We hope this page will answer lots of the questions you might have if you haven't come to Youth in Romsey before, but if there's anything else you'd like to know don't hesitate to get in touch!

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What is it like coming into Youth in Romsey for the first time?

 

OK let’s see…

 

When you first come through the door, a slightly annoying but cheerful doorbell will play. Don’t be alarmed (!); it just lets us know someone’s here in case we are in the office!

 

I can almost 100% guarantee you that after coming through the door and saying Hi, you’ll be offered a drink by 3 of us one after the other as we wander through the lounge area, not having realised we weren’t the first one to see you. Despite this drink frenzy, we wont be in the least bit offended if you decline. 

 

One of us will then ask your name/ how we can help you and then we will let whoever you came to see know you’re here!

 

We have ample seating, reading material, toilets and the radio is usually playing so if there is any wait at all (usually not much) you can do this comfortably. 

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Can I just drop in or do I need to book an appointment?

 

You’re always very welcome to drop in for a chat , or if you’d like to pop in to find out more about us and what we offer, or to book an appointment, that’s cool too! Our daily sexual health service for contraception, pregnancy and chlamydia testing is done on a drop-in basis so no need to book this.  We also have a monthly drop in sexual health clinic for all of those things as well as implants, full screening etc.

 

The times you would need to book an appointment are when you want to speak to someone in particular. So 1:1 support sessions, counselling, interview practice etc. If you are looking to start counselling sessions, these will need to be booked in advance and we do usually have a short waiting list, however we will see you for an assessment very quickly.

 

Our drop in hours are 2-5pm, Monday - Thursday 

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Is it busy in the centre?

 

Not usually…

 

We have the occasional rush when everything seems to happen at once (!) but generally it’s quite calm. There might be one or two other people in the seating area and some of the team will be around and about but other than that, not much to report - we’re a pretty relaxed bunch!

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Do I have to talk to someone on the phone to book an appointment or can I email/ message on social media?

 

We totally understand talking on the phone can be nerve-racking for some people - you can contact us however you’d like to. Drop in, call, email,  or message us on any of our social media pages.

 

When you contact us about coming in for counselling, we’ll usually ask for a few of your details (name, address, doctors surgery, contact number/ email and parent/ carer details if you’re under 18). If you are coming in to access our sexual health service, all we need is your age and gender. Any information we take from you is kept highly confidential and securely stored. 

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Can I bring a parent/ friend?

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Of course you can! We understand it may feel daunting coming to the centre, and it can be really helpful to have someone there to walk in with. 

 

The only exception is our Youth Groups. Because they are run specifically for people referred to us, or who have a particular reason they would benefit from it, we don’t allow members to bring friends with them. But of course if you are new, feeling nervous etc.  (all totally normal by the way!) your parent/ carer is welcome to hang around for a while until you feel more comfortable. 

 

For counselling sessions, we firstly carry out an initial assessment with the client as part of the client/counsellor relationship process, and then follow on with normal sessions after this. We usually encourage parents/ carers to wait outside, this is to protect the confidentiality of other young people coming in and out of the centre. (There is a Costa over the road in Romsey rapids if that is convenient!

 

With other forms of support we provide, such as advice with carers, group discussions with parents are pretty common if that’s what you’d like. Similarly, you can bring somebody with you to our sexual health service.

 

Basically its up to you who you bring – we don’t have many rules!

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Where are we?

 

You’ll find us next to Romsey Rapids. When you come off the main road

(Southampton Road) on to the Rapids entrance, our centre is on the left-hand side, in front of the tennis courts. 

Our Postcode is SO518AF

 

 

Who’s on the YiR Team?

 

Well let’s see…

 

Wendy is our incredibly lovely Centre manager. She is the glue that holds us all together and has been running YIR from the very beginning. Always seemingly relaxed and with a smile on her face, Wendy does lots of the 1:1 support sessions we offer, as well as running all the youth groups, amongst many many other things. She always seems to be on the go and YiR would not be what it is today without her. 

 

Linda is one of our wonderful counsellors and also works full time for YiR. Similarly to Wendy, Linda always seems to be on the go, and you will usually be able to find her working away somewhere near a radiator! Linda is bubbly, friendly and fun to talk to (seriously, more often than not, the first 15 minutes I am at work each day are spent catching up and having a chat with her!)

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What facilities do we have? 

 

The YIR building is quite modern and we are lucky enough to have a very versatile space to work in.  We have two larger rooms for events/ groups and a couple of smaller counselling rooms, a computer/ waiting area, toilets with disabled access, and a garden for those sunnier months. We also have a plot in the allotment across the road where we grow various fruit and veg and hold BBQs in the summer!

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When are we open?

 

Monday to Thursday 2-5pm are the drop in hours for anything not booked in. e.g. sexual health, career discussions, or just a chat if you need some support. However many of our counselling sessions, youth groups and other appointments are held earlier or later on in the day. 

 

You can call us anytime Mon-Thurs and someone will pick up. If they don’t, leave us a message and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can!

 

We are closed on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays but you can still send emails or messages during this time that will be picked up at the earliest opportunity. 

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Is there parking?

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Yes!! And its FREE! And there’s plenty of it!

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Can I get there by bus/ train?

Absolutely!

 

There are buses that come in to Romsey bus station from a wide range of locations. The bus station is about a 15 minute non-rushed walk from Youth in Romsey. 

 

Similarly, Romsey train station is about a 15 - 20 minute walk too.

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Is the service confidential? 

 

Yes, the service is confidential.

 

The only time we must break confidentiality is if we feel that the client or someone else is in danger. We would always then report it to our Safeguarding Lead and the relevant agency, supporting the client at all times.

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