After 8 years at Brook and previously a youth charity leader since 2010, Citadel has an enjoyed a long and trusted relationship with Helen Marshall.
Brook’s unique combination blends clinical services, relationships and sex education (RSE), outreach in community settings, wellbeing programmes and counselling, all under one roof.
“At Brook, we believe excellent sexual health, mental health and wellbeing is a right. One of our main objectives is to increase the accessibility of provision in these areas to ensure everyone can receive the help they need.”
“Citadel is supporting us with strategic input to our growth plans in the areas of mental health and neurodiversity/neurodivergence.”
“For us, the links between mental health and sexual health are all too apparent, and for decades now young people have asked us for support with their wider wellbeing.”
Brook works towards fighting stigma and combatting any damaging narratives that lead to preventing this who might seek support.
“People need to feel safe, represented and welcomed when they walk through the door at these services, and at Brook we model an open, inclusive and kind approach for the wider sector. Working with partners we seek to inform and influence national policies and model new ways of working.”
Brook’s work is extremely important regarding sexual health resources as England has some of the poorest sexual health outcomes in Europe.
“Understanding of, and attitudes towards sex and relationships can have major impact on many aspects of people’s lives; it can also be linked to things like violence against women and girls.”
This includes early help extended into schools with Brook. Products and education resources are based on cutting edge research and years of experience championing young people’s health.
“When it comes to RSE, the majority of teachers are still not receiving the necessary training and support to teach the subject confidently, and as a result young people are leaving school feeling unprepared to safely navigate sex and relationships.”
When working with Citadel, we asked Helen if she had any highlights about the company and projects they have previously worked with us on.
“Citadel supported Brook’s rebrand and new strategy in 2016 at a challenging time for the organisation. They championed our work and helped reshape how young people were involved in developing their own services.”
“Citadel also led the initial public affairs focus for Brook starting from minimal activity and has continued to support how we engage across the political spectrum.”
Currently, with support from Citadel, Brook have begun to develop a new early intervention mental health and suicide prevention service.
Brook’s safeguarding work has shown an alarming increase in unmet mental health and wellbeing needs. Recently, at Party Conferences, a joint event was held to go over Brook’s plans for community mental health hubs, co-ordinated by Citadel.
In terms of the future, Brook have big things planned.
“2024 marks the 60th anniversary of Brook and we have exciting plans to celebrate all that we have achieved, while building support for the vital work that still needs to be done.”
Citadel 