YMCA WiSE - YMCA DownsLink Group
YMCA WiSE BRAND MARK WHITE-01
YMCA WiSE BRAND MARK WHITE-01

Find out more about support, advice and guidance

Find out more about advice and guidance

Find out more about WiSE Services and how we can help

Find out more about our in-person and online specialist training offer

YMCA What is Sexual Exploitation (WiSE) is our child sexual exploitation project which works with children and young people across Sussex and Surrey. Our primary focus of work is supporting young people affected by exploitation through raising awareness, education and empowerment.

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What is Sexual Exploitation?

"Someone taking advantage of you sexually, for their own benefit. Through threats, bribes, violence, humiliation or by telling you that they love you, they will have the power to get you to do sexual things for their own or other people’s enjoyment.”

The Nia Project

What services are available at YMCA WiSE?

WiSE Sussex

In Sussex we work closely with Sussex Police and Barnardo’s on Project SOLAH (Safer Online at Home) which supports children and families with specific targeted support focusing on online safety. This is short term, brief intervention support. The is a closed referral pathway through Sussex Police.

Our CSE Practitioner-SOLAH roles are based in Sussex, and work with Sussex Police through Project SOLAH, as well as working with young people up to 25 years old who are experiencing or are at high risk of experiencing sexual exploitation. CSE Practitioners can support short term, brief interventions as well as hold a small caseload of complex longer term support cases. 

WiSE Surrey

We have three CSE Practitioners working across Surrey with young people up to 25 years old who are experiencing or are at high risk of experiencing sexual exploitation. In addition to this direct support, CSE Practitioners offer professional consultations to support other professionals working with young people affected by exploitation.

Our CSE Worker is based in Surrey, delivering group work interventions in schools to young people who have been identified as being at risk of exploitation. Our CSE Worker is also involved in an exciting county wide VAWG project which involves delivering specialist training packages to schools and contributing towards the creation of a county-wide campaign addressing the development of healthy relationships and harmful gender stereotyping.

Please note that engagement with the YMCA WiSE Project is voluntary; professionals cannot include YMCA WiSE as a compulsory part of a child or young person’s contract, order or conditional agreement. You must ensure that you have discussed a referral to YMCA WiSE with the child or young person and got their consent. If you require support with how to explain the WISE project to a young person or their family, please get in contact by emailing  [email protected] or [email protected] 

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Refer someone now

If you suspect anyone is in immediate danger, call the Police on 999. If a child or young person is currently at risk of significant harm from CSE, refer immediately to your local Children’s Services.

Stories of those supported by YMCA WiSE

Tina's Story

Tina’s story

Tina found the support she received from our YMCA WiSE service invaluable following a difficult period in her life when she had been groomed by two older men.

YMCA DownsLink Group Dani's Story

Dani’s story

Dani’s life had been chaotic and unstable. Her social worker referred her to YMCA DownsLink Group, and, with the help of her YMCA WiSE project worker, she began to make better decisions around relationships and her future.

george story

George’s story

When George* was 14, his life seemed normal until his mother struggled with mental health and his father left the family. Feeling abandoned, George […]

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