For all Ethnically diverse backgrounds support, please make a referral here.

Here at The What? Centre we specialise in providing a range of mental health and wellbeing support for young people in the Dudley Borough. 

Thanks to the new National Lottery funding, we are pleased to announce the return of the Fusion project. Through this project, we can offer one-on-one counselling to individuals aged 13 -18 who identify as part of the Ethnically diverse backgrounds community, Young Asian women's group and family support, the group which is to run once a week (days to be confirmed shortly). 

One-to-one counselling 

Individual counselling is available for anyone aged 13 -18 years who is part of the ethnically diverse backgrounds community. Counselling will provide a non-judgmental, safe environment where young people can explore feelings and emotions around worries or issues they may be experiencing. To embrace changes and empower the young person to move forward with their lives. The young person will work closely with a trained counsellor over an agreed number of sessions. Together, we will explore goals and topics that the young person wants to focus on. This can be done in a variety of different ways, such as talking, doing creative activities, or using worksheets. The approach will be discussed and agreed on during the first session. 

Family Work

Parents, families and carers may also be impacted by the challenges and changes that arise when supporting a young person, especially within the context of cultural expectations and traditions. We offer family sessions to provide exploration, reassurance and support for everyone involved.

Our family support aims to help the young person and their family explore the dynamics within their family system, including cultural values, generational differences and communication styles, which may be influencing the young person’s ability to thrive. Issues such as balancing family values, community perceptions and individual aspirations can have a profound effect on family members, so open and guided discussion often enables better understanding and a more harmonious home environment.

The process enables all family members to express, explore emotions and difficulties safely, while encouraging each person to understand and consider different perspectives and appreciate the needs of others. Members can speak openly, individually and together, about any challenging or sensitive issues, with respect for each person’s unique experiences and cultural background. 

Our 13–18 Young Asian Women’s Groups

As part of our commitment to supporting young Asian women, we will be running a weekly group for ages 13–18 in our Dudley branch (times will be available in the table above once established). This is a safe, supportive space where you can share your experiences, explore your identity and connect with others who may understand your cultural background and challenges.

Each week, we mix fun and creativity with meaningful discussions. You might find yourself enjoying games, quizzes, arts and crafts or open conversations about topics such as confidence, independence, friendships, education and balancing cultural expectations with personal goals.

Our aim is to help you build self-belief, strengthen your voice and know that you are not alone. We welcome ideas from the group, so the sessions reflect your interests, passions and the issues that matter most to you. 

How do I refer?

This project operates on a self-referral basis, which is accessible on our website. To start this, if you scroll to the top of this page, to the right, you should see a ‘make a referral’ button in between the emergency contact and donate tabs. If you click on the ‘make a referral’, you will be redirected to our referral form. Once you have completed each section on the form, click the submit button, and we will be in touch to organise an assessment.

For quick access to our referral form, you can click here. 

Other groups on offer...

The What? Centre also provides LGBTQ & Transgender support (18 yrs and over) as well as counselling via our BeeHIVe project. Details on the adult groups can be found on the BeeHIVe website - please check as there may be changes.

Frequently Asked Questions: Is counselling private?

Yes. Before your first session, you should be sent The What? Centre counselling contact. This outlines all of the boundaries we work with in counselling. Here you will see something called ‘confidentiality’. This means that the counsellor won't tell family or friends about anything that is said during the session. It is important to understand that there are limits to our confidentiality. This means that if something is shared and the counsellor identifies a risk of harm to yourself or others, then we legally have to break confidentiality and let a parent or caregiver know, as well as our manager. Our confidentiality limits also apply to illegal activity, terrorism and ethical or legal obligations.

What happens if I don’t like my counsellor?

We are all human, and we all have different personalities. Sometimes these personalities don't match, or we just don't feel comfortable/well-suited to that person. This is nothing to feel ashamed or embarrassed about. If you feel comfortable, bring up these worries to the counsellor directly. They will explore these worries with you and help create a plan moving forward. This may be the current counsellor trying a different approach or reallocating you to a new counsellor. If you don't feel comfortable approaching this with your counsellor, you are able to call or email the centre directly, and we will work with you to find a counsellor you feel better matched to.

If the project is 13-18, what happens when I turn 18?

Counselling- if you turn 18 during your allocated counselling session, then you will continue with your sessions until the agreed-upon end. Should you feel like you still need more counselling support, then we may be able to internally refer you to another project that can offer more counselling sessions. Or we will be able to provide some advice/direction to other organisations which may be able to help.

Partner With Us

We are always looking to build strong connections with schools, charities, community organisations and health services so that more young people can access our specialist support for the ethnically community and our dedicated Young Asian Women’s Groups. By working together, we can reach those who may benefit from a safe and understanding space to explore their experiences, build confidence and connect with others who share similar backgrounds.

Whether you would like to refer a young person, collaborate on a project or simply find out more about what we offer, we would love to hear from you. Your involvement could help us make a lasting difference in the lives of young people across our communities. 

Useful Information: Papyrus: https://www.papyrus-uk.org/ What’s Up (app)- Uses Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) methods to help you cope with depression, anxiety, stress, and more.