A pioneering partnership to deliver drop‑in wellbeing support for Telford College students has proved to be a major success – and is set for expansion in the new academic year.
The collaboration with Telford Mind has achieved outstanding results in its first year, with engagement levels exceeding 90% and strong evidence of positive outcomes.
Telford Mind – the local mental health charity behind The Link service – provides free, confidential support for young people across Telford & Wrekin.
Students can access advice, early‑intervention support, and guidance on relationships, mental health, sexual health, resilience and overall wellbeing in a safe, informal space where they can talk openly and receive tailored help.
Stefan Lewis, the children and young people’s social prescriber, has been running drop-in sessions at Telford College’s Wellington campus on Mondays and Fridays, and will be returning when the new college year starts in September.
“It has been very successful. Instead of asking young people to come to a surgery if they needed support, they have been able to step out of a lesson, and come to see me on site for half an hour.”
Working closely with Telford College’s BeSafe team, Stefan offers up to six one-to-one sessions with students, on a totally confidential basis.
“Some students are feeling exam pressure and just want signposting to some support, while others are feeling social anxiety, struggling to manage relationships with peers, teachers, or dynamics with friends, families or carers. Often, they are feeling a lack of confidence or self-esteem.”
He added: “The BeSafe team at Telford College do an amazing job and I’ve been able to offer additional support to the great support they offer. It started as quite a loose, informal arrangement, but has evolved into a triaged appointment system, two days a week.”
Stefan, who has been working with children and young people for 17 years, has continued to attend college on Fridays during the summer break, working with students who want additional support ahead of the new academic year.
“Young people don’t want to talk about issues around mental health in front of their peers, so it’s very important that we are able to deliver this in a confidential space.”
All but two of the students referred to Stefan engaged with the programme, with around half attending four or more sessions.
“These outcomes are high, because I’m based where the students are and collaborative working as all parties involved had the same ethos in supporting students in their academic and personal life.
“They only need to speak to the BeSafe team about their concerns, then the team will identify their needs and ensure that students get the right and relevant support.
“What I am offering is very much an introduction to mental health which will make it easier for students if they need more support in the future. It’s all about breaking down barriers.”
Channelle Nixon, director of safeguarding and student support at Telford College, said: “Our partnership with Telford Mind means we can bring specialist support directly to our students, in a place where they already feel safe and trust.
“Working closely with Telford Mind means we can identify need earlier, reduce barriers to accessing help and make sure students receive the right support at the right time, the first time.
“The level of engagement we’ve seen really shows the value of making support accessible and building it around relationships and trust.
“We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved together in the first year, but more importantly, of the difference it is making for our students. We’re looking forward to building on that and making sure quality mental health and wellbeing support continues to be a core part of the student experience at Telford College.”
The Link provides personalised support for young people aged 13–18 (Y9–Y13) across Telford & Wrekin.
It helps young people build confidence, access advice, connect with their community, and make informed choices about relationships, health, and wellbeing.
The focus is on building resilience and aspiration among young people at greater risk of early pregnancy, helping them gain the tools and motivation to make positive choices for their future. The Link provides support in areas such as:
- Healthy Relationships
- Emotional Wellbeing
- Sexual Health
- Housing & Finance
- Domestic Abuse
