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"I was 15 when I was referred to the Matthew Project by the safeguarding lead at my school. I needed help to stop smoking cannabis. I'd been smoking for a couple of years and couldn’t do it on my own.   I live with my Mum. She and Dad split up. They were always arguing when they were together. I didn't like it. The memories of shouting and the fact that it didn’t leave much time for me was one of the reasons I started smoking. I felt like cutting and I did sometimes. I was getting bad marks at school, I didn’t want to go, I felt that school was the last place I wanted to be. Cannabis use was affecting my mental health, and I felt anxious and struggled to sleep.  I first smoked cannabis after school. Most of my friends had tried it. Then I would hang out with older mates, and sometimes we smoked at my home. It was hard to say no when they asked. My mum felt helpless to do anything. There was concern about county lines involvement. Then I became at risk of being excluded from school for inappropriate behaviour and no attendance. That's when I asked for help.  The first session with The Matthew Project was about them getting to know me and introducing me to the service. Building a trusting relationship is an important part of their initial work as young people can often feel uncomfortable sharing details about themselves with a professional, they just met.   They asked lots of questions to build a better picture of my life which helped them to create a support plan with me. We wrote down the goals that I wanted to achieve and what would help to get me there. My priorities were to cut down on substance use, improve my mental health, get support with my education, and improve my friend and family relationships. The process wasn’t too formal which put me at ease.   Me and my worker focused on improving my eating habits and sleeping pattern. I started exercising daily for 20 mins, came off my phone before bed and kept my room tidy. I started to feel less tired in the mornings...  Then my worker helped me get back into football which was great because I stopped wanting to smoke so much and I got my appetite back!   After checking with me, my worker also had a chat with my mum as I was worried about telling the older mates that they couldn't come to my house to smoke. It helped her understand how to help me and we have a much better relationship now.  Me and my mum found Unity service really helpful. I think not only did it help with my cannabis use but also with my anxiety and low mood... and it's kept me at school, so I stand a better chance of getting my GCSE's!  I have cut down on my usage massively, although I still smoke sometimes. Unity have kept my case open so I can continue with the support when I need it, which is really reassuring to know. Big thanks to everyone from The Matthew Project that helped me." Do you feel like your worried that your own drug/alcohol use is having a significant impact on you or others around you? If so, click on the button below to see how we can help.

"Ever since I was young my dad always suffered with a drinking issue. It’s not until I got older that I realised it was also affecting my life. His drinking became worse when I joined sixth form, which is when it began affecting my day to day life. I was turning up to school exhausted, not just physically but emotionally. This was having an effect on my school work and learning. I knew it was no longer something I could handle on my own and I had to talk to somebody, but I didn’t know who to reach out to. I spoke to my school and shortly they got me in contact with The Matthew Project. I felt very nervous to talk to somebody at the Matthew Project as I was always very apprehensive to tell people about my home life due to fear of judgement. However, as soon as I met Sharon I felt instantly put at ease and she felt like a friend that I could talk to about anything. Sharon helped me to cope with the issues not only going on at home but also the stresses of sixth form. Even when I didn’t want to talk about what was going on at home, she would always listen to anything I had to say and would always give me positive advice. Throughout my 2 years with Sharon I have managed to cope with my dad’s drinking so much better and he is now receiving help and has quit drinking. I finished sixth form and now I’m at university and I don’t think I would’ve reached this point if I hadn’t received help. I am so grateful for the Matthew Project but specifically for Sharon who always helped me over every hurdle I came across" Do you feel like your worried about a family members drug/alcohol use? If so click the button below to find out more on how we can help support you.

