About Us

 

Our Purpose

SEYPAS – South East Young People's Addiction Support service was developed to respond to the growing need for accessible, confidential addiction support for young people across the South East.

Many young people experience difficulties with substances, gambling, gaming, or related behaviours but are unsure where to seek help, or are not ready to attend a service in person. SEYPAS provides a low-threshold, online option that allows young people to engage safely, privately, and at their own pace.

The service is designed to support early engagement, reflection, and harm reduction, while also providing a pathway into further support and recovery where appropriate.

Understanding Young People and Addiction

SEYPAS is grounded in the understanding that young people's behaviours do not exist in isolation.

Pressures such as education, employment, family relationships, peer influence, mental health, online environments, and past experiences all shape how difficulties emerge and how support is experienced.

Rather than focusing on labels or diagnoses, SEYPAS works to help young people:

  • make sense of what is happening for them,
  • understand patterns of behaviour in context, and
  • explore options in a way that feels respectful and manageable.

A Youth-Focused Model of Support

SEYPAS has been specifically designed for young people aged 16 to 24.

Key features of the model include:

  • Online delivery to reduce barriers to access
  • Flexibility to fit around education, work, or family commitments
  • Support that does not require readiness to change
  • A focus on engagement, trust, and relationship

The service recognises that ambivalence is normal and that change is often gradual.

Our Practice Approach

All SEYPAS practitioners work within a consistent practice framework that includes:

  • Motivational Interviewing
    Supporting young people to explore their own goals, concerns, and motivations, without pressure or persuasion.
  • Trauma-Informed Care
    Recognising the impact of adverse experiences and prioritising emotional safety, choice, and collaboration.
  • Developmentally Appropriate Practice
    Working in ways that are age-appropriate, respectful, and attuned to young people's stage of life.
  • Harm Reduction and Recovery
    Supporting safer choices and reduced risk, whether or not change is immediate.

Safety, Confidentiality, and Governance

SEYPAS places strong emphasis on safety and trust.

  • Online sessions are delivered using secure, GDPR-compliant systems
  • Confidentiality is respected and clearly explained
  • Information is only shared where there is a concern about safety
  • Young people are informed about boundaries from the outset

    Clear safeguarding and governance structures underpin the service.

Part of a Wider Support Network

SEYPAS is delivered by the Cornmarket Project, an organisation with long-standing experience in addiction support, trauma-informed practice, and working with people involved in complex social and behavioural difficulties.

SEYPAS forms part of a wider suite of specialist online addiction services, while remaining distinct in its focus on young people and early engagement.

This connection allows SEYPAS to:

  • draw on established clinical governance and experience, and
  • support onward referral where additional or in-person supports are needed.

Our Values

SEYPAS is guided by clear values that shape all interactions:

  • Respect for young people's autonomy and voice
  • Non-judgemental, supportive engagement
  • Transparency and honesty
  • Belief in young people's capacity for growth and change

Looking Ahead

SEYPAS is committed to continuous learning and development, informed by young people's feedback, emerging evidence, and best practice in youth addiction support.

Our aim is to ensure that young people in the South East have access to support that feels relevant, safe, and responsive to their real lives.