K:Now: Reframing Ketamine, Rebuilding Connection

K:Now is a borough-wide response to rising ketamine use among young people in St Helens.
It brings together lived experience, frontline practice, and academic insight to challenge stigma, share truth, and build connection.

Why K:Now?

Ketamine use is rising sharply across St Helens; especially among young people. It’s not just a drug issue. It’s a trauma issue. A connection issue. A borough-wide priority.

Following the recent St Helens Council report on ketamine, K:Now was created to:

  • Reframe how we talk about ketamine

  • Centre lived experience and frontline insight

  • Build trauma-informed resources and responses

  • Convene professionals, families, and communities

📅 Upcoming Event

K:Now: Reframing Ketamine, Rebuilding Connection
🗓️ Monday 29th September, 6:00–7:30pm
📍 Online via Teams
🔗 Join the event

Confirmed speakers include youth workers, clinicians, lived experience voices, and community leaders.

What You Need to K:Now About Ketamine

What is it?
A dissociative drug; used medically, but increasingly misused recreationally.
Street names include “K,” “Special K,” “KitKat.”

Why do people use it?
To escape, to cope, to feel something; or nothing.
Often linked to trauma, isolation, and unmet needs.

What are the risks?

  • Short-term: confusion, bladder pain, memory loss

  • Long-term: internal bleeding, cystitis, addiction

  • St Helens Council has named ketamine an urgent borough-wide concern

Where to Turn

We’re building a borough-wide directory of support. With permission, we’ll signpost to:

  • YPDAAT – Young People’s Drug & Alcohol Action Team

  • St Helens Council – Ketamine explainer page

  • Reach Rainhill – Detached youth work, trauma-informed support

Want your organisation featured? Contact us → admin@reachrainhill.co.uk

🛠️ Resources in Development

  • Trauma-informed flyers for young people and families

  • A downloadable explainer: “What You Need to K:Now About Ketamine”

  • Borough-wide working group (post-event)

  • Anonymous contact form for young people to share their experiences

💬 Share Your Insight

If you have lived experience, professional insight, or community knowledge to share, we’d love to hear from you.
Whether it’s a short contribution at the event or a resource we can include, this response is shared; not siloed.

Get in touch → admin@reachrainhill.co.uk.