Mindapples

30/03/2026

What does a whole-school approach to mental health actually look like in practice? 🍏

We spoke with Dawn Fortt, Senior Mental Health Lead at Beckmead College, about the culture they've built, one where conversations about mental health feel normal, staff look out for each other, and students know that how they feel matters.

"It's good that we have conversations about mental health and how to improve it. The more we normalise it, the better."

Read the full story on our blog: https://mindapples.org/2026/03/11/whole-school-approach-mental-health-schools/

Thank you to The Beckmead Trust for your support.

How Beckmead College supports student and staff wellbeing through a whole-school approach to mental health and creative activities.

10/12/2025

Winter can bring a mix of pressures for university communities, shorter days affect our energy levels, concentration and sleep. And for so many, the winter term often feels full with coursework and preparation for exams after the break.

As the season changes and our workloads increase, it feels especially important to understand what we can do to take care of our minds. Rest is one of the simplest ways we can help to restore our sense of balance, and it also supports learning, by helping us to process information and strengthen memory.
When we rest and support our minds, we start to build the foundations that allow resilience to grow.

Resilience isn’t about pushing through regardless or pretending we’re fine with things feel tough. It’s about how to take care of our minds when pressure increases and how we respond to challenges in ways that support our wellbeing.

It’s also shaped by the environments we learn and work in, and by the support that’s available to us.

The University Mental Health Charter highlights that resilience grows best in supportive cultures, where people feel connected and able to manage pressure. It also emphasises that a whole-university approach must include both adequately resourced, effective and accessible mental health services and proactive interventions.

That’s why we run our Be Resilient course with students and staff across the winter months. It's a proactive intervention that explores how our minds work under pressure, what supports wellbeing, and how small habits and flexible thinking help us handle challenges more effectively.

Universities can play a key role by promoting balanced study and rest, strengthening peer support and offering skills-based sessions like Be Resilient. These approaches help students and staff feel supported during the busiest points of the academic year.

Read more in this month's blog: https://mindapples.org/2025/12/01/winter-student-wellbeing/

If you would like to bring Be Resilient to your university, contact universities@mindapples.org

Explore winter university wellbeing and the pressures students face in colder months, and how rest and resilience can support them.

28/11/2025

Last month Mindapples trainer, Andrea Corbett, spent time with students at Beckmead College, and their creativity was remarkable. If we give young people space to reflect on what supports their minds, they bring so much imagination, authenticity and inspiration to the conversation!

In our Feed Your Mind workshops, students explored the everyday things that help them feel grounded and well. They turned these ideas into bold, thoughtful pieces of art that showed real reflection and personal insight.

Dawn Fortt, Senior Mental Health Lead at Beckmead, told us: “The Mindapples format gave the students and staff a chance to really think about how they look after their own mental health.”

Read more about our time with Beckmead College here: Read more here: https://mindapples.org/2025/11/11/feed-your-mind-beckmead-school-wellbeing/

A big thank you to Dawn and the team at Beckmead College and The Beckmead Trust for welcoming us in and for everything you do to champion young people’s wellbeing.

24/11/2025

For university communities, the term is well underway. The early buzz may be fading, coursework is increasing, and for some a sense of disconnection can creep in. This is where peer support can make a real difference.

Belonging and community are protective factors for our mental health. When students and staff support each other, people feel seen and valued. Research shows that loneliness can have a significant impact on student wellbeing, amplifying even small challenges. Feeling part of something bigger helps us regain perspective and reminds us we’re not alone.

When universities build networks of peer supporters, they offer guidance and community that many students really need. It’s often easier to talk to someone who “gets it”, and both sides benefit. These simple acts of care strengthen the whole university community.

Effective peer support relies on clear training and a structured approach.

At Mindapples, our Champions Training helps student and staff mentors start open conversations about mental health, recognise healthy boundaries and signpost to further support. By building confidence and connection, Champions help create caring university communities where people feel supported.

👀 Read more about university peer support in our latest blog: https://mindapples.org/2025/11/11/student-peer-support-university-connection/

If your university is developing its peer support programme, we’d love to help. Email universities@mindapples.org to arrange a call.

Student peer support reduces loneliness and builds belonging at university through training, clear boundaries and caring conversations.

13/11/2025

On World Kindness Day, we’re encouraged to practice kindness, not just because it’s a nice gesture, but as a practice, it can nourish our wellbeing, help develop our relationships and even support our physical health.

