAP have a highly skilled work force at their disposal, but that the young volunteers themselves gain valuable knowledge, confidence and job satisfaction.