All PACE services are accessible to young people who use our youth groups. You can be referred by us or you can self refer. Below you will find a summary of the services PACE offers and links to the PACE website, where you can find full details. Also check out our Support Links for information about other organisations that may be able to help you.

How PACE can help you:

1. Counselling and therapy
Currently we offer the following services to individuals and couples:
a) initial consultation (assessment);
b) 12-week contracts;
c) longer-term (up to 2 years);
d) couples counselling (6 sessions);
e) sexual health counselling;
f) family support therapy and groupwork;
g) register of private counsellors and therapists, all vetted by PACE, to whom we can refer clients on higher incomes and those for whom this service would be more appropriate.

We have counsellors from a range of approaches to counselling and therapy; most counselling is undertaken by volunteers, all of whom are either fully qualified or in training to at least second-year diploma level. The family support work is for young lesbians and gay men and their family members, and for lesbian and gay parents and their teenage children.

Click here for a direct link to Counselling and Therapy on the PACE website.

2. Groupwork
We have established a programme of groups and workshops on a variety of themes, to add to those for gay men are run through the HIV prevention programme (see below); those for lesbians and others for gay men comprise day and evening groups and weekend workshops on topics such as depression, eating disorders, coming out, assertiveness, etc. There is an ongoing support group for lesbians who experience mental or emotional distress; we hope to establish one for gay men soon.

Click here for a direct link to Groupwork on the PACE website.

3. HIV prevention
Our HIV prevention programme for gay men and other men who have sex with men includes weekend workshops, short-term evening groups, residential weekends and a few one-off events. The approach of the workshops and groups is to tackle the underlying causes of unsafe sexual practice (generally low self-esteem, lack of confidence, etc.), and to assist men to develop strategies to keep safe (in the context of more general empowerment and life changes). PACE collaborates with Gay Men Fighting AIDS in the delivery of the HIV Prevention tender issued by the London health authorities.

Click here for a direct link to Groupwork on the PACE website.

4. Training
We provide training on a wide range of issues relating to HIV, and on lesbian and gay issues (the latter often specifically in relation to mental health) to the voluntary and statutory sectors. This may happen through:
a) a programme of low-cost training courses to voluntary and statutory organisations held at PACE;
b) in-house training for statutory and voluntary sector agencies, for which we charge fees (though a grant from the Kings Fund enables us to offer training very cheaply within London).
c) consultancy for agencies on developing anti-homophobic policies and practice.

Click here for a direct link to Consultancy and Training on the PACE website.

5. Mental health advocacy
The mental health advocacy service aims to empower lesbian and gay current or potential users of mental health services to get what they want from those services. This is achieved by providing support and encouragement (both emotional and practical), and enabling them to speak for themselves. The service is run either from PACE, or potentially from a number of external locations.

In addition to one-to-one work with users, we run self-advocacy courses, which provide an understanding of mental health law and the principles of self-advocacy and assertiveness, and provide an opportunity for mutual support.
We have developed services for those with HIV, in relation to access to and treatment within mental health services, and to mental health service users in relation to HIV services. In addition we provide a benefits surgery for users.

Click here for a direct link to Advocacy on the PACE website.

6. Employment
We have recently developed, with funding from the European Social Fund and the Department of Health, an employment service for lesbian and gay mental health service users who want to move into paid or unpaid employment, to access training or otherwise to engage in more meaningful occupation. The service includes:

· preparation-for-work groups covering a variety of topics;
· courses on gaining employment;
· one-to-one specific employment counselling sessions;
· job placements within private and voluntary sectors;
· training in basic skills (literacy and numeracy) and IT.

Click here for a direct link to Employment and Training on the PACE website.

7. Youthwork (www.outzone.org)
PACE run a programme of events through the two services which we took over from Enfield & Haringey and Barnet. Now known as PACE Youthwork Service, this includes groups for gay men up to 25 (OutZone and First Move), a group for young lesbians up to 25 (Girl Diva) and a mixed group for under 18's (One Up). Click here for more detailed information about this service.

Click here for a direct link to Youthwork on the PACE website.