What’s also lovely about kindness is that it doesn’t just help the person receiving it, but it also benefits the person offering the kindness. When we reach out to help someone, our own sense of connection and belonging strengthens.

At Mindapples, we see this all the time in classrooms, universities and in the wider communities we work with. When people share ideas, encourage each other or take the time to listen, everyone’s mental wellbeing can be improved.

Being kind isn’t just about being nice, it’s about feeling connected and part of something bigger.

Please read our latest blog to explore how kindness supports wellbeing, builds connection and reminds us that caring for others starts with caring for ourselves: https://mindapples.org/2025/11/11/kindapples-kindness-and-mental-health/

We’re also big fans of The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, who share wonderful resources and stories to keep kindness growing all year round.

💭 What’s one kind thing you’ve done lately for yourself or someone else?

🍏 What are your kindapples?

hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag

Discover how kindness boosts wellbeing and supports mental health for others and for ourselves this World Kindness Day.

24/10/2025

In this month's blog about our work in universities, we're thinking about the support that second-year students need, the changes and challenges they may face, and how we can help.

We know that student engagement and wellbeing can dip after first year. Some students experience a drop in motivation and enjoyment, for others the academic expectations increase and the pressure can feel like it's growing.

So, what helps students at this time?

Evidence from the University Mental Health Charter tells us that reorientation and reinduction can benefit second-year students by giving them a solid understanding of what’s expected, opportunities to create better habits and clear routes to help, so the year feels more manageable and enjoyable.

Where do Mindapples fit in?

We plan our support around a clear student journey built from current sector guidance, so that it aligns with what changes from year to year. We work with institutions, students and staff to help them understand what drives them, focus their energy on the work that matters most and build the knowledge and skills they need to manage increasing pressure.

If you’re planning support for second-year students, we’d love to talk about what’s worked well in our Mindapples programmes and share what we’ve learned from the universities we partner with.

Read the full blog: https://mindapples.org/2025/10/03/supporting-second-year-students/

How re-orientation and re-induction help second-year students stay motivated, study smarter and manage pressure, aligned with sector guidance.

10/10/2025

World Mental Health Day is an opportunity to pause, raise awareness, and come together in support of better mental health for everyone.

This year’s theme, set by the World Federation for Mental Health, is Access to Services – Mental Health Catastrophes and Emergencies. It highlights the urgent need for accessible, culturally sensitive and sustained mental health support for those affected by disasters, conflict, pandemics and humanitarian crises.

WFMH President Tsuyoshi Akiyama reminds us that while crises may be part of human life, so too are compassion, kindness and the capacity to care for one another. These qualities help us recover, heal, and stay connected, even in the most difficult times.

Access to care is about more than clinical services. It includes community support, reducing stigma and caring for the wellbeing of those on the front line. These principles resonate deeply with us.

At Mindapples, we believe everyone has mental health, and managing our minds is a universal right. Our work is about making mental health part of everyday life, encouraging people to understand their minds, talk about what helps them and create supportive environments around them.

“Mental health is not a luxury. It is a lifeline.”

On World Mental Health Day, we stand alongside the global call for mental health care that is accessible and equitable for everyone. Together, through openness, small daily habits and community care, we can create stronger, kinder and more connected lives.

💚 Read more: https://mindapples.org/2025/10/03/world-mental-health-day-2025-access-to-support/

World Mental Health Day 2025: access to services, community support and everyday habits that help. Join Mindapples in reducing stigma.

07/10/2025

We've been back in schools this term, helping young people understand how their minds work and build habits that support learning and life.

At Beckmead College, our trainer Andrea Corbett ran Feed Your Mind assemblies for Year 10 and Year 11. The session offered simple, everyday tools for looking after our minds, encouraged self-awareness, normalised conversations about mental health, and helped students find their own ways to support their wellbeing.

Students reflected on what helps their minds day-to-day, shared their own “mindapples”, and chose one small habit to try that week.

In collaboration with The Beckmead Trust

Read more here: https://mindapples.org/2025/10/03/feed-your-mind-beckmead-college/

Share your "mindapple" in the comments!

Feed Your Mind Beckmead College: Year 10 and 11 assembly with simple tools, safe spaces and a whole-school wellbeing approach.

15/09/2025

Did you know that 21% of UK students are part-time, and many more study remotely or commute? Research shows these groups are more likely to feel isolated, miss out on support, or struggle to access help (Student Minds, 2023).

