The £5,000 IYF Grant in 2018 was used to provide 200 sessions of sessions of psychotherapy for up to 10 young Irish people under the age of 30 years [18 to 30] at icap’s centres in London and Birmingham. In total 20 young Irish people received 446 therapy sessions.

Please read on for excerpts from icap’s 2018 – 2019 report, for details of their achievements this year, in their own words. Niamh’s case study at the end is inspiring and showcases the hope and the future that a young person can gain with the expert long-term therapy that icap is able to provide for their clients.

The funds raised by WIN and donated annually to the IYF makes a lasting impact

“Funding received from the Irish Youth Foundation enables icap to provide our service to young Irish people. This enables us to meet our aim to work with new migrants and young Irish people who are in distress.“

“Your (WIN) generosity has ensured that care for needs of Irish people at the margins remained at the heart our work. icap and WIN are inextricably linked and you have been a steadfast and generous friend and supporter of our work.”

Accessible, culturally-sensitive counselling and psychotherapy

“icap exists to provide accessible, culturally-sensitive counselling and psychotherapy to people of Irish origin and other minority, marginalised and disadvantaged communities in Britain. We provide therapy at our clinical centres in Finsbury Park and Birmingham, via a series of ten satellite services and nationally through our network of therapists. The work funded by the Irish Youth Foundation and described in this report took place at our clinical centres in Finsbury Park and Birmingham. Both centres provide city-wide coverage.”

20 young Irish people benefitted from the service in 2018

“Our work funded by the Irish Youth Foundation specifically targeted young Irish people under the age of 30.

Among this group, all eight Irish born young people were in fulltime work and 7 of eight were educated to degree level. This contrasted with clients of Irish heritage. Among this group of 12 young people, half were in employment and the same numbers of young people were educated only to GCSE level.  This level of employment contrasts with our older Irish clientele, two-thirds of whom are unemployed or disabled.

75% of clients report having experienced significant childhood trauma including physical, sexual and emotional abuse. Common presenting issues includes depression, anxiety and relationship difficulties.”

Case Study 2

“Niamh is a 23-year-old woman born in London to an Irish mother. Niamh approached icap for therapy following a relationship in which she experienced coercion, physical and sexual violence. As a result of these experiences Niamh described feelings of fear, low self-esteem, nightmares, and difficulties with concentration and overeating.

Niamh has now been attending therapy for ten months. During this time, Niamh has managed to complete her degree and has found work that she enjoys. Niamh has also joined a gym and is working to manage her eating. She has used her therapy to share her feelings about her past relationship and to explore her fears of further intimate relationships. Through the therapy she is beginning to feel more positive about her capacity to love and be loved.”

www.icap.org.uk