We’re featuring a blog from Varsha Chauhan Gawde, Young Adult Pathway Lead at CNWL, sharing a look at her role after three years in post - and how occupational therapy is making a difference at a neighbourhood level.

Across CNWL, the Young Adult Pathway is all about bringing services together to better support 16 to 25-year-olds - working a lot like integrated neighbourhood teams.

Across five boroughs, the focus isn’t on creating something new - it’s about connecting what already exists. By working closely with partners across the NHS, GPs, local authorities, universities and the voluntary sector, the team helps make sure young people don’t fall through the gaps, especially during the transition into adult services.

Rather than working directly with young people, the role is about supporting the wider system - offering advice, linking teams together, and helping colleagues find the right support, even when someone doesn’t meet usual service thresholds.

Colleagues often come to us asking what support is available in the community for a young person with specific needs. A common challenge is that many don’t meet the threshold for services and that’s where we can help, by challenging decisions or finding alternative solutions through our knowledge of local services and criteria.

Partnership working is a big part of the approach, including opportunities like secondments with universities. It’s helped shift thinking beyond traditional clinical settings and break the cycle of assess, treat, discharge.

The team has also invested in training including Open Dialogue, which helps bring together a young person’s views alongside those of their family, friends and wider networks, focusing on conversations rather than labels. We've also completed AMBIT training, which builds understanding of how young people think. On top of that, we're rolling out adapted Me First training, strengthening how staff communicate with young people.

To do a role like this, you need strong links across your local area. In Brent, we’re lucky to work closely with Mental Health Support Teams in schools and we also connect with Brent Health Matters - a borough wide partnership set up to tackle health inequalities. Through this, we share information and help signpost young people to support in their communities.

Another part of this work has been listening to young people themselves. Through initiatives like Young Adult Ambassadors and peer support roles, lived experience is shaping how services are designed, making sure they feel relevant and accessible.

There’s also been a focus on creating opportunities for young people to build confidence and skills. Discover Together, the Young Adult Discovery College, offers groups on topics like identity, sensory needs and preparing for university - opening up new ways to support wellbeing beyond traditional clinical settings.