The project is to provide schools in Rugby with the opportunity to train identified students to become Peer Wellbeing Champions to help others who may need support.
How the service can help
Our pilot programme creates ‘Young Peer Wellbeing Champions’ among school children and young people. Research has shown that children who need help and support are more likely to turn to their peers – other children – first. We want to help the young people help each other and to explain about safeguarding and how to engage adults when it’s necessary.
Presentation of the training is adapted for secondary school students and for junior and even infants school children. Please see our videos below.
Helping to create mentally healthy schools and empower children and young people
Our programme will contribute to creating mentally healthy schools and boost in-house capacity for children and young people to access the right early help, first time by:
- Identifying and training Young Peer Wellbeing Champions
- Identifying a named school lead to support champions and shadow their training
- Empowering children and young people, schools and professionals to develop skills and strategies to self-sustain a champions package through bespoke support
- Enhancing support, not duplicating, replacing or re-inventing.
The programme helps pilot schools to:
- Reduce mental health stigma
- Promote a culture of positive wellbeing
- Increase pupil/student mental health support
- Empower pupil/student voice
We wanted this (training) to happen because wellbeing is so important and coming back from covid, children’s wellbeing has really suffered. We’re seeing it through every single year group, pretty much every single child. I’m really happy with what’s happened. It was also really good to see the children take on that responsibility. I’m very proud.”
Primary school teacher, Rugby.
For our school, wellbeing is something that we really champion, so when we heard about what Compass is doing, we greatly align with that.
We’ve definitely all noticed an impact that isolation has had on students and their wellbeing. [This training] gives them specific tools and ideas that they can carry forward and these guys are our ambassadors for the years below them as well.
Secondary school teacher, Rugby
Our Young Peer Wellbeing Champion Coordinator, Lynne Tyler is visiting 40 schools in and around Rugby to train pupils and students who have expressed an interest in the scheme.
Children / young people attend a workshop covering
- What emotional wellbeing and resilience is
- What skills they need to become a good Peer Wellbeing Champion
- What sort of issues they may have to support and when to pass these onto a supporting adult in school
- Different strategies to help look after their own wellbeing and share with others
A follow up training session is also held to ensure the children and young people are happy in the role as a Peer Wellbeing Champion and to focus on their ideas on how to help other children/young people within their school.
An identified link person within school is identified to support the Champions. They receive regular support/training sessions covering
- Overview and champion recruitment
- Developing ideas
- Sustainability, evaluation and the future
The project aims to compliment what schools already have in place and is designed to support the whole school approach to mental health.
See a report on a recent presentation on peer wellbeing support given to hundreds of students online.
Get in touch
Please contact Lynne Tyler, Young Peer Wellbeing Champion Coordinator on lynne.tyler@compass-uk.org for more information.