This Mental Health Awareness Week focuses on ‘Community’, and our charity wants to shine a spotlight on the work we do at Tynecastle Park to offer support and build a safe space where everyone feels they belong.
In 2024, we piloted a new programme, ‘Friday Night Lights’, in partnership with Police Scotland, Edinburgh Leisure and Community Sports Hubs. The programme is aimed at young people aged 13 to 18, who are at risk of being involved in criminal activity in the community and would benefit from the outlet of a safe space with positive role models.
Since it’s launch in 2024, Friday Night Lights has:
- supported 38 individuals
- provided 41 evening sessions
- helped to build positive relationships
A young person who has been attending Friday Night Lights regularly, had been identified as one of our more vulnerable participants. After initial investigations, it was discovered that they had been experiencing some tough moments in their life, including family bereavement and the deterioration of a close family members health, which has led to some very challenging behaviours in and out of school.
After taking some time away from Friday Night Lights, the young person was re-integrated to the group with support from a Big Hearts’ Project Lead and Group Worker. This allowed time for informal catchups at Tynecastle Park to discuss their behaviour and how they were feeling. It was quickly recognised the support plan in place, would need to be amended to better suit their needs.
Through positive conversations with Big Hearts’ staff and the support from school, this young person now attends regular sessions with our in-house Counsellor to address their issues and worries with home life, family and problems at school.
The action programme that has now been implemented for this young person has seen their trust in our staff begin to grow. Big Hearts has become a safe space where they can be open and honest and chat about any issues they may have. They realise that we want to support and guide them, and not punish their challenging behaviours, and that our charity will try our best to do right by them
This young person has continued to attend Friday Night Lights and sessions with Big Hearts’ Counsellor weekly, and there has been a significant improvement in their behaviour.
– May 2025
