The Wish Centre

The Wish Centre is a Harrow and Merton based charity supporting young people
that have suffered from abuse and neglect and resulted in self-harming. They
provide counselling, support groups and workshops for people to work out their
issues in the healthiest way possible and give their beneficiaries the help that
they need to get better and be the best possible versions of themselves. It is run
by psychotherapists and young people in recovery of self-harm who are exservice users. They vision a community without against women young people
and children.
Wish also focuses of the media and awareness raising projects as the realise that
one of the main issues for young people suffering in this way is because they feel
as if they dont have a voice. Through projects like these Wish successfully
boosts confidence for a lot of young people and helps them to sort through their
issues in a better and more effective way. They also offer a free and confidential
support counselling service for young people aged between 10 and 19.
Not only does Wish support young people who have self-harmed but they have
an Independent Sexual Violence Advocacy Service (ISVA) for young people who
have experienced sexual harassment, exploitation and any other scenario where
they have felt uncomfortably sexualised by someone else. Weather the situation
has been reported or not, they offer confidential support and help through the
criminal justice system.
The Wish Centre was set up on the 2nd of March 2004. There are currently over
57,000 children that need protection from abuse in the UK and 2 women are
killed every week in England and Wales due to domestic abuse. 90% of victims
seeking help from The Wish Centre stop self-harming within a year and after they
had received all the help that they can, they usually go on to help out at the
charity and give others the same second chance that they had. In 2015 the total
funds raised by The Wish Centre came to 225,229, thats a 39,132 increase
from 2014.
On Sunday the 4th of December 2016 Sarah is running 10km at Victoria Park in
order to raise as much money as possible for The Wish Centre. My name is
Sarah and I am taking part in the 10km Santa Run to raise as much money for
the wish centre as possible. The Wish Centre was a big part of my teenage years,
and sometimes I and other users would risk not having that support due to
funding. We need places like this to stay open and so therefore I am asking if you
will help me reach my target.
Dealing with problems is something I struggle with and the wish centre provides
support and help. Charmaine- 14
My name is Kate; I am 18 years old. I havent been coming to the wish centre
long but I have found that it has already helped me in a lot of ways such as
confidence and self-esteem. It is a safe place to talk about my problems and
gives me positive ways to deal with them. I really enjoy coming every week.
Wish is a place I can go to without the fear of being judged. Rianna- 16