MAC-UK
MAC-UK works with some of the most excluded young people in London through a 'Street Therapy' approach to mental health.
Berkeley Foundation has been working with MAC-UK since 2018. MAC-UK takes mental health professionals out of the clinic and onto the streets to work with excluded young people where they are and when they most need it. They see young people as the experts in their own experiences and ensure services meet young people where they are at in their place and at their pace.
Between 2018 – 2020, we supported the charity’s NQ-INTEGRATE programme which trained two newly qualified mental health professionals in MAC-UK's delivery model. During their 12 month training period, they spent up to three days per week integrated within an external mental health service, working with their staff and young people to replicate the MAC-UK approach and create changes within these services and the wider systems that young people interact with.
Over the two years, MAC-UK supported 38 youth mental health practitioners to build trusted, therapeutic relationships and co-produce activities with young people. Through creation of learning spaces, group supervision sessions, training and reflective practice, staff had a better understanding of mental health and were able to apply their learning to their work with young people.
Our new partnership with MAC-UK aims to expand its ‘street-therapy’ approach to a new area of Barnet. The project will work with Barnet Council and two youth organisations, supporting them to work more collaboratively with young people. It will also bring together socially excluded young people to create a new youth outreach project, which aims to improve mental health and reduce the risk of violence.