‘Travel to learn, return to inspire’

A psychologist from Glasgow will be given the chance to learn about ground-breaking techniques being used to help vulnerable young people across the world thanks to the support of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust. Dan Johnson, a Senior Forensic Psychologist at charity and social enterprise Kibble, will travel to America and Scandinavia to find out more about the ways they work.

The Trust, first established in 1965, with the motto 'travel to learn, return to inspire', awards Fellowships to over 100 British citizens every year. The 'Fellows' are selected due to their vision and motivation to improve their profession and are given financial support to travel and share best practice from across the globe.  

Kibble is one of Scotland's oldest charities and works with young people from five to 25, offering services including emergency and respite, residential and day care as well as employment and training. Johnson told The Psychologist: 'The research suggests that childhood experiences of neglect and loss are associated with later long-term difficulties including mental health difficulties.'

He said that in Scandinavia government schemes exist that put added resources into young people compared with the UK. He hoped to see what knowledge could be applied in Scotland to help vulnerable young people, adding: 'Young people who have experienced adversity and trauma have some of the greatest difficulties, my hope is that by taking this journey we will be able to learn new, effective ways to help them.'

Johnson said he would welcome suggestions of world-leading centres in American and Scandinavia to visit. E-mail him at [email protected].