Are all of Off The Record's services free?
Yes, all of Off The Record’s services are free and available for to all young people aged 14-25 that live, work or study in Croydon.
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Are your services private and confidential
Off The Record's services offer high levels of confidentiality and privacy. When you meet with a worker at Off The Record they will explain to you any exceptions to this or where we might need to share information.
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What will happen when I come to Off The Record?
Off The Record offers a range of services to support young people through tough times. To find out more about these, have a look in our ‘services’ section.
If you are coming in to meet us for the first time, we will always aim to give you a warm and friendly welcome. We will take the time to get to know you and also give you a chance to ask us questions about how we work and the services we have on offer.
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When I come to Off The Record, can I bring someone with me?
When you come to Off The Record usually we will encourage you to meet us by yourself. This is in order that you get a chance to talk about things in your own way and on your own terms. You are welcome to come to the agency with a friend, family member or boyfriend or girlfriend and we have a waiting room where they can wait while you are talking to a professional. We try to make our first contact with you as respectful, relaxed and friendly as we possibly can because we are aware that you might be feeling nervous or unsure about seeing us.
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Is it normal to feel nervous about coming to see you?
Growing up can be difficult and from time to time we feel that we need a bit of support or someone to talk to. However, sometimes asking for help can be hard and you might be feeling nervous, embarrassed or unsure about coming to see us. We understand that getting the help you need can be hard and so we try to make the experience as easy and supportive as possible.
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If I come to Off The Record, do I have mental health problems?
Contacting Off The Record doesn’t mean that you have mental health problems. It is important to remember that 1 in 4 people in the population experience mental health issues of some kind at some point in their life. If you do have an existing mental health issue, Off The Record can help support you to manage your problems. However, contacting us can also be a way of making sure that you don’t experience mental health problems later on in your life.
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I need help now, can you help me?
You might be looking at this site and be feeling desperate for help. Even if it is in the middle of the night you might feel you need help right now. If you are in crisis, feeling suicidal or having thoughts of self harm please look at our 'useful links' section for advice on what to do next.
Off The Record isn't a crisis service but we are here to help. You can contact Off The Record and we will be able to point you in the direction of help. If we can, we will try and offer you an appointment to come in and talk about what's going on for you.
If the office is closed please leave a message and someone will call you back in order to arrange to meet you as soon as possible.
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