Crisis Cafe
Harnessing Creativity & Capacity
Crisis Café is much more than a café, it is a vehicle for harnessing the creativity, innovation and capacity of young people to make change happen.
As social workers with twenty years’ experience, Louise Quinn and Grainne Graham recognised the shortcomings in mental health services for young people. They listened to young people telling them that they were unable to access mental health services, without a referral, at the time they most needed it and the damaging consequences of delay.
Driven by Youth
The goal in setting up Crisis Café was to empower young people with leadership skills to create and direct solutions that make a real difference to mental health provision.
Crisis Café is a youth led organisation with an active young people’s advisory group who meet weekly to co-design programmes, ensure the voices of young people are heard and that services and programmes offered meet the needs of young people.
A Vibrant Community
On the face of it, Crisis Café is a busy friendship café for young people to interact and build connections with a supportive community. It’s led by the young people themselves and they all draw upon their own experiences, talents and interests to provide for themselves and look after others within the café.
On offer is a range of themed café sessions to suit all interests running throughout the week. Art Club runs on Wednesdays with creative writing and photography being the focus on Mondays. On Friday evenings, the cafe is transformed into a vibrant set for musicians, vocalists and performers. An LGBTQ+ peer support group for young people meets weekly. There’s even a Digi-Space providing access to PC’s and printers and a gaming group.
A Safe Haven
Looking a little bit deeper and its true value becomes apparent – by providing a safe and accepting space for open dialogue, the cafe encourages young people to seek help without fear of judgment or social isolation.
Skilled mental health practitioners equipped to provide immediate assistance to those in need can offer one-to-one clinical and non-clinical support for any young person suffering a mental health crisis. These include crisis intervention, de-escalation techniques and referrals to appropriate mental health professionals or organisations.
A Force for Change
This remarkable establishment serves as a haven for over 400 young people – mental health ambassadors and their peers grappling with mental health challenges and offers a glimmer of hope during times of crisis. With its compassionate staff, welcoming ambiance and range of vital services, Crisis Cafe has emerged as an invaluable resource, changing lives and shaping the conversation around mental health in the community.
Other partners who are making a difference
Identifying the right network of dedicated and ambitious partners has enabled us to deliver on our charitable purposes and activities. Here are just some of the life-changing projects that our grant partners have been involved in.
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Mae Murray Foundation
The aim of this member led organisation is to create inclusive environments and opportunities that enable true participation for all in community-based leisure and social activities.
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The Queen’s University of Belfast Foundation
Philanthropic support is helping to make Queen’s University Belfast and Northern Ireland a world leader in medical research, education and patient care.
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Angel Eyes NI
Angel Eyes NI empower families with information and skills to raise aspirations and make informed choices for their child.