The program provides support to adolescents affected by the family instability induced by this addiction.

Elaine is 16 years old and suffers the havoc of alcoholism. She lives with a relative’s addiction. Due to this situation, Elaine transformed the family instability into anger and aggressions. The relationship with her mother hardly existed, she practiced truancy, and had unhealthy relationships. After passing through the Willow Young People’s Counselling Service, Elaine was capable of identifying the factors that triggered her aggressiveness, improved her self-esteem, and is concerned about her training.

Ramon Molinas Foundation has joined forces with Willow Project in order to maintain the program Willow Young People’s Counselling Service, in force since 2009, and which provides advisory service and therapeutic support to young people between 11 and 19 affected by alcoholism in their family environment. Adolescents that have been victims or witnesses of domestic violence, that have inappropriate responsibilities for their age, that live in fear and with instability, or that have adopted anti-social behaviour, fall in the profile of the young people that the English entity assists. In short, they are adolescents at risk of social exclusion who do not count on with an adequate environment for their development and education.

The advisory service, through which 250 adolescents have passed during the last three years, enables young people to develop themselves in a safe environment thanks to the aid of personalized sessions without time constraints and through a therapeutic support group which meets weekly. Once the process is finalized, in which nine professionals participate, the young people end up solving the problems derived from their family instability. They improve their social skills, they increase their confidence and self-esteem, and they stay away from the bad habits they were used to.

Willow Poject started in 1991 with the aim of providing support to people affected directly or indirectly by alcoholism. In a county like Lancashire, where the rate of alcoholism is above the average of the United Kingdom and where there is an annual average of 9.300 hospital cares related to this addiction, the organization has become fundamental in order to promote social integration.

More information in Finished actions.

Links of interest:

Willow Project website.