The next BRIT Challenge will start on
25th January 2025 & finish on 25th March 2025
ABOUT
US
Our vision is to unite Education Sector Agencies and Governing Bodies, Sport Governing Bodies, Charities, Institutions, Businesses, Philanthropists, and Inspirational Figures, through a collectively powerful approach to support the mental health, fitness, and wellbeing, of young adults, students, and staff, throughout the UK.
"I founded BRIT with an initial vision to support young adults struggling with physical and mental trauma in their lives. This was through the guidance and backing from over 50 Charity Chief Executives and the tremendous support from inspirational high profile figures. By listening to thousands of students and staff over the past decade, BRIT has evolved to become a charity to support and improve the mental health, fitness, and wellbeing, of young adults, students, and staff, throughout the UK. I have always wanted BRIT to be a collaborative charity. To reduce high overheads and administrative costs, BRIT does not employ staff and relies on voluntary support, gifted professional services, donations and sponsorship. Inspirational Ambassadors and Advisors continue to champion our work and whilst this strengthens our UK-wide impact, corporate support, sponsorship and donations enable our work to continue.
As a collaborative charity, we encourage universities, colleges, specialist colleges, and Students' Unions, to embrace the BRIT Challenge as an opportunity to raise funds for local, regional, and national, charities, alongside BRIT. Fundraising is tough; there are so many causes and charities who are supporting so many who are in desperate need of help and we, as a collaborative charity, want to do everything we can to encourage . If there was ever a time for charities, governing bodies, institutions, businesses and philanthropists to collaborate, it is now.
I believe that to successfully improve the mental health and fitness of young adults, students, and staff, throughout the UK, we have to take a collectively powerful approach. We are doing this through the delivery of the annual BRIT Challenge. UK-wide university and college engagement is vital for the long-term success of BRIT and ensures that our charity is;
Uniting institutions through the annual BRIT Challenge wellbeing initiative and promoting a whole university and college approach to mental health.
A collaborative charity that complements institutions and SUs with their strategies around EDI, Disability Inclusion, Community Engagement and Needs, Volunteering, and Social Action.
Providing opportunities for institutions and SUs to raise funds for local, regional, and national charities, alongside BRIT, and enabling social and community impact including Acts of Kindness.
Delivering an annual legacy event, that grows stronger year on year, with a continued UK-wide impact on improving and supporting student and staff mental health, fitness, and wellbeing.
Bringing students and staff closer together through a wide range of inclusive wellbeing activities that help to destigmatise mental health and reduce isolation and loneliness.
Enabling students and staff from every institution to be part of the charity; both within our BRIT Regional Steering Groups and also within their own internal BRIT Challenge Steering Groups.
The BRIT Challenge requires support from across the Education, Sport, and Charity, sectors, and I am thrilled that this support is growing."
Phil Packer
Founder and Non-Paid Chief Executive
The British Inspiration Trust (BRIT)
UK-wide university and college engagement is vital for the long-term success of BRIT and we will ensure that our charity is;
-
Uniting institutions through the annual BRIT Challenge wellbeing initiative and promoting a whole university and college approach to mental health.
-
A collaborative charity that complements institutions and SUs with their strategies around EDI, Disability Inclusion, Community Engagement and Needs, Volunteering, and Social Action.
-
Providing opportunities for institutions and SUs to raise funds for local, regional, and national charities, alongside BRIT, and enabling social and community impact including Acts of Kindness.
-
Delivering an annual legacy event, that grows stronger year on year, with a continued UK-wide impact on improving and supporting student and staff mental health, fitness, and wellbeing.
-
Bringing students and staff closer together through a wide range of inclusive wellbeing activities that help to destigmatise mental health and reduce isolation and loneliness.
-
Enabling students and staff from every institution to be part of the charity; both within our BRIT Regional Steering Groups and also within their own internal BRIT Challenge Steering Groups.
-
Our collaborative strategy will further enable our delivery of support to the mental health, fitness, and wellbeing of young adults, students, and staff, and help our partner mental health charities to provide vital mental health services to all young adults, students, and staff, in the UK who need their support.
How we can further support the HE, FE, Colleges in Scotland, and Specialist Colleges Sectors
The BRIT Challenge can assist in creating a better informed and healthier population by;
-
Providing a platform to improve health and wellbeing.
-
Supporting institutions and Students’ Unions (SUs) to increase social good within their communities.
-
Delivering an annual inclusive event that encourages institutions to deliver a wide range of inclusive wellbeing activities to engage students and staff of all abilities.
The BRIT Challenge provides an opportunity for Leadership Teams to work with the Student Body and create a BRIT Challenge Coordination Group to engage students & staff across the whole university or college.
