West Lothian mental health charity awarded almost £200k to help young people

S.M.I.L.E. Counselling is thrilled to announce that it has been awarded a three-year grant of £198,568 to support a vital new project aimed at providing specialised counselling services for children and young people across West Lothian. This significant funding will enable the organisation to enhance its early intervention efforts, particularly for young people in crisis and those requiring specialist neurodiverse support.

Over the past nine years, S.M.I.L.E. Counselling has supported over 2,000 children and young people with individual therapy, making a profound impact on the mental health of the local community. As the largest provider of counselling services within high schools in West Lothian, S.M.I.L.E. Counselling has established itself as a trusted and leading mental health and counselling training organisation. This new grant will further bolster its efforts to reach young people at critical stages in their lives.

With these resources, S.M.I.L.E. Counselling will employ one full-time Children’s Counsellor, dedicated to working with individuals under 16, and one part-time Neurodiverse Counsellor, who will provide specialised support for those aged 11-26. The project’s core aim is to ensure that young people in West Lothian, particularly those facing neurodiverse challenges or experiencing crises, have access to timely and expert counselling services.

Declan Harrigan, Founder / CEO at S.M.I.L.E. Counselling, shared their enthusiasm about the grant: “We are incredibly grateful for this funding, which will enable us to expand our services and continue supporting the mental health of young people across West Lothian. Over the years, we’ve seen firsthand the difference that early intervention and specialised support can make in the lives of young people, and this grant allows us to reach even more individuals who need our help.”

S.M.I.L.E. Counselling’s commitment to mental health is deeply rooted in its community-focused approach, and this new project will build on the organisation’s nine-year legacy of providing compassionate, effective therapy. As a leading provider of counselling and mental health training in the region, S.M.I.L.E. Counselling is poised to make an even greater impact on the well-being of young people in West Lothian.

For more information about the project or to access S.M.I.L.E. Counselling’s services, please visit www.smilecounselling.org.uk or contact referrals@smilecounselling.org.uk

You can read the original article on The Daily Record here.