REACT's Story

REACT was established by SMC in January 2005, as an innovative community project based in Greater Easterhouse. In 2007, the project expanded to cover Glasgow East with additional provision to young parents Glasgow wide.

Research has shown that healthy relationships make us happy, improve the quality of life, improve the lives of children and help build strong communities.  Relationships impact on every area of our lives, and if problems are not resolved they go on to affect future generations.

• Vulnerable young people - and especially vulnerable young parents - risk facing social exclusion, becoming cut off from relationships, support and key service systems
• Access to social networks helps vulnerable young people to overcome such potential social isolation and exclusion  

• Young people and young parents have a special need for positive role models that connect with their experience

Resilience and Early Childhood Services - NHS Scotland Conference Glasgow March 14th 2008

The REACT Project works with Young People and Young Parents delivering

• Relationship Workshops in Schools & Community Groups
• Tailored programmes e.g. Anger Management
• Violence Reduction
• Counselling to Young People and Young Parents
• Young Parent Programmes
• Peer Education Programmes

Referrals to REACT are from Pastoral Care, and School Nurses who see young people everyday with emotional, behavioural and mental health issues.  REACT are able to give the specialised support needed to help improve their situation.  We offer one to one counselling or several young people meet in a group situation and undertake a tailored programme    REACT work in partnership with multi-disciplinary teams.  One young person was referred by Social Work and REACT worked alongside her psychologist and her mother’s psychiatrist. Our counsellor helped the young person to come to terms with her estrangement from her father, helped her express her feelings, she was able to cope better, her behaviour improved and allowed her to learn. The counsellor was also able to help both parents work together for a successful outcome.

In common with many teenagers, many young people struggle with relationships.  Many come from broken homes where no positive role models are available. This results in emotional distress and often angry/violent behaviour.   Young people regularly abuse drugs and alcohol to help them cope. 

The REACT Project enables young people, especially vulnerable young people to improve their future outcomes, by enabling them to resolve emotional issues, access lifelong learning and improve training and employment options. In addition it helps improve social inclusion and has positive benefits to the health and wellbeing of young people.  The work enables young people to make positive choices for their future and helps improve communities.