• ·       Cardiff Youth Services helps develop immersive technology to support anxious teenagers
• ·       New funding available to forge community cohesion

Young people from Cardiff Youth Services have assisted in the development of an augmented reality therapy to help address anxiety in young people.

The immersive technology provides an intervention for young people as an alternative to traditional therapy and has been developed and tested by six young people from Cardiff’s Grassroots provision over a six-week pilot period.

Created by Elemental Health, who provide mental health support services for young people - and in collaboration with Sugar Creative and Media Cymru - the approach provides a way for young people to engage with therapy by digitally “growing” a plant that represents them. From flower type to the number of leaves, environmental factors to the plant’s condition, the process is designed to help young people share with their support worker - and each other if they wish - their plant, its qualities, and how this links with what might be happening in their outer life.

Following the pilot, data has suggested that the app has helped engage a range of young people, many of whom are neurodivergent, and who might not engage with, attend or respond well to traditional counselling. Benefits have been found to include reducing anxiety and depression and increasing social connection. Building on Elemental Health’s extensive work in schools, it’s hoped the therapy could also support young people facing barriers to school attendance.

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Cardiff Council is once again inviting applications from constituted community groups and third sector organisations across the city for grant funding available to help build cohesive and resilient communities.

Funded by the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund, small grants of up to £2,000 are available to support projects and initiatives that promote community cohesion. Funding can be used for events, activities, supportive literature, or building community capacity.

To be eligible, projects must align with several of the following objectives:

• Celebrating diversity
• Countering the effects of hate, hateful narratives, disinformation, and misinformation
• Reducing community tensions
• Community capacity building
• Supporting community cohesion
• Promoting equality across all protected characteristics (Equality Act 2010)
• Promoting cohesive communities (Future Generations Act)
• Significant equality events
• Support inclusion, integration, tackle loneliness and isolation, identify commonality through shared interests and experiences, and celebrate the culture and heritage of the area.