Student Mental Health Ambassadors

Wellington has long been renowned for pioneering mental health in education since becoming the first UK school to introduce happiness and wellbeing to the curriculum in 2006.  Pupil mental health remains a top priority at College and we’ve recently developed a refreshed student Mental Health Ambassadors programme led by Dr Jenny Griggs, Head of Student Emotional Health and Wellbeing. 

The programme is designed to encourage peer-to-peer support among pupils and to guide pupils who need help in the right direction. Each of the seventeen houses appoints two Lower Sixth Mental Health Ambassadors who act as the first point of contact for any pupil finding everyday life a struggle. 

The Ambassadors receive two days of interactive training run by Dr Jenny Griggs and an outside expert, consisting of lectures, scenario-based discussions, role play, and simulation exercises – all designed to equip them with a basic tool kit. The sessions cover leadership training and mental health first aid training where they learn about issues like depression, anxiety, self-harm and eating disorders. The Mental Health Ambassadors are taught about the boundaries they need to have in place in their role and how they are not expected to solve people’s problems but rather recognise the signs that someone may need help and be an initial port of call for pupils.  

Emily and Archie, the current chairs of Wellington’s Student Committee said, “We have to make ourselves easily accessible and easy to talk to: above all, we are there to listen, not to judge.  A key part of our training was learning to spot danger signals, and learning to know when to pass things on immediately”.

The programme is one element of a comprehensive mental health provision which is woven into the fabric of school life. This includes timetabled Wellbeing lessons, a parent mental health committee, access to counselling, an annual award-winning Wellbeing Festival and the development of a new holistic Wellbeing Centre which will be a home for every aspect of Wellington’s proactive and reactive provision in physical and mental health.

The student Mental Health Ambassadors have helped to amplify the message about our wellbeing initiatives to their fellow pupils. The current chair of Wellington’s Student Committee, Emily explains: “Some people might think that mental health is too important to be put in the hands of pupils, But we’d say the opposite. Unfortunately, there’s still so much stigma about mental health issues – people are too quick to see it as a sign of weakness; it’s hard to open up honestly if you’re worried that you’ll be rejected or judged. That pupils can talk to someone the same age without being judged, is really important. It’s easier for us to be empathetic, and I’m sure we end up with a lot more truth than might be the case if a boy or girl was talking to an adult.”

Dr Jenny Griggs was appointed to become Wellington’s first Head of Student Emotional Health and Wellbeing in September 2021. She has brought a wealth of professional expertise and an in-depth knowledge of CAMHS that has enabled us to build even more robust support structures for pupils. According to Wellington’s annual pupil survey, over the last year, there has been a 50% decrease in students reporting stigmatisation when it comes to mental health.  Now, only 2% of pupils say there is stigma attached to mental health conditions and the College has seen more pupils seeking help and a 32% increase in referrals to the counselling team. 

Jenny has the big picture in mind when it comes to student wellbeing. She says, “Many Wellingtonians go on to lead busy, fast-paced lives and the mental health skills and strategies that we equip them with will serve them well in later life. Talking openly about mental health becomes a habit developed from a young age”.

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