Our core service offers advice and support through our drop-in Advice Centre on Southampton High Street, a friendly, accessible space open for over 40 hours per week, including evenings and weekends. Young people can drop in without having to make an appointment. This flexibility, combined with the non-judgemental, young person-centred approach of our youth workers, mean that many of the barriers to seeking help often faced by vulnerable young people are removed. The youth workers are trusted by the young people – often the only professionals that are seen to be ‘on their side’.

From the drop-in, young people can be referred on to our specialist services including housing and homelessness, substance use, vulnerable groups, young parents, counselling and, therapeutic groups.

All our services are confidential and free to young people. With the support of volunteers, local partnerships and dedicated staff, we support around 7,000 young people each year.

Through our direct work and strong partnerships with the NHS, we ensure that young people can access the right support at the right time. We work closely with local CAMHS teams, mental health services, and NHS primary care networks to provide early intervention and prevention.

The Youth Information Advice Counselling and Support service model (YIACs) on which No Limits is based is a nationally proven early intervention model, with a substantial and long-standing evidence base for its effectiveness. Many government and independent reports over the past 30 years have highlighted the effectiveness of holistic ‘under one roof’ models of service for young people. Young people are offered support on a range of issues in a young person-centred environment.

As a YIAC, No Limits ‘meets young people where they are’ and brings together youth information, advice on social welfare, emotional health and wellbeing, and counselling services with a range of positive activities and the support of statutory partners.

We strive to safeguard the welfare of children and young people to the highest standard and aim to involve children and young people in the planning, delivery and evaluation of all our services.

Our close collaboration with the NHS strengthens this model, allowing us to provide seamless pathways between voluntary and statutory services. We work alongside NHS hospitals, mental health teams, school nursing services, and primary care to ensure that young people who need medical or specialist mental health support can access it in a timely and coordinated way.

Here at No Limits, we support, advise and educate young people, helping them to gain the skills and knowledge needed to manage their lives, grow in confidence and build brighter futures. We aim to help children and young people aged under 26 to help themselves achieve positive outcomes through offering caring, supportive, confidential environments where young people can explore issues which are affecting their lives.

Our Mission

Our mission is to empower children and young people to reach their full potential through information, advice, counselling and support.

– We are committed to providing a holistic and confidential service for young people that empowers them to reach their full potential.

– We understand that children and young people face challenges on multiple levels, including with mental and physical health, relationships, housing and money, accessing education and employment.

– We are passionate about ensuring that all children and young people know their worth, are supported and cared for in times of need, and empowered to know their rights and advocate for change.

– We embrace diversity and equality of opportunities to inspire all children and young people, staff and volunteers within No Limits.

– Our Youth Information, Advice and Counselling Service (YIACS model) provides an open door for children and young people (up to age 25) to gain support, learn about their rights and access a range of resources.

Our Values

At No Limits all our services are underpinned by our values, we are:
– Respectful
– Inclusive
– Safe
– Empowering
– Trustworthy

Our Advice & Wellbeing Hub offers lots of ways to get instant support from No Limits, without having to refer or make an appointment. This support includes:

– Our Advice Centre on Southampton High Street – open over 40 hours each week
– Our Avenue Drop-in – a dedicated safe space for 11-17 year olds to get youth worker support
– School and college drop-ins – No Limits youth workers are in Southampton schools and colleges fortnightly
– Detached youth workers – a team of youth workers in Southampton city centre working with young people in locations they already access
– Self-help resources – online information from our youth workers on a wide range of topics
– Virtual services – get support over the phone or via webchat

Find out more

Young people can also get support from No Limits by referring online. They can fill out a referral form themselves, through the ‘refer myself’ form, or they can be referred by someone else, through the ‘refer a young person’ form.

Some of our specialist services, like our therapeutic support, our groups and our Bright Beginnings support for young parents require a referral form. If you or the young person aren’t sure what support they need, you can still fill out a referral form and our triage team will help them to get the right support.

Once you’ve submitted a referral, you’ll get an email confirming that it’s been received with a copy of what you submitted. It may take us up to two weeks to get to your referral because of the large number that we receive.

Refer

There are some of our services which don’t require a referral, like our out-of-hours Safe Havens for young people experiencing a mental health crisis, and support on issues that our youth workers at our Advice Centre and Avenue drop-in can help with, like emotional wellbeing, employment, housing, or problems with school.

Take a look at all the services we offer to children and young people under 26:

Our services