about us
At Centre 33, our vision is for a future where all young people are listened to, respected and supported. We support young people up to the age of 25 in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough with their mental health, practical issues, caring responsibilities and more.
WHY IS CENTRE 33 NEEDED?
Many young people we see tell us that they have no-one to talk to when they are worried, scared or have a problem they can't solve.
So they don't talk to anyone.
This can exacerbate serious problems including anxiety, gaps in education, severe mental distress, caring at home, homelessness, self-harm and even suicide.
Some don't know where to go for help, others are passed from one service to another - many feel that they are not asked what they need, are not heard or are not taken seriously. And we know that young people as a whole are facing multiple challenges:
• Referrals to children mental health services have almost tripled since Covid.
• Suicide remains the biggest killer of young people aged 16-24.
• The East of England region has the highest youth homelessness rate in England and Wales at 2.45%.
WHAT DO WE DO AT CENTRE 33?
At Centre 33 we put young people at the heart of their own support. We listen and we work together to find solutions that will work for young people. And then we work with other services to ensure they are not falling through the cracks, and that their voices are heard.
Our Vision is for a future where all young people are listened to, respected and supported.
Centre 33 exists to help every young person in Cambridgeshire & Peterborough fulfil their potential. We support and empower them to overcome their issues through a range of free and confidential services.
We offer free counselling and wellbeing support, information on sexual health, housing and budgeting and also a young carers project. We run out of five main centres over six days a week and work with 1000s of young people in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough every year.
We opened our doors in Cambridge in 1981 to offer young people a safe space where they could receive free, confidential and professional support in a non-judgemental and welcoming setting.
We have grown but stay true to our founding principles in all our work.
We are a team of over 100 staff and volunteers, and we work across the county, in hubs, remotely, in schools, and in the community with thousands of young people each year.
We are hugely committed to the wellbeing of young people and helping them reach their full potential.
We believe young people deserve respect and excellent care and support, no matter what they come to us with.
We receive positive feedback from young people who say they have been listened to, are taken seriously, and have a say in their own support which makes a difference to them.
See here for a bit more detail about our strategic priorities. See here to read about our impact.
Centre 33’s Mission is:
• to offer young people support with practical issues and emotional needs that is free, confidential, empowering, easy-access and high quality.
• to actively work with other local services so that young people’s needs are met and their voices are heard.
To see more about what we do, you can see copies of our recent annual Impact Reports.
We are young people-led, collaborative, inclusive and striving for excellence. We apply the following Values to all our work and those we work with:
FULLSCOPE collaboration
We are proud to host the Fullscope Collaboration. Fullscope is a consortium of leading local organisations working together since 2017 to support and improve the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
They nurture collaboration between children, young people, families, specialist organisations and the wider community, diving deep into our mental health systems to discover ways to bring about positive change.
The seven partner organisations (Centre 33, Arts and Minds, Blue Smile, Cambridge Curiosity & Imagiation, CPSL Mind, The Kite Trust and YMCA Trinity Group) all have expertise in supporting the mental health and well-being of children and/or young people from 0 to 25, offering a wide range of services and approaches.
other information you might be interested in
Centre 33 is dedicated to making a positive impact on the lives of young people in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. Each year, we provide support and guidance to thousands of individuals facing various challenges, from mental health issues to caring responsibilities.
Our history
Centre 33 has supported young people since 1981, growing from a small volunteer-led service into a vital charity across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
Our impact
Understand the impact of Centre 33's support for young people - read our Annual Reports and take a look at our year in numbers.
Donate
Make a one-off or regular donation to help young people access the support they need. Every contribution counts.
Our people
Get to know the dedicated team of staff, trustees, and volunteers at Centre 33, who are all working together to support young people across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.