YOUNG people from Rochdale have helped to develop a new online resource to help others who have been affected by self-harm.

The resource was created in response to a national inquiry which discovered at least one in 15 young people had self-harmed at some point.

Youth mental health charity 42nd Street, youth homelessness charity Depaul UK and online communications charity YouthNet worked with a group of young people to create an online ‘place’ where they could go to get support on the issue.

It can be found at www.theSite.org/selfharm and provides detailed information on self-harm through podcasts, video, written articles, real-life stories and case studies.

Young people can support each other through specialist discussion boards moderated by the charities. Professional advice is available via a confidential question and answer service and a series of live chats.

The site covers topics including alternative coping techniques, the reasons why people self-harm, patient confidentiality and the confusion around it and what to expect from health services.

Usually, young people who self-harm do so as a way of coping with complex and difficult situations, which can range from mental health problems to bereavement, bullying or abuse.