Supporting different groups of learners

Having a member of staff or learner take their own life is a traumatic experience for peers to have to deal with. When events such as these occur in a close knit community, the repercussions are felt throughout the organisation both in the moment and several months later. Everyone is affected. It is often the first time young people experience the death of someone in their own age group.

This is a template used by providers that are involved in the BIS Community Learning Mental Health (CLMH) research (2015/17). It includes on a single sheet:

• PHQ9 - depression
• GAD7 - anxiety
• Short WEMWBS - wellbeing (population tool)
• the consent we use for the CLMH research project

These 3 self-assessment tools are widely available on the internet, including the NHS Choices website. All we have done for the purposes of the CLMH research is put them together on a single-sheet template. 

Part of the Back on Track box set, this video includes interviews with past students about how Back on Track helped their recovery by enabling them to acheive in learning.

This video is made available on our MHFE YouTube Channel with permission from the Highbury College/Headspace partnership that created Back on Track - thank you to Pam, Sue and the learners who share their stories.

Zoe, an autistic and dyslexic learner, describes the support provided by Northern College and how she used an Ipad to help her to complete her Access to HE Diploma in Social Sciences. She describes in detail how her personal support worker and the ipad helped her communicate, feel safe and boosted her confidence.

When the team at Hackney Community College won the Association of Colleges Beacon Award (2010) for Widening Participation for its work  with students with mental health problems they decided to share their award with the sector by  commissioning a guide to effective practice.

'Recipe for Success' is the result. It is a collection of 'recipes' gathered together from 6  general further education (FE) colleges with established  provision to support  students (and staff) in FE  who have experience of mental health problems.