Young Addaction Shropshire to change its name

Addaction’s young person’s service in Shropshire will be changing its name to We Are With You from tomorrow as part of Addaction’s UK wide rebrand which also includes a new UK website.

Research conducted by the charity shows that one in six people across England and Scotland have personal experience of issues with drugs, alcohol, mental health or self-harm, but millions are struggling alone. Stigma and shame are major barriers preventing people from accessing help. 

When tested, three times as many people surveyed said they would choose We Are With You compared to Addaction. Young people described the new name and brand as “reassuring” and “more personal” and stated they found the brighter colours “positive and hopeful.”

Sonya Jones, Service Manager at Young Addaction Shropshire, said: “Our new name We Are With You better reflects our service and staff here in Shropshire, who are consistently described as warm, non-judgemental and approachable by the young people we help.  

“Our research shows that language can in itself be a huge barrier to young people seeking help. As We Are With You, we will use everyday language and focus on the help we offer, not the problem. Our new name not only better reflects the ethos and history of our services, but also how we work with people as equal partners. Through changing our name to We Are With You and creating a new visual identity and website, we hope to be more accessible to people who use or might use our services. 

“As We Are With You, we will also continue to offer the same, non judgmental, person centred support services to young people and and maintain close links with all local partners and organisations across Shropshire.”

For more information see - www.wearewithyou.org.uk.