University/College BRIT Challenge Coordination Team Composition
The most successfully results of a whole university or college approach to delivering the BRIT Challenge have been when it does not fall to one department or just the Students’ Union and comprises of, for example;
-
Students’ Union/Association President and their Vice-Presidents for Welfare, Activities, Sport, Community, and RAG.
-
Senior Leadership representation; for example Pro Vice-Chancellor (Student Experience) od Assistant Principal (Student Experience)
-
Executive Director of Human Resources or an HR Representative (for Staff Wellbeing).
-
Comms (University/College and Students’ Union).
-
Department or Campus Heads (Sport/Active Lifestyle, Wellbeing and Student Services).
-
Student Reps/Mental Health Ambassadors.
-
Staff Members who lead on Community Engagement with colleges and schools (the BRIT Challenge is a great way to collaborate).
BRIT continues to be shared, steered, and guided, by students and staff throughout the UK. We are sincerely grateful to Professor Sir Steve West for sponsoring a film to share how BRIT has evolved over the past five years to ensure the BRIT Challenge has the flexibility to support students and staff at every UK university, college, specialist college and Students' Union. Sir Steve is the Vice-Chancellor, President, and Chief Executive Officer of the University of the West of England (UWE) Bristol. He is the former President of Universities UK and remains the Mental Health Lead on the Executive Board of Universities UK.
Support to the Further Education, Colleges (Tertiary) in Scotland, and Specialist Colleges, Sectors
By working closely with Mental Health Leaders in FE, Colleges in Scotland, and Specialist Colleges (including NUS Charity, AoC, Colleges Scotland, College Development Network, Colleges Wales, Natspec, NAMSS, Sixth Form Colleges Association, Education & Training Foundation, College Group Chief Executives, College Principals, Department Heads, Practitioners, and SUs), BRIT continues to listen so we can have the most effective impact. The BRIT Challenge has evolved to support College Principals, and their students and staff, by;
-
Providing evidence for Ofsted (Personal Development) in England, Education Scotland’s How good is our college? Quality Framework, and Estyn in Wales.
-
Implementing our intent to work closely with GOOD FOR ME GOOD FOR FE to enable colleges to measure the impact of their volunteering and Acts of Kindness in the community.
-
Enabling the opportunity to support strategies and raise awareness of issues that matter to them. For example; EDI; LGBTQI+; Anti-Racism; Disability Inclusion; Staff MH; and Suicide Prevention.
-
Promote Volunteering and Fundraising (for local, regional, and national charities, alongside BRIT).
-
Supporting Land-based Colleges and Construction-based Colleges (mindful of the high levels of mental health challenges within the farming and construction industries).
-
Complementing the AoC and Colleges Wales MH strategies (including the AoC’s Love Our Colleges campaign). We hope that evidence of their member’s engagement in the BRIT Challenge can assist with both college funding strategies (for securing roles such as Enrichment Officers and MH Provision) and displaying the positive impact of colleges within their communities.
-
Complementing the Colleges Scotland and College Development Network (CDN) MH strategies (including the CDN’s #LoveScotlandsColleges campaign). We hope the BRIT Challenge will assist Scottish Colleges as community anchors, with student retention, and provide evidence for How Good is Your College? internal quality arrangements. We are sincerely grateful to CDN for sharing the West Lothian College and CDN Research and Enhancement Centre’s Pathways from Poverty report and the CDN’s College Leadership in the Pandemic Report – Learning from Crisis.
-
Enabling Natspec Colleges to use the BRIT Challenge to raise funds for their own charities and, by listening to Natspec, promoting inclusive Natspec Games activities that learners can participate in; and supporting the Education & Training Foundation’s Centres for Excellence in SEND.
-
Provide an opportunity for Leadership Teams to work closely with the Student Body by creating internal BRIT Challenge Coordination Groups to engage students and staff across the whole institution; we know College BRIT Challenge Coordinators need wider support for a whole college approach to improve wellbeing and for maximum impact.
OUR BOARD OF TRUSTEES
We are sincerely grateful to our Board of Trustees for their leadership, governance, guidance and experience.
Our intent is to continue to grow our Board of Trustees in areas including Student Engagement, Safeguarding, Public Health, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Neurodiversity, Fundraising and Communications. We are also keen to secure the support of an Honorary Treasurer.
By having trustees with relevant lived experience, our charity's decision making will be more informed and supportive of the young adults, students, and staff, who are at the heart of all we do. We will continue to be mindful of our Board's gender split, age groups and ethnicity. A diverse board will ensure a broader mix of skills, knowledge and experience that will give our charity greater flexibility to overcome challenges. With a range of perspectives and lived experience, our charity will continue to remain innovative, relatable and enable us to adopt best practice in all areas of our work.
