Branching Out

Branching Out is a confidential alcohol, drug and tobacco service for all young people under 21 in Calderdale. We are delivered by a national charity Humankind. Humankind creates services and support to meet people’s complex health and social needs, helping them to build healthier lives that have meaning and value for themselves and their families. We support local people to create stronger, better-connected communities.

Branching Out

Branching Out is a confidential service for all young people under 21 in Calderdale who are using or at risk of using alcohol, drug and tobacco. We work with young people at any level, including standalone smoking cessation services for under 18’s.

Branching Out offers a flexible face to face service for young people with a wide range of support on offer. We provide honest, accurate advice and information; supporting young people to achieve their goals. This includes one to one support, positive activities, group sessions, clinical treatment, advocacy, C-card, Chlamydia screening, and signposting to other support services.

We have a worker based in each locality across Calderdale and can see young people where they prefer.

We work closely with other health providers such as Sexual Health, and workers deliver drop-in sessions across Calderdale, including at young person’s clinics at Broad Street Plaza Health Centre.

We provide support to young people who may require substitute prescribing/detoxification with the support of a clinical practitioner, or have health concerns related to their use of substances and access to Hepatitis A&B vaccinations.

The service has a dedicated concerned other worker providing support to anyone who is affected by a young persons substance use. We can provide support in groups, in one-to-one sessions or even just over the phone. Our ‘concerned other’ worker also delivers awareness and training, either as a peer group of friends or as part of a group of parents who might have the same questions and/or fears. We can tailor packages of care from one hour to a day at any venue (including home). During sessions, parents, carers and family members will be provided with information and facts about drugs to better equip them and increase their confidence to talk to their young people.

The service also employs a Prevention and Intervention School Health Educator who delivers:

alcohol, drug and tobacco basic training, enhanced training, and current trends training packages. These are offered to young people and any professionals working with young people and/or their families in Calderdale. This is offered through schools, youth centres, multi-agency in-house training days, or delivered to staff teams (minimum of 8 attendees) by email request;
tailored written packages addressing concerns raised by specific staff teams.

All training packages are free of charge and certificates of attendance are issued. Sessions can range from one to six hours and can be delivered at a time to suit you.

If you have any queries regarding any of the work we deliver you can contact us on our SPOA line 01422 415550 (option 2).