Having Space

Having Space

Inspire Scotland was set up to provide young people who could not live at home a place that made them feel safe, protected and valued. Our value of “Having Space” acknowledges the position our young people are in and how hard it can be for them.

First and foremost, just like everyone else, young people have the right to privacy for whatever reason they choose. Lots of people enjoy having time to themselves and having the opportunity to do this whenever you need is important, but it can also be empowering at times as well. When living in a group living situation, it can be overwhelming to constantly have people around you. When our young people have their own space, they have the opportunity to completely relax, let down any defences they may feel that they need to keep up in front of others.

Living with other young people who have had difficult experiences can lead to conflict at times, with disagreements and fall outs. At times it may also be difficult to get along with staff, when they provide care in a completely different way to what young people are used to, it can be confusing and scary. When a young person has their own space, it can help with conflict resolution, giving them somewhere to go can provide time to think things over and calm down. Having their own space can also give a young person a sense of control; when they often don’t have control over the big things in their lives, it is important that there are some things that are within their control. Being able to decorate their room however they choose, have their sentimental things around them and do the things they enjoy in privacy, ensures that their identity and personality is protected, celebrated and encouraged.

Whilst it is usually the safest place to be, it is not easy to be a young person being looked after away from home; away from familiarity, predictability and the people they know. They may have been abused or neglected, had frequent moves between homes, experienced negative caregiving relationships and struggle in school. This trauma can have a significant impact on their wellbeing and can result in a range of challenges. It is likely they will have feelings of instability, uncertainty, struggle to trust adults and form new attachments, struggle to adapt to a new environment, routine and people. Having space allows our young people to gradually adjust to the new environment and routines without feeling too overwhelmed.

Our young people have their own space to deal with these challenges, whilst knowing that we are there when needed. By respecting their boundaries, it shows our young people that they can trust us to listen to them. Having space allows our young people to have emotional safety and privacy; when they are feeling overwhelmed, angry or anxious, having a private space can help them calm down and practice coping strategies. It provides a safe place to process traumatic memories, thoughts and emotions at their own pace. We have young people who are religious and need their own private space to pray, meditate or read their religious books. We have young people who have sensory sensitivities and need their own space to manage sensory overload or under-stimulation.

Across the board, having space is essential for everyone, but plays a particularly significant role in promoting emotional wellbeing, autonomy and person growth for the young people in our care.