Our June box was a collaboration with Amy the lovely lady behind Perky Plants. Amy is a mental health nurse herself and so when I asked whether there was a charity she had in mind for us to support, it's no surprise she chose Off The Record!
OTR is a mental health social movement by and for young people aged 11-25 in Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset. They offer a variety of projects to promote good mental health and wellbeing, and empower young people to support themselves and their communities. They give young people a choice and a voice.
They’re not just a charity providing mental health services, they’re a mental health movement mobilised to support, promote and defend the mental health, rights and social position of young people. OTR recognises that our individual and collective wellbeing is influenced by the structures and systems around us - and social, political and environmental contexts affect how we feel. In an at-times stressful world, OTR provides spaces for young people to learn and create positive change for their wellbeing.
OTR has a wide range of services for young people to get involved in, which are designed and often delivered by trained young people themselves, as well as in partnership with organisations across the region; including group work, projects exploring arts, sports, nature and activism, support around gender and sexuality identity, targeted work with young people of colour, and one-to-one therapies. OTR is free and self-referral, meaning young people don’t need a diagnosis, professional referral or a parent/carer’s permission to access their services. They want to empower young people to work from their strengths, choose support that is best suited to them and take control of their experience.
You can visit OTR at their Hubs - drop-in spaces where young people, parents/carers and professionals can meet their staff and volunteers, chat about their projects and other local mental health support, and learn more about mental health and self-care.
Find out more at otrbristol.org.uk and @otrbristol on Instagram.
If you have a charity you would like us to support, please get in touch and let us know!
