Mental Health Champions
Our Community Engagement team is leading a school-based youth-focused mental health initiative in Coventry. The project aims to empower local pupils with the knowledge, confidence, and skills to support mental health and well-being among their peers. Research has shown that Gen Z (individuals born between 1997 and 2012) prefer online expression rather than seeking professional help so the project leverages the power of peer support to encourage help-seeking behaviours and build a network of trained Mental Health Champions in schools.
Programme outline
The programme was developed by ThinkHigher, the Higher Education Outreach organisation for Coventry and Warwickshire. It was designed by an accredited UKCP psychotherapist to boost participants’ confidence, sense of belonging, and awareness of mental health strategies.
The project delivers age-appropriate, evidence-based content through a structured three-part programme. It includes a pre-event school session, a full-day interactive campus event at Coventry University, and a post-event follow-up.
Programme 2024/25
In 2024/25, our Community Engagement team successfully delivered the programme to Year 10 and Year 12 pupils in Westwood Academy and West Coventry schools. The programme was delivered with the support of Jo Gaffney from the University’s Wellbeing Services and two placement students from our Psychology Department.
"This programme was created to put young people, their voices, and their experiences at the centre of mental health support within schools. Using age-appropriate, relevant psychological education in an engaging and fun way, we are aiming to provide the participants with tools and techniques to understand and support themselves and their peers within their unique school settings"
Jo Gaffney, Psychological Therapist, Wellbeing Support Services, University of Warwick
"The Mental Health Champions project helped us (students) to consider how the school supports students with their mental wellbeing. Since the on-campus training day we have had a meeting with our headteacher and started planning for a student delivered staff training session"
Layla - Year 10, West Coventry Academy
"The students involved really valued their experience and have felt empowered to support friends and peers with their mental health in a range of ways"
Jo Kerr - Teacher, West Coventry Academy
Planned programme 2025/26
The Community Engagement team plan to work with six Coventry schools in 2025/2026.
- Westwood Academy
- West Coventry Academy
- Finham Park 2
- Woodfield SEMH School
- Bishops Ullathorne Catholic School
-
WMG Academy
For further information, contact: community@warwick.ac.ukLink opens in a new window