Support for those worried about a family member or relative using drugs/alcohol Welcome to YouCan! It can be worrying when a family member is misusing drugs/alcohol. Without realising this can have an impact on those around them, like you. Below are a few ways in which you might feel affected by their misuse. If you feel like these are relevant to you, our YouCan service can help. Scroll down to see how we offer support and how you can get in touch with us . Common signs Afraid? You are worried about their health, that they might be involved in an accident or you might also feel uncomfortable around them. Feel embarrased? You may be worried about their behaviour, such as saying strange things meaning you don’t invite friends round, leaving you feeling alone. Feel responsible? You feel you're responsible for their drug/alcohol use. You think it's your job to try help them. Feel unsafe? You don't feel like you are protected, either from physical or emotional harm. If this is happening to you, please tell an adult you trust. Our Support to You We can support you in the following ways: Regular tailored support and safety advice Meet in a place you feel safe thats your choice Flexibe contact range (phone, text, email etc) Finding other support services to help you We know it can also be hard explaining things to your family/guardians, which is where we can also help. Activities In addition to one-to-one support, you can participate in activities that help build confidence, connect with other young people who have similar experiences, and develop vital skills. These activities take place during school holidays and evenings. Examples of activities from Summer 2024 include a residential trip to How Hill, cupcake making, sports day, Clip and Climb, a VR escape room, sailing, pottery painting, bowling, and first aid training. If you decide to join our service and are 13 or older, you'll have the opportunity to become a peer mentor. As a peer mentor, you can support others during activities. Being a peer mentor is a rewarding experience that develops self-confidence, builds connection with others, and allows you to make a positive impact on young people with similar experiences. To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key. Get support To access support, click the button below to fill out our referral form. A social worker, teacher, or youth worker can complete it for you, or contact us for help. Click Here Contact us Still unsure? Would you like to talk to someone before deciding if you want to receive support? You can chat with us through our anonymous Live Chat, via email, or over the phone. Click Here

The Matthew Project is a Norfolk charity offering free, confidential support for young people dealing with issues around drugs, alcohol, or family substance use. Our services include YouCan (help for under-19s affected by a family member’s substance use), Unity (support for under-19s impacted by personal or others' substance use), and On Track (guidance for 13-24s facing barriers to education or employment). Welcome! Here you can see our young people services that we run at The Matthew Project. Our services aim to support, empower and advise young people. YouCan If your worried about a family member or relative using drugs/alcohol, use the button below to see how we can help. This service is for: Age under 19's Living in Norfolk Impacted by family/relative drug/alcohol use Read More Unity If you are worried that your own drug/alcohol use is having a significant impact on you or others around you, click on the button below to see how we can help. This service is for: Age under 19's Living in Norfolk Want to stop/reduce drugs/alcohol use Read More On Track Do you have barriers making it difficult to find/stay in education/employment. Use the button below to see how we can help. This service is for: 13 - 24 year olds Living in Norfolk At risk/not in education or employment Read More Accessibility We believe all young people should have equal access to information and support regardless of barriers. To see how we do this follow the button below. Read More Have Your Say We value our young peoples feedback and ideas. If you would like to see how you can have your say, please follow the button below. Read More Your Stories Want to know about another young persons experience? Click the button below to see some short stories from other young people we have helped. Read More What's New Load more Need to chat? We're here to listen! Our anonymous live chat is open for young people aged 13 and up, Monday to Thursday, 4 pm to 7 pm. Just visit our website during these hours and tap the orange circle in the bottom-right corner to start chatting with one of our friendly workers from the young people's team.

Support for those that are worried their own drug/alcohol use is having a significant impact on them or others Welcome to Unity! It can be worrying when you feel that your own drug/alcohol use is having a significant impact on you or others around you. Below are a few ways in which you might feel your drug/alcohol use is impacting you. If you feel like these are relevant to you, our Unity service can help. Scroll down to see how we offer support and how you can get in touch with us . If you would like to learn more about different substances, click on the button below to go to our resources page. Resources Page Common signs No Control? Feel like you need to use drugs/alcohol? You can't cope without it? This can make you feel out of control of your life, but we can help. Emotional Change? Are you experiencing noticeable changes in mood, anxiety, irritability or depression? These changes can happen when using drugs/alcohol. Feeling Ashamed? Do you use drugs/alcohol on your own? Trying to hide it from others like your family? You could be feeling embarrassed about what you're doing. Feeling Withdrawal? Tried to stop and started to feel sick, anxious or develop shakes? You could be experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Our Support to You We can support you in the following ways: Regular tailored support and safety advice Meet in a place you feel safe that's your choice Flexible contact range (phone, text, email etc) Motivational techniques Education around substances and their impact Harm reduction & relapse prevention support Sexual health advice (C-Card, BBV + Hep B Screening) Finding other support services to help you We know it can also be hard explaining things to your family/guardians, which is where we can also help. Get support To access support, click the button below to fill out our referral form. A social worker, teacher, or youth worker can complete it for you, or contact us for help. Click Here Contact us Still unsure? Would you like to talk to someone before deciding if you want to receive support? You can chat with us through our anonymous Live Chat, via email, or over the phone. Click Here