Youth Practitioner Wellbeing Programme 2025/26

Feeling drained? Burnt out? Isolated? Overwhelmed?

It's a tough time to be supporting young people right now.

Oxfordshire Youth and The Prudence Trust are thrilled to launch the Youth Practitioner Wellbeing Programme 2025/26 to meet the needs of frontline workers like you who are delivering life-changing support.

Sign up for our programme of support which begins with First Bespoke Wellbeing Day from Friday 20th June 2025 and finishes on Friday 27th March 2026 with our Celebration Event!

This programme consists of four waves of support. For more information read below or contact Nataliia Turban, our Youth Sector Wellbeing Coordinator at nataliia.turban@oxfordshireyouth.org or 07828414588.

These Bespoke Wellbeing Days are an opportunity to prioritise your own wellbeing while connecting with fellow youth practitioners. Throughout the programme, you’ll explore the relationship between your body and mind, alongside peers who understand the challenges of your role. This shared experience of guided practices—such as transformational breathwork, interactive empathy exercises, and leadership visualisation—will not only support your personal wellbeing, but also create space for meaningful reflection. Together, you’ll be able to share, reflect on your own struggles, and discover new strategies for self-care and resilience.

Here’s some feedback from participants of last year’s Wellbeing Days:

"The course has been a privilege to be part of. The facilitator and OY have created a welcoming, nurturing environment for practitioners to confidentially speak and share experience."

"For youth workers who give up of themselves it allow the time and space for reflection, curiosity and growth that is so powerful and supports growth and guards against deplection and burnout."

"Sessions were interactive and gave time for self reflection & goal setting. This should be standard training for youth practitioners."

The wellbeing days will take place at the Oxfordshire Youth Office.

Each wellbeing day will take place from 9:45am - 3:00pm with scheduled breaks. Hot drinks and refreshments will be provided throughout the day.

Our Bespoke Wellbeing Days will take place on the following dates,

Friday 7th November 2025: Day 1 Values and forming positive boundaries workshop & Guided Visualisation and timeline creation workshop

Friday 14th November 2025: Day 2 Understanding your leader within & Guided Visualisation to meet your leader within

Friday 28th November 2025: Day 3 Nervous system and window of tolerance re-cap & Interactive workshop on communicating and expressing your needs

Friday 5th December 2025: Day 4 The power of cultivating empathy and compassion in the workplace & Interactive empathy practices with compassion meditation integration with the future self

We’ll begin by exploring your core values and learning how to set positive boundaries, followed by a guided visualisation to help you map out your personal and professional timeline. Discover the leader within you and engage in a powerful guided visualisation to connect with your inner leadership potential. We’ll revisit key concepts of the nervous system and window of tolerance, followed by an interactive workshop focused on effective communication and expressing your needs. On the final day, we’ll delve into the importance of empathy and compassion in the workplace, concluding with interactive practices and a meditation session to integrate these concepts into your future self.
This program is designed to empower you with tools and insights that will enhance your wellbeing and leadership capabilities.

Join us for a Guided Peer Support Group led by experienced facilitator Gary Hibbins, designed specifically for youth practitioners and professionals working with young people. This safe and supportive space offers an opportunity to reflect, share challenges, and connect with others who understand the pressures of the sector. Through guided conversation and peer learning, you'll leave feeling more resourced, heard, and supported in your role. Whether you're new to the field or have years of experience, this group is here to help you feel less alone and more empowered in your practice.

Here’s some feedback from participants:

“The sessions with Gary helped me realise what I have overcome in order to achieve what I have today.”

"The group session work with Gary I will carry with me for life! I felt seen and heard.”

“Having Gary’s sessions was stabilising & we formed such a bonded little group together.”

To make our programme even more accessible for all youth workers this year, you can now sign up for Gary’s sessions even if you’re not able to attend our four Wellbeing Days.

These sessions will run twice a month on Mondays at 2pm.

To secure your place in the Guided Peer Support Group, please contact Nataliia Turban at:
📧 nataliia.turban@oxfordshireyouth.org
📞 07828 414588

Don’t miss this opportunity to invest in your own wellbeing and connect with peers who truly understand your work.

IMPORTANT NOTE
Whilst the wellbeing programme is fully funded, spaces are limited. With that in mind, we expect members of the youth practitioner wellbeing programme to attend at least 2 of the 6 Specialist Training Sessions!

These Specialist Training Sessions are designed to boost your practice working with young people. We know that the issues we are presented when working with young people are increasingly complex and challenging. Our training topics have been carefully selected to help you manage and support with these issues.

Click onto the individual workshops to book yourself on to the training. Participants in the complete Youth Practitioner Wellbeing Programme will have priority over those not on the programme.

Mental Health and Better Sleep Training: Wednesday 17th September 9:15am-1-30pm

Eating Disorder Training: Wednesday 22nd October 9:45am-2:00pm

Knife Crime Training

Youth Mental Health First Aid Training

Self-Harm Training

Psychological Safety Training

The Specialist Training Sessions will take place at the Oxfordshire Youth Office.Dates and times for these sessions will be confirmed and shared shortly.

These Monthly 1:1 Check-Ins will take place at a time and setting that is convenient for you. You will meet with Nataliia Turban, our Youth Sector Wellbeing Coordinator. They can be in person, or remote. Nataliia will meet with you regularly to have a genuine 1:1 Check-In.

How are you feeling? How are things with your work? Is there anything we can do to support with your wellbeing?

These Check-Ins will take place monthly from August 2025 - February 2026.

Who's invited?

This programme is open to all third sector staff and volunteers supporting young people.

Why attend?

The impact of working with children and young people recovering from the pandemic and now enduring the cost of living crisis can be significant.

We want to support you to thrive, reduce your burnout and stress, increase your empowering support networks and champion our sector's mental health.

Join us on our fully-funded wellbeing programme and let us help you do the following:

• Address the demanding nature of your role by prioritizing your own well-being.
• Boost your practice by attending up to six specialist training sessions on topics such as psychological safety, non-violent communication, self-harm and suicide.
• Reflect on your own wellbeing in a group psychotherapeutic space. Think through the presenting issues and themes that are coming up in your work and how you respond to these issues.

How much does it cost?

This programme is fully funded, though spaces are limited and we are operating on a first come, first served basis.

IMPORTANT NOTE
When signing up, please ensure that you have had a conversation with your line manager and received approval to attend all the sessions. We ask for your line managers email and phone number in order for them to be able to digitally sign your registration contract. This process is much smoother when they are aware of the programme and on board with it.

Nataliia Turban, our Youth Sector Wellbeing Coordinator is happy to support with this process. Please feel free to contact her at nataliia.turban@oxfordshireyouth.org or 07828414588.