Aviva Community Fund provided £206 of match funding
Mental Health Wellbeing for Students and Teachers
Liverpool, England, United Kingdom
Aim
Embed into education, our holistic wellbeing programme, for student and teacher resilience & advancement.
Who we are
We are a charity passionate about improving Mental Health and wellbeing for both students and teachers.
The Inspiring Leadership Trust will offer an online programme of sustainable classroom tools and strategies proven to help equip both teachers and students with Mental Health coping mechanisms to not only survive the Covid isolation but thrive on their educational journey. Up to this point, the ILT charity has supported only women & girls but has a desire to improve Mental Health in education, for wide-reaching effect in sustainable resilience.
The ILT charity currently supports women and girls and we most often work within small groups or one to one mentoring, receiving referrals for vulnerable people through social services, schools and other health provisions. This project will allow us to reach young people of all genders, embedding wellbeing into curriculum on a larger scale; it will allow us to reach those who may not currently be under the care and support of other services. Embedding these skills in the school setting will not only harbour community resilience but aid in the prevention of mental ill health.
An ex-lecturer, I joined the charity and created the online programmes based on experience and the gaps evident in provision. I witnessed the uplift of daily Mental Health support in my classroom and know it is vital to embed this into the wider educational community.
Vision
Our vision is to support both teachers and students to improve their resilience and mental wellness via implementation of simple, regular and sustainable strategies and tools within the classroom.
Also, to enable culture change where a student develops the skills to know how to regulate their emotions, heal trauma, foster empathy, create a community mindset and understand that by embracing these skills, they will thrive.
Innovation
The programme is the first of its kind which identifies the gap in current methods of addressing Mental Health in the educational sector. Using world-class technology we offer inspirational content to equip students & teachers with the tools to facilitate a holistic approach to wellbeing. Resources are specially curated to inspire greater wellbeing including self-awareness, mindfulness & resilience, at their fingertips via a learning APP. There is potential for whole-school impact and therefore, growth.
Leigh Bowman-Perks, CEO of The Inspiring Leadership Trust
How we will use the money
Our desire is to fund a pilot programme in a school in Liverpool.
The intention is to take the school through a 12 month Mental Health and wellbeing intervention journey. Approximately 150 students (ages 10-16) and teachers will have instant access to our wellbeing online courses and App. Coaching for support will be available for students through to the senior leadership team to aid the smooth implementation of the concepts. Furthermore, we will undertake diagnostic and data analysis for the school, in order to measure impact.
Courses only need to be acquired once to be available to all.
If we reach our stretch target then we have the capability to support one school in the north and one in the south for wider beneficial reach.
Employing these changes will improve the Mental Health needs of an education infrastructure that is stretched and struggling in this Covid environment where students and teachers alike are separated from their normal routine.
Testimonials
I used these tools in my classroom to great effect and helped others to embed them also.
Students - 'Sarah used MH tools to motivate and calm us and we'll never forget 'it's not if, it's when.' At times when things felt overwhelming the strategies she used helped to allay those and keep us on track, creating a true class team.'
Staff - 'Sarah always understood the importance of MH wellbeing in relation to student development and was a pioneer in the classroom in this regard. Her results bear testimony to the efficacy of her practice.'
'She has helped me and my students to great effect. Those with low self-esteem, anxiety and stress have been able to recognise their true worth thanks to her tools and support.'
'Sarah's innovative approach of putting wellbeing first, benefitted everyone. Students were calmer, more attentive and ready to learn.'
Thank you for your time and commitment to improving the Mental Health and wellbeing of our students and teachers.
We very much appreciate your support in enabling our educational community to thrive.
This project successfully funded on 23rd March 2021