NGAGE – Northamptonshire Young People’s Service

NGAGE – Northamptonshire Young People’s Service

NGAGE with Aquarius is an early intervention drug and alcohol service for young people aged 10-18 in Northamptonshire.

Our service provides information, education, advice and support to young people in relation to drug and alcohol use. NGAGE is a free and confidential service.

We cover the whole county, and have dedicated workers for Northampton, Kettering, Corby, Daventry, Wellingborough, South Northamptonshire and East Northamptonshire.

NGAGE  has a named Youth Participation Worker who is committed to promoting the voice of young people in the design and delivery of the service. They also run our youth group Evolve, offering positive activities and opportunities for young people to get involved.

We accept referrals from all agencies, parents and young people themselves. If you are referring a young person, please ensure you have their consent to do so.

You can view our brochure for parents here, and our brochure for professionals here.

Our support is flexible and tailored to each young person we work with, but often includes:

  • information, education and harm reduction advice around drug and alcohol use
  • structured 1:1 sessions and interventions as part of a care plan
  • empowering young people to achieve their goals, and enable them to access positive activities, training and peer mentors through our Evolve youth group
  • with the young person’s permission we offer brief family interventions or structured family work
  • we regularly liaise with CAMHS regarding young people who have mental health issues as well as substance use concerns. We can receive direct referrals from practitioners
  • we offer an outpatient clinic to all young people who attend A&E with a drug or alcohol related injury or illness. Referrals are made by A&E staff to our clinic
  • we support young people leaving Youth Offending Institutes to prevent relapse
  • group information, education and harm reduction sessions for target groups, provided on request at various outreach venues through Northamptonshire
  • volunteering and training opportunities for young people we support through our Evolve youth group

We work with young people between the ages of 10 and 18. Young people referred to the service must consent to the referral. The young people who access NGAGE have a wide variety of experiences of drug and alcohol use, including:

  • wanting advice and information about drug and/or alcohol use
  • associating with others who are misusing drugs and/or alcohol, and who may themselves be vulnerable
  • using drugs and/or alcohol and would like to reduce the harm caused
  • wanting to reduce their drug and/or alcohol use, or stop completely
  • needing an opiate substitute prescription
  • needing support into inpatient detox for alcohol dependency.

Contact / referral details

We welcome referrals from professionals and self-referrals. Just download this form and email it to us.