Placing Relational Youth Workers in Surrey schools to help young people fulfil their own potential!

Eikon (formerly known as the New Haw Youth Project) was established in 1995. It exists to support young people and their families from across Surrey who are facing significant difficulties in their lives. Since 1995 the charity has worked with over 12,000 young people from Surrey, struggling to cope with all manner of daunting challenges from bullying to abuse, alcohol/substance misuse, family breakdown, depression and bereavement to name just a few.

Why the community needs this charity

Fundamental to our mission is providing timely, early intervention to give the right support at the right time. Eikon has four professional youth workers based in local secondary schools who provide support in terms of intensive one-to-one mentoring, group work sessions, lunch time activities and annual residential trips to an outdoor activity centre in Devon. We are there for young people as and when they need help. There is no waiting list, no forms to complete and the door is always open.

Results and outcomes

Eikon exists to support young people like James: "My Dad left when I was little. My Mum had different boyfriends who used to hit her. One boyfriend beat her into a coma. She drinks a lot. It got so bad she spent 10 months in rehab so my sister had to look after me and my brothers. I wasn't eating or sleeping much. We got into a lot of trouble. If it wasn't for Eikon I'd be in prison, or worse."

Latest activities and projects

Eikon's Youth Leadership Development Board

The Youth Development Board will be a programme to involve young people in the planning and delivery of Eikon's services. The board will consist of young people who meet on a monthly basis to discuss the needs of their peers and how we can best support them. By formalising our consultation with young people we believe that our services will be more in tune with current need and enable us to respond more easily. Each young person on the board will have their own personal development plan too. read more

Scaling up our work in Bishop David Brown School!

This project is to scale up the existing work carried out by Eikon's relational youth worker in Bishop David Brown School in Sheerwater. There is an urgent need for more support for young people facing some daunting challenges in their lives. Additional funding would enable more people to benefit from Eikon's one-to-one intensive mentoring programme as well as targeted group work and out of school activities such as a recent residential trip to an outdoor activity centre in Devon. read more

Eikon's Personal Development Residential for Young People Summer 2012

Every summer Eikon aims to take up to 30 young people away to an outdoor activity centre in Devon and involve them in various sporting activities (such as climbing, orienteering, kayaking, canoeing, mountain biking, archery) as well encourage them in discussions about life and current issues that affect young people today. The trips are all about making friends, facing fears and overcoming challenges. read more

Moving on Up

The project will be delivered by a part time coordinator who would design the course, develop resources and work with Surrey schools to target vulnerable young people who would most benefit from taking part in the scheme. Students will attend a number of group sessions and activities designed to cover the key concerns facing new students which will help them adjust to secondary school and integrate smoothly. read more