• InterAct is committed to involving young people in Essex in social action, through which they can strengthen their local communities, by supporting the inclusion, participation and empowerment of disadvantaged people, particularly those with special educational needs and disabilities, and those who experience barriers through challenging emotional/mental health issues and social difficulties.  InterAct will do this by:
• Offering a range of social action and volunteering opportunities through which young people will enrich their communities and develop practical skills and experiences to enable more successful progression into adult life
• Providing training, support and supervision for young people’s involvement in social action, to equip them with the necessary skills and awareness of the needs of others
• Ensuring young people experience mutual support, encouragement, fun and friendship
• Facilitating young people’s participation in the planning, design, delivery and evaluation of InterAct’s programmes

In 2016 and 2017, InterAct will:

• Continue to recruit, train, deploy and support young people as volunteers to provide community-based mentoring and befriending support for young people with learning disabilities and difficulties, or other disadvantages
• Broaden the range of practical social action opportunities for young people  in Essex available through InterAct, and in partnership with others, including NCS participants
• Provide training in learning disability awareness, Mental Health First Aid, mentoring skills and safeguarding awareness as appropriate to young people’s involvement in social action/volunteering
• Facilitate young people’s participation groups in 3 local areas in Essex to ensure that young people’s views and aspirations shape the continuing development of InterAct’s programmes and services