Who We Are
SoM was founded in 2017 with a core aim: to develop authentic, democratic and participatory approaches to improving young people’s psychological health and wellbeing. To do this, we work alongside young people and professionals to generate spaces where they can perceive the invisible psychological forces that shape their sense of self and consider how these systems shape their internal and external lives.
For the last eight years we have collaborated with numerous stakeholders in secondary schools, sixth form colleges, community settings and supported housing organisations to examine the dynamic inter-relationship between teenagers and the education and mental health systems. We support young people to notice patterns and critique paradigms that are often obscured or not up for discussion. They are given permission to express their perspectives about practices that undermine their personal development, mental health and wellbeing, and quality of life, while also supporting them to generate solutions.
We seek to subvert ideological roadblocks by moving beyond compelled paradigms that feel fixed and self-evident, to craft a theoretical framework for understanding and thinking about what it means to be human. In doing so, the biological, social, psychological and spiritual aspects of every person are viewed as equally important.
We recognise that these phenomena are exceptionally complex, interact with one another and are defined differently by people who experience the world, and themselves, in varied ways. SoM has evolved in response to practices and debates in the education and mental health arenas and an aspiration to establish philosophical approaches and methodologies that liberate children and young people.
WHAT WE DO
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Online and Community based early intervention programme for young people aged 14-25 that makes psychological support accessible to young people in school and community settings.
Selfology is a psychoeducational programme that has been developed and iterated with young people over 4 years. The aim of the programme is to make therapeutic spaces, resources and support available to young people outside of clinical settings, to reduce the demand for clinical services and to develop a non-medicalised, community based model of mental health care for young people in the UK.
The model has been delivered in 8 schools/ colleges in Newham Borough and 10 supported housing settings in the UK.
Beneficiaries report higher levels of confidence, self esteem and an awareness of how to support their personal wellbeing, on completion of the programme.
Online Learning Platform: Selfology is a video based learning platform that provides people with knowledge and skills that support the development of self-awareness, wellbeing and a positive sense of personal identity. The platform also brings the general public and psychologists and views together, to collaboratively explore the key issues impacting young people’s wellbeing.
The online platform provides a way for individuals to develop self-knowledge while also connecting with a community of people who are interested in the development of consciousness and new ways of being in the modern world. The content connects people to new ways of thinking, makes psychology accessible and applicable to their own lives, and reduces the power imbalance inherent in traditional approaches to therapeutic support.
Selfology School: Our next ambition is to develop a community based self development programme that will enable young people to access the full Selfology curriculum as an in-person group learning programme, delivered by a trained Selfology Facilitator from States of Mind. The school will focus on supporting young people to unlock their personal purpose, develop conscious leadership skills such as self awareness and empathy and develop a more positive sense of personal identity, to support them in the next chapter of their life.
Selfology facilitators: One of the key aims of the Selfology programme is to upskills professionals to provide therapeutic, sensemaking spaces for young people, so that they can develop knowledge and skills that support the development of self-awareness and improve their wellbeing and quality of life.
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States of Mind has been leading youth led, Participatory Action Research for 4 years, in order to contribute to policy development in the education sector.
At the core of our work is the belief that, (i) young peoples’ views should be centered in all decisions around their education and, (ii) they are capable of conceptualising, defining and actioning meaningful change. Breaking the Silence is a constantly evolving research endeavour and is currently entering its fourth phase. Read more here.
Throuhg our Wellbeing Ambassadors Programme, we have reviewed data from thousands of students, over 4 years, exploring their views on the causes of mental health concerns and the existing barriers to wellbeing in the education system.
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Throughout the Breaking the Silence project, a participatory action research approach has been used to ensure that young people are active participants, not passive subjects. Students co-develop our projects; they shape the research questions, conduct their own surveys, focus groups and interviews, analyse the data and decide how this is to be disseminated, supported by States of Mind and our partner organisation, the Institute of Education, UCL. Each year, we work with a new cohort of young people who are in year 12 and attending sixth form colleges in the London borough of Newham.
Review for Progress and Development
The RPD is a school evaluation framework and methodology that has been developed over 2 years, through a participatory action research project that explored student and teachers views on the Ofsted Inspection Framework and enabled the recreation of an evidence based framework that can better serve stakeholders needs and ambitions for education in the 21st century.
The RPD differs hugely from Ofsted’s external accountability, focusing instead on school self-evaluation and collaborative evaluation across school networks.
The purpose of the RPD is to provide schools with a new framework and methodology for improving a range of educational outcomes, including student wellbeing, student and teacher relationships and the development of key life skills for students in the 21st century.
Meet the Team
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Bea Herbert
FOUNDER
Bea is a Psychosynthesis Psychologist and Founder of States of Mind CIC. Bea has spent her professional career working alongside young people to co-develop alternatives to the medicalised model of mental health care at an individual, community and systems level. She is dedicated to the application of psychological theory and practice for the development of truly holistic and democratic approaches to systems change. -
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Chris Bagley
DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH
Chris started in education as a secondary school teacher and later trained as an Educational Psychologist. He mostly works with marginalised young people and families in school and community settings. Chris. His core interest is collaborating with young people, families, professionals and other innovators to build systems that support young people and those working with them to thrive. -
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MICHAEL NORTON
DIRECTOR
Michael has dedicated his life to enhancing society and empowering young people through social entrepreneurship. Michael founded the Directory of Social Change , Changemakers, YouthBank UK and Unltd. He received an OBE in 1998 for services to the voluntary sector. Michael has supported the development of States of Mind since it’s inception and oversees the delivery of States of Mind’s social action projects. -
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JASPAR KHAWAJA
PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH LEAD
Jasparhas recently completed a Doctorate in Professional Educational Child and Adolescent Psychology at UCL’s Institute of Education. Prior to this, Jaspar worked in a secondary school with young people who had experienced trauma, and in a CAMHS inpatient unit for adolescents with mental health problems. Jaspar believes in promoting educational reform to meet the psychological needs of children and young people. He has undertaken university research in collaboration with States of Mind as part of the Breaking the Silence project, in order to do just that.
