Children in Need 2009

A poster on the wall highlights how serious self-harming is

In 2008 Children in Need gave £71,074 to Streetwise in Newcastle to work with young people who self-harm.

The money, spread over three years, is paying for a worker for three days a week to do group work and training.

Abby Silva runs an eight-week voluntary group for teenagers at Nacro, a crime reduction charity, in Byker.

She said: "It's made such a difference to the young people - they're turning up every week voluntarily and really support each other."

For Abby, the issue of self-harm is not straightforward.

"Most young people think self-harm's about cutting yourself," she said, "but it's more than that.

"It's eating disorders, promiscuity, drugs and alcohol, anger management, all sorts of issues can be self-harm."

Nothing is shocking

Abby runs the sessions with Martha, who himself has come through Nacro.

Abby and Martha run the sessions at Nacro

At Nacro, Abby's group - which is known as Taboo - meet once a week.

Despite the seriousness of some of the young people's problems, they're not ashamed or stigmatised and feel comfortable talking honestly and openly to each other, and to Abby and Martha, about their issues.

According to Abby, "nothing is shocking".

She said: "You can see a huge positive change from the start of the course to the end, the kids have more self-esteem now, and you can even see them dressing better and taking more pride in their appearance."

One of the young people, who cannot be identified, said: "Without the group I'd have gone back to how I was, drinking and doing stuff, just being a different person."

In Northumberland and Tyneside, more than £390,000 was awarded to nine projects in local grants in 2008.

The 30th annual BBC Children in Need appeal is on Friday 20 November 2009.

For more information on how to be a part of Children in Need 2009 visit the official website.

To see how other areas are benefitting from Children in Need funding, click on the tabs above.