Adam Reynolds
Chair of the Board of Trustees
Adam began his career in the City in 1980 with stockbrokers Rowe and Rudd before joining John Siddall and Son in 1983 where he became a partner in 1984. In 1988 he sold his interest in John Siddall and Son to Branston & Gothard before joining a public relations firm. Adam’s extensive networks and knowledge of the City led to his appointment in 1997 as a Director of Basham and Coyle where he was tasked with developing the Investor Relations division. In 2000, he founded Hansard Communications and established and listed The Hansard Group, his own public relations and corporate finance firm, on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM).
Adam has been instrumental in the rescue and acquisition of numerous companies and holds a number of Director and Non-Executive Director appointments; many of which are in the medical science industry.
He has been named as one of the fifty most influential people in the City by Growth Company Investor. Adam and his wife, Soozie, live in Oxfordshire, and the Isle of Wight, and enjoy time on the water, keeping fit and walking their dogs.
HOW WE WORK
1
COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIPS
The primary focus of BRIT is to collaborate with mental health charities and partner organisations in order to engage and support the HE and FE Sector so that we can help others, create wider engagement and deliver greater understanding of mental health issues, adversity, psychological trauma and wellbeing.
2
SPONSORS & GIFTED PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
Our ethos is to operate with minimal overheads and operational costs. We rely on gifted support from partner organisations and volunteers. Corporations and philanthropists who understand our ethos provide gifted professional services or fund our operational costs. This support enables our BRIT Challenges to have the greatest possible impact.
NEED FOR ACTION
Addressing and improving mental health, fitness and wellbeing is a priority throughout the UK. By ensuring mental health is treated as a societal concern, we can encourage early intervention and action.
We passionately believe in the power of collaboration to deliver more effectively and maximise impact. We need to bring organisations together, through a collectively powerful approach, and intervene early at a critical transition point in young people’s lives to avoid long-term risks. If we do not, there will be far-reaching consequences for the next generation.
The challenges experienced throughout the COVID-19 pandemic will undoubtedly compound the current mental health difficulties experienced by young adults and the wider community.
We need to act now, together, to ensure our mental health charity partners can deliver the support required to young adults at this critical time.
“BRIT continues to seek advice from subject matter experts and leaders to ensure the charity remains relevant and presents the strongest case possible for the need to support young adult mental health. I fully support their vision to partner with education, sport and charity partners and deliver an annual UK-wide event to improve young adult mental health and fitness.
I am enthused by BRIT’s UK-wide approach of engaging every university and college to ensure students (and staff) have the opportunity to participate in their inclusive annual BRIT Challenge. Groups who were already marginalised or disadvantaged are now likely to become more so and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic will continue to create significant lifestyle challenges in education, activity and socialising that will contribute to the mental health challenges faced by young adults. I urge Vice-Chancellors and Principals to embrace this campaign and event that complements their existing student support and will both raise vital funds and improve young adult mental health and fitness.”
Professor Peter Fonagy OBE FMedSci FBA FAcSS
Head of the Division of Psychology and Language Sciences
Director, UCLPartners Mental Health and Behaviour Change Programme
Chief Executive, Anna Freud National Centre for Children & Families
National Clinical Advisor on Children’s Mental Health, NHS England
University College London
47%*
Almost half of students are taking part in no wider enrichment activities this term.
*The Sutton Trust -
"Covid-19 and the University Experience Research Brief" dated February 2021.
43%*
43% of respondents said they need support to manage their own wellbeing.
*Student Mental Health: Life in a Pandemic - Wave III findings (January 2022) by Student Minds.
80%*
More than 80% of respondents from the UK's 165 universities stated that mental health and wellbeing was an essential strategic focus for their university in 2022.
*Research Study by the learning and engagement platform Cortex, in association with higher education policy analysts
Wonkhe.
122,530*
A further 122,530 students reported a mental health condition, such as
depression,
schizophrenia or anxiety disorder.
*Higher Education Student
Statistics: UK, 2020/21 published by HESA in January 2022.
EVIDENCE
We know Mental Health affects relationships, wellbeing and determines how students learn, and their productivity. It can make them feel that they have little to offer other people and erode self-esteem, self-worth and self-confidence.
It is recognised that transitions increase vulnerability to mental health difficulties.
Many who experience depression, anxiety and mental health difficulties can isolate themselves from friends and family, and mental health can be particularly isolating for people with disabilities.
Despite the surge in the numbers of students asking for support, it is likely that there are many others in clinical need who are not seeking treatment because of stigma or problems with access to care.
The wider crisis in young adult mental health is reflected in our universities with students dropping out with mental health problems and, tragically, an increase in student suicides.
Our aspiration is that our annual inclusive BRIT Challenge is embraced by the Higher Education, Further Education and Specialist Colleges Sectors as a legacy event to support and improve young adult, student and staff mental health, fitness and wellbeing.
