Online
NSPCC have been protecting children for over 140 years. And as long as children need us, we’ll be here.
NSPCC Learning – Helping children, families and professionals.
Whether working directly with families or providing support to professionals, NSPCC Learning services are here to help protect children today and prevent abuse tomorrow.
Building Connections
Building Connections is an online service for young people up to the age of 19, empowering them to find a way through loneliness.
Young people work with a trained befriender, who guides them and champions them each step of the way. Building Connections gives young people tools that can help them build their confidence and better equip them to manage loneliness.
Helping young people tackle loneliness
Young people work through the online Building Connections programme over 11 weeks, with the support of a trained befriender.
Types of issues Building Connections can help with:
Transitional periods – such as moving to a new school or area.
Emotional health – including stress, lower self-esteem, social anxiety, low mood or social isolation.
Friendship issues and bullying – for example struggling to make friends or maintain relationships with peers, feeling a lack of connection with the people they view as friends or experiencing bullying or cyberbullying.
Sense of otherness – the young person may experience a sense of ‘otherness’ due to how peers have reacted to their sexual or gender identity, race, religion or other protected characteristics.
This list isn’t exhaustive and we review each referral individually.
The Building Connections programme has seven stages.
Introductions – The young person and befriender get to know each other
I am – Together they look at the young person’s world, their feelings, vulnerabilities and strengths.
I have – They identify support and resources available to the young person.
I want and deserve – They explore what the young person feels they’re missing and what they imagine is possible.
I can / I will – With support, the young person takes concrete steps to overcome feelings of loneliness.
Reflecting on learning, creating a plan and managing setbacks – The young person is supported to develop a plan for the next six to nine months.
Endings – They celebrate the work that’s been done and the progress they’ve made.
Young people up to the age of 19
Online
Free
Building Connections is an online service. Young people will need an internet connection and an email address. They should also have access to a quiet and private space to attend sessions with their befriender.
If you know a young person who would benefit from this service, you can make a referral:
Visit the Building Connections referral page on the NSPCC Learning website
Helpline: 0808 800 5000
ChildLine: 0800 1111
Email: help@nspcc.org.uk
For more information about NSPCC search NSPCC in this directory.
Visit the NSPCC Learning website
