NHS mental health services are free to access.
To get urgent medical help, use the NHS 111 online service or call 111 if you’re unable to get help online.
Project Pathfinders
Project Pathfinders is a project funded by the Bedfordshire Violence Exploitation Prevention Partnership (VEPP). We work across Bedfordshire, offering one-to-one support to young people aged 10-25 who are impacted by exploitation, serious violence, and harm.
What we do
What we do
Our service offers young people access to trusted, trained, and experienced professionals, in safe spaces. Our Community Navigators work alongside Police Missing Teams, probation services, and multi-agency panels ensuring a coordinated, trauma-informed response.
By doing this, we can provide sustained support to young people and reduce harm.
How we can help
Our tailored support to young people can include:
- building trusting relationships and assessing needs and aspirations
- co-designing young people’s action plans to prioritise safety, education, employment, and wellbeing
- guidance through the day-to-day challenges young people experience, and support to navigate systems
- providing regular one-to-one sessions in community settings, meeting young people where they are
- support with housing, school reintegration, employment and accessing mental health services
- advocating on behalf of young people in professional meetings
- collaborating with community organisations and statutory services to provide safe spaces and positive alternatives
- where appropriate, working with wider family and support networks to strengthen relationships.
Who we can support
Project Pathfinders can support young people aged 10-25 from the Bedfordshire area who meet any of the following criteria:
- are within the Probation Service Community Payback Scheme
- are not already subject to statutory intervention and have been identified by the Police Missing Team as needing additional support to reduce the risk of exploitation and harm
- have been identified through multi-agency panels as needing early support to reduce the risk of exploitation and harm.
How to access Project Pathfinders
If you are a professional looking to refer a young person to Project Pathfinders, please complete this referral form.
If you have a safeguarding concern about an adult or child living in Bedfordshire, report your concern here.
For an A-Z of support services available in Bedfordshire, please visit the VEPP website.
Are you a young person needing urgent support?
A mental health crisis is an emergency that has a direct and immediate threat to your physical and emotional safety. In a situation like this, it’s important to get help quickly.
Try to stay calm and ask someone for help. It could help to tell someone you trust, maybe a family member or a friend. They can be with you and help you decide what to do. They can also contact other services on your behalf.
If there is any immediate risk to life, contact the emergency services by calling 999.