We will continue to engage with every UK university and college and invite them to participate in the BRIT Challenge and encourage students and staff of all abilities to take part. In addition, we will continue to grow our BRIT Regional Steering Groups and provide the opportunity for students and staff at every UK university and college to be integral to how we evolve and reach more students who are feeling isolated and lonely.
BRIT aims to triple our 200 strong BRIT Ambassador family so that every university and college has a BRIT Ambassador who will visit during the annual BRIT Challenge, share their lived experience, talk about resilience and encourage students and staff of all abilities to participate.
82,000*
In 2018/9, 82,000 students in UK universities reported that they had a mental health problem.
*Higher Education Statistics Agency.
21.5%*
21.5% of students have a current mental health diagnosis.
*University Student Mental Health Survey 2018.
33.9%*
33.9% of students have experienced a serious psychological issue for which they felt they needed professional help.
*University Student
Mental Health Survey
2018.
95*
There were 95 suicides among higher education students in England and Wales between July 2016 and July 2017.
*Office for
National Statistics.
1.49m*
The number of pupils with special educational needs (SEN) increased to 1.49million in 2022, representing 16.5% of all pupils. It has increased over the last 5 years.
*Special education needs and disability (SEND): an analysis and summary of data sources - Department
of Education - June 2022.
256,995*
Of the 2.3million student population, 256,995 have a disability status.
*Minding Our Future: "Starting a conversation about the support of student mental health" by Universities UK.
75%*
The incidences of mood, anxiety, psychotic, personality, eating, and substance use disorders peak in adolescence and early adulthood: 50% of mental health problems are established by the age of 14 and 75% by age 24.
*Minding Our Future: "Starting a conversation about the support of student mental health" by Universities UK.
61%*
61% of young people regularly feel stressed and more than a quarter go as far as to say they regularly feel hopeless.
*Research conducted by The Prince's Trust.
A film for Vice-Chancellors, College Principals, Senior Management Teams, and Students' Union Presidents and Vice-Presidents
How the BRIT Challenge can assist universities, colleges, and Students' Unions, to support and improve the mental health, fitness, and wellbeing of students and staff
with
Professor Sir Steve West CBE DL
Vice-Chancellor, President, and Chief Executive Officer
University of the West of England (UWE) Bristol
and
Phil Packer
Founder and Non-Paid Chief Executive
The British Inspiration Trust (BRIT)
Support to the Higher Education Sector
Supporting a diverse range of participants from larger multi-faculty as well a smaller and specialist HE institutions, including; arts, design, and media; music and the performing arts; agriculture and food; education; business and law; theology; the built environment and health and sports.
We will continue to champion and promote best practice including Healthy Universities (embedding health and sustainability) the University Mental Health Charter and Student Space from Student Minds.
Over the past five years, along with other Mental Health Charities, we have built a special relationship with Student Minds. We hope that, by signposting universities and colleges to The University Mental Health Charter Framework through our BRIT Regional Steering Groups, we can help to both initiate policy change and share some outstanding resources to assist institutions, and students and staff, who are delivering wellbeing initiatives.
The BRIT Challenge can assist universities with evidence to support The Charter’s themes that are mapped against the 4 domains and enabling themes of the UUK Mentally Healthy Universities model. For example; Information Sharing within the Support Domain (BRIT Regional Steering Groups), Staff Wellbeing within the Work Domain, Proactive Interventions and a mentally health environment within the Live Domain, and Student voice and participation, Cohesiveness of support across the provider, and Inclusivity and intersectional mental health within the Enabling Themes Domain.
By working closely with Mental Health Leaders in the HE Sector (including NUS Charity, Universities UK, GuildHE, Independent HE, AMOSSHE, Healthy Universities, London Higher, Vice Chancellors, Department Heads, Practitioners, SUs and their Sabbatical Officers), BRIT continues to listen so we can have the most effective impact. The BRIT Challenge has evolved to support Universities, SUs, and their students and staff, by;
-
Deciding when they participate in the annual BRIT Challenge; we are mindful of Exams, Student Elections, Half-Term dates, and other internal events and activities. We hope that the BRIT Challenge will provide a platform to include other existing wellbeing initiatives (University Mental health Day) and assist SU Welfare and Activities Officers, alongside University Wellbeing Leads.
-
Enabling universities to measure the impact of the BRIT Challenge wellbeing activities they deliver (student and staff participation) and promoting Volunteering, Fundraising (for local, regional, and national charities, alongside BRIT), and Acts of Kindness (contributing to the health, wellbeing, and sustainability, of the wider community).
-
Enabling the opportunity to support strategies and raise awareness of issues that matter to them. For example; EDI; LGBTQI+; Anti-Racism; Disability Inclusion; Staff Mental Health; and Suicide Prevention.