By Mike Curry, Professional Development Specialist
As a new member of the incredible team at Minds Ahead I have had to really look at what the term ‘school’ means. We use it in our media and it is at the heart of what we do.
The traditional dictionary definition most of us tend to think of is a place to educate children and we tend to imagine the traditional, purpose built institution that the majority of school age students attend. However, in just my experience I have taught in a cottage, a converted house, a barn, and held lessons in a minibus, not to mention the school field. Many of you will have had other, different, environments and let’s not forget the challenges lockdown presented for any organisation.
Some people may look at our Qualifications Framework and be put off by the term school, so let’s consider another, equally valid definition from the dictionary. Any institution at which instruction is given in a particular discipline is a school, riding schools, schools of dance, The London School of Economics and even a poker school can be put under the ‘school’ heading as well as many organisations that instruct others but do not have the ‘S’ word in their title.
So, I believe the Mind’s Ahead Vision:
We’re working towards a future in which all schools are inclusive communities where pupils and staff thrive because mental health is well supported, now and for generations to come.
Encompasses all of the above and more. The word school simply means setting, provision or learning environment and Mind’s Ahead can supply bespoke products to suit your setting.
Our Mission highlights what we offer to you and your setting:
We pursue our vision by designing and delivering mental health qualifications, training, and strategic consultancy. These empower school leaders and staff with the knowledge and tools to create environments where everyone belongs, feels understood and knows how to strengthen their mental health.
With setting, we mean your provision, and your school. To see how we can help view our recently launched framework or answer a few questions in our qualification finder to discover the best qualification for you or your school.