Children and Young People’s
Substances Service

ChYPSS is a Wigtownshire service for 12 – 18yr olds.

Help is available with all types of personal substance issues (Alcohol, Cannabis, Heroin, etc.).

You can get our advice if you are concerned about your parents, carers, friends’ substance misuse.

Personal support is available with Substance information, harm reduction, job-finding skills, leisure time skills and obtaining help for other problems you may have.

Support can be one to one, in groups or families.

Service is confidential and will have a base near you.

Contact us on - 01776 705823

What is ChYPSS?

ChYPSS is a substance service in Wigtownshire that works with Young People up to 18 years old, who have, or are 'at risk' of developing, a substance misuse problem.

We're also developing across Dumfries & Galloway and joining up with workers in the East so that there will be a service for young people wherever they live in D & G.

 
At Risk?

By this we mean the Young Person may:

• Be regularly excluded from school
• Involved with hearing system/Reporter
• Involvement with Youth or Criminal Justice.
• Have relatives/carers or immediate family members who have a Substance Misuse problem.

 
We have three friendly Project workers who are eager and willing to help with any substance related problem that you may have.
Our Staff are

• Robert Erskine - Project worker - Youth Worker
• Carolyn Mayall - Project worker - Education
• Shirley Barr - Project worker - Mental Health Nurse
• Annie McMahon - Project Manager
• Robert Thomson - Project Secretary

We also have five Sessional workers. They help to run the Drop-In, which is based in the ChYPSS office. Our Sessional workers are:

• Billy Anderson
• Carrie Garrett
• Caroline Garrett
• Michael Liebisch
• Susan McKie

The school Drop-In is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at lunchtime, across the bridge in the New Building.
There are lots of games to play and people to meet.  It’s a safe place to go at lunchtime, free from bullying and teasing!

We have lots of partners that come to the Drop-In too!

And our Volunteers
Alison Slavin
Caroline Lawson

 Vipers is a groupwork programme run in Stranraer and the Machars.  Primary 7 pupils are chosen where there are some concerns that the may struggle at secondary school or there are other issues that are causing them problems. The aim is to help the Young People gain an ASDAN award, and to help develop their self-confidence and esteem. The groups are taken on an over-night stay at the end of the 6-week groupwork sessions to example the skills they have learned in the 12 weeks and help the Young People bond with each other. It's a fun group and is enjoyed by all of our Young People. Mentors

We will soon have mentors who can work on a one-to-one basis with young people to help them say, re-start education, find out about college, training, jobs, get involved in fun activities, etc.

 Just phone 01776 705823 or ask a friend, parent/carer, teacher, social worker, GP to contact us and we’ll come and meet you (you can have someone with you when we first meet) or you can come to us.