About Us
One in three young offenders have an unmet mental health need at the time of their offence.
The most deprived young people, those involved in gangs and other highly antisocial behaviour, often do not seek help for themselves and may not access conventional mental health services.
MAC-UK successfully engages with some of the UK’s most excluded and deprived young people who are most in need of support but least likely to access it. The unique MAC-UK model takes mental health into their territories on their terms to promote positive mental health through innovative youth led projects and one-to-one Street Therapy work.
MAC-UK also seeks to positively influence social justice and mental health policy for particularly disadvantaged young people. The MAC-UK model was cited as an example of best practice in the latest Home Office report “Ending Gang and Youth Violence” (November 2011). The charity offers training and consultancy to professionals and youth agencies on its method and approach.
MAC-UK’s aim is not to exist in its current form in ten years and to have had a radical impact on the way in which mental health services are delivered to our most deprived young people.
MAC-UK has grown threefold since it was founded in 2008. Our core team now has 4 clinical psychologists, 3 trainee clinical psychologists on their doctoral placements, 2 outreach workers, 1 Mini MAC project manager, 1 assistant psychologist, 1 communications officer and 4 volunteering interns.
Street Therapy
Street Therapy is at the core of the MAC-UK model. It is a flexible approach led by teams of mental health practitioners who adapt and apply psychological practice to make it accessible. Street Therapy can take place on buses, benches, in stairwells – anywhere a young person feels comfortable.
The aim of Street Therapy is to alleviate mental health distress and ultimately bridge young people into existing services. Street Therapy breaks down the barriers between young people and the services they so desperately need.
The unique MAC-UK unique model and approach is being piloted by a number of health and youth offending service providers.
The MAC-UK Story
MAC-UK was founded in 2008 by clinical psychologist Dr Charlie Alcock alongside a group of extremely deprived and disaffected young men in north London.
During her clinical training, Charlie specialised in community psychology and secured a placement in New York. There she worked with young offenders attached to the “Bloods” and the “Crips” - two of the most influential and dangerous gangs in the USA.
Enthused by this experience and the shocking statistic that one in three offenders have an unmet mental health need at the time of offence, Charlie was keen to change the situation back in London in a radical way.
MAC-UK’s Success
Three years on, the charity has an expanding team and a large body of volunteers who support its work on an individual, community and policy level.
Of the original group of young people who were said to be on the road to prison, 75% are now in education, training or employment. Three have set up their own social enterprise working in local schools. 25% are receiving medical care within the NHS.
MAC-UK has won a string of awards including the Charity Times Charity of the Year 2011 (income under £1m) and the Centre for Social Justice Shortlist prize 2010. MAC-UK’s young people have gone on to win the Attlee Youth Leadership Award 2010 and the Barnet Youth and Connexions Award 2010.