Young people’s experience of counselling in community settings

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Youth Access, the advice and counselling network for young people, has produced a report detailing young people’s experiences in counselling in community settings.

As part of Youth Access’ national study on the effectiveness of counselling in community-based settings, an Experience of Service Questionnaire (ESQ, formerly CHI-ESQ) was conducted among young people accessing YIACS youth counselling services. This report presents an in-depth analysis of the 1,378 completed questionnaires, presenting rich qualitative data and first-hand testimonies from young people about their experience of accessing youth counselling services.

Key findings

Young people’s experiences of Youth Information, Advice and Counselling Services (YIACS) were overwhelmingly positive.

During the study young people told Youth Access that:

• They valued the accessibility and flexibility of YIACS.
• YIACS were welcoming, friendly and supportive.
• They felt listened to, understood and accepted by YIACS counsellors.
• It was the first time they had ever experienced being genuinely heard, respected and valued.
• Counsellors in these settings were knowledgeable, trustworthy, creative in their approach and easy to talk to.
• The counselling they received led to long-lasting and meaningful change in their lives.

To read the full report, visit the Youth Access website.