Reflecting on Our Basingstoke Show
Our recent Regional Mental Health in Education Basingstoke Show was a great opportunity for knowledge-sharing, discussion, and networking. The event featured a mix of seminars and workshops running in parallel, allowing attendees to choose sessions that best suited their interests and needs.
Seminars: Key Discussions and Insights
The day started with our founder, Richard, presenting national mental health trends based on the latest audit data. His session highlighted areas where schools are making progress and where more work is needed, particularly around parental engagement. It was a valuable discussion that set the tone for the rest of the day.
Carly Seymour from Kooth followed with a talk on the role of digital mental health tools in supporting young people. Kooth is an online platform that provides free, anonymous mental health support through counselling, peer forums, and self-help resources. Carly discussed the effectiveness of this approach, sharing testimonials from young people who have benefited from the platform. These stories reinforced the need for accessible digital support to help children manage their mental wellbeing.
Dr. Kathy Jones then introduced the Leading Lights coaching intervention, a programme designed to help school leaders navigate their demanding roles. She shared real-life stories of its impact and demonstrated how coaching can provide school leaders with the tools they need to lead effectively while maintaining their own wellbeing.
Maxine Smith brought a unique perspective, discussing how working with horses can improve leadership skills. Her talk focused on how equine-assisted learning helps school leaders reconnect with their values, communicate more effectively, and manage stress in a new and engaging way.
Workshops: Practical Strategies in Action
Alongside the seminars, a series of workshops gave attendees the chance to explore mental health strategies in more depth.
Ian Jefferies ran a session on mindset coaching and core life skills, showing how coaching can be used to build resilience, support communication, and improve future planning. The session ended with a group discussion on how to identify core life skills and how to help develop them.
This was followed by a workshop from Nudge Education, which provides services for young people who are chronically disengaged, out of education, or at risk. Their session focused on the Six Cornerstones of Positive Wellbeing, offering practical tips on how to support young people through key areas such as connection and nutrition. Attendees gained a deeper understanding of how these factors contribute to overall mental health.
Next, I led a workshop exploring why children lie, how different developmental stages affect honesty, and ways to encourage truthfulness in young people. The discussion also touched on how lying can impact mental health, along with some practical deception detection tips for everyday situations.
Claire Cannon wrapped up the workshops with “Mind Before Matter,” a neuroscience-based session on self and co-regulation. She shared practical techniques to prevent burnout and maintain mental wellbeing, with strategies that have been successfully used by educators across the country.
A Valuable Day of Learning
With a mix of research, real-world experience, and interactive discussions, the event provided valuable insights for everyone involved. Attendees left with new strategies to take back to their schools and a better understanding of how to support both student and staff mental health.
We’re excited to continue these important conversations at future events and look forward to seeing more benefit from the ideas and strategies shared.
Find out more about the speakers, location and details for our Basingstoke Show: https://community.amhie.com/basingstoke/
References:
Look out for the seminar recording in our presentations resources area! Not yet a full member of AMHIE? Find out more about membership here: AMHIE Membership Brochure
