1 The Textile Building, Hackney
About this service
Off Centre offers a range of specialist services designed to support young people’s mental health and wellbeing. These include Off Centre, a therapeutic service for young people aged 16–25 with moderate to severe mental health needs; Project Indigo, which provides an LGBTQIA+ youth group, keyworking, therapeutic support and a peer mentoring programme for LGBTQIA+ young people, delivered by staff with shared lived experience; and Growing Minds, a therapeutic service for African, Caribbean, and Mixed Heritage young people, also delivered by therapists with shared lived experience.
Across all services, support focuses on young people’s mental health and emotional needs, alongside therapeutic groups and psychoeducation that help build understanding and reduce social isolation.
More Information
Off Centre is a free and confidential therapy and support service for young people aged 11–25 who are registered with a City and Hackney GP. It aims to improve young people’s mental health and wellbeing by providing access to one-to-one therapy, therapeutic groups, and youth groups in a safe and supportive environment. We offer counselling, arts therapies, an art therapy group, a DBT skills group cofacilitated with ELFT NHS colleagues, as well as social youth groups.
The service offers age-appropriate, targeted support that addresses both mental health needs and wider social factors that may impact wellbeing. Off Centre also encourages young people to get involved in shaping the service through its Youth Advisory Panel.
Project Indigo is a mental health, social and wellbeing service for LGBTQIA+ young people aged 13-25 in Hackney. We provide:
A weekly LGBTQIA+ youth group for young people aged 16-25
One-to-one keyworking sessions for LGBTQIA+ young people aged 13-25 on themes including sexuality, gender, questioning your identity and signposting to other services
A peer mentoring programme
Therapeutic support with an LGBTQIA+ therapist
Growing Minds offers a confidential and safe space for children and young people (CYP) to explore issues around race, culture, and identity, as well as talk about any worries they may have.
We support young people aged 11–25 from African Caribbean and mixed heritage backgrounds. All therapists involved in the project are from African Caribbean heritage backgrounds, providing culturally informed and sensitive support.
We offer weekly 1-to-1, face-to-face sessions, including:
• Play Therapy
• Creative Art Therapy
• Counselling
• Wellbeing Groups
Our approach is holistic. We work closely with parents/carers, schools, and professionals to support CYP within their wider community. One of our delivery sites is Forest Road Health Spot.
If you would like any more information on any of the services we offer, please do get in touch.
Referrals to Off Centre, Growing Minds, or Project Indigo can be made via this form.
Please note that the form cannot be saved and must be completed in one session.
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