Creating accessible, engaging, evidence-informed programmes is vital across the whole university community.

Over the past five years, our partnership with Open SU has brought Mindapples’ wellbeing framework into university life. Through workshops on topics such as Sleep Well, Change Your Habits and Understanding Mental Health, and our Champions Training for volunteers, students and staff, participants gain practical tools they can apply straight away.

Lara M., Head of Programmes, explains:
“The topics really fit with our students’ needs and priorities. Because the sessions are research-led, we know we’re getting reliable content that enables students to apply it practically.”

Nicola Powell, Training and Wellbeing Officer, highlights the impact:
“The energy in a workshop is tangible. Students feel it is a safe place to take part, share, discuss and support.”

And her advice to other universities:
“Go for it! Mindapples allows us to share important information about looking after our minds, building good habits and self-care in an engaging, supportive, and non-judgemental way.”

Read the full interview with Open SU: https://mindapples.org/2025/08/26/mindapples-open-su-partnership/

Contact us to explore how Mindapples can support your university community: universities@mindapples.org

hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag

The Mindapples Open SU partnership delivered workshops and Champions Training in 2024/25 to help students build resilience and wellbeing.

03/09/2025

Starting university is a big life change and can be a high-risk phase for mental health. Many students experience an increase in anxiety, sleep difficulties and dips in wellbeing. Our approach begins before students arrive, and continues through first year and beyond. By sharing insights from neuroscience and psychology, we help whole university communities understand and manage their minds better.

The Mindapples Student Journey is our framework for supporting students throughout their whole university experience. It begins with our Feed Your Mind module, where we explore how the mind works and the everyday “mindapples” students already use.

Mindapples Champions are peer mentors and staff who host interactive activities that spark conversation, share ideas and signpost support. Meeting real people early on helps students feel part of the community.

Our approach helps universities strengthen student belonging from day one, support retention and ease pressure on specialist services. It’s a scalable way to keep wellbeing visible and relevant all year round, and is aligned with sector frameworks calling for early, whole-university action.

Find out more about our Student Journey and Wellbeing Competency Framework, or get in touch: universities@mindapples.org.

https://mindapples.org/2025/08/26/pre-arrival-student-wellbeing/

Pre-arrival student wellbeing that continues in first year with research-informed sessions and peer Champions.

15/08/2025

🧠 Over 100 staff at Leyton Sixth Form College took time out at the end of term to explore something vital: how their minds really work and how to take better care of them.

Our minds are our greatest assets, involving many overlapping systems of instinct, emotion and physiology, and influenced every day by our surroundings.

🌿 Light, noise, sleep, exercise and social connection all affect how we think, feel and perform.

In our Feed Your Mind workshop, we explored the science of stress, focus and mental energy, and why daily “breathers” and “restorers” help keep us balanced and energised. Staff then identified their own “mindapples”, personal habits that help them recharge and support their wellbeing.

💬 Supporting teacher wellbeing matters. When staff have the tools and space to look after their minds, they are better able to support each other and their students too.

Read the full story in our latest blog: https://mindapples.org/2025/07/18/mental-wellbeing-for-teachers/

Practical tools and everyday strategies to support mental wellbeing for teachers and help school staff thrive, from the team at Mindapples.

05/08/2025

The first weeks at university can shape a student’s sense of belonging, confidence, and wellbeing for years to come.

Research shows that early intervention can make a significant difference to student wellbeing, confidence, and outcomes. Wellbeing content in pre‑arrival and induction programmes has been linked to improved student adjustment, satisfaction, and even better learning outcomes. Peer support is also a powerful protective factor, but student leaders and staff need the right skills to support others safely.

As universities prepare for the new academic year, there is a growing focus on embedding wellbeing across the student journey, from induction and peer mentoring to staff training.

Mindapples’ Wellbeing Competency Framework offers a practical way to do this.
It develops both:
🧠 Personal competencies – self‑management, resilience, healthy habits
🤝 Interpersonal competencies – supporting others, active listening, empathetic communication

Co‑produced with students and staff, and aligned with the University Mental Health Charter, the framework helps make wellbeing a shared responsibility across campus.

📖 Read the full article here: https://mindapples.org/2025/07/18/wellbeing-competency-framework-universities/

Learn how the Mindapples wellbeing framework for universities helps embed mental health into student life and staff development.