Humber Outreach Programme: Building Student Resilience and Aspirations Post-Pandemic

The pandemic left a profound impact on the mental health and academic attainment of young people, particularly in areas facing high levels of social disadvantage. To aid recovery and rebuild student aspirations, the Humber Outreach Programme (HOP) commissioned Worth-it to deliver a comprehensive suite of wellbeing and resilience interventions across 11 secondary schools in the Humber region.

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By acting as a protective factor for early intervention, the project successfully increased school capacity to support students. It empowered educators with practical tools and fostered the internal resilience young people need to confidently navigate their educational journeys and future career choices.

About the Humber Outreach Programme

The Humber Outreach Programme (HOP) is a partnership of higher education institutions, schools, academies, and colleges. HOP aims to raise the aspirations of young people from less advantaged backgrounds through exciting opportunities, increasing their awareness of and participation in further and higher education.

The project engaged 11 secondary schools across the region, including Malet Lambert School, St Mary's College, Holderness Academy, The Marvell College, John Whitgift Academy, Caistor Yarborough Academy, Withernsea School, Headlands School, Beacon Academy, Engineering UTC, and Goole Academy.

The Challenge

The Humber region faces unique challenges related to social disadvantage, which were severely exacerbated by the global pandemic. Schools observed a sharp decline in student wellbeing, which directly threatened academic engagement and future aspirations.

Educational professionals urgently needed practical, evidence-based methods to rebuild confidence and create a safety net for vulnerable young people. Without targeted early intervention, the drop in mental health threatened to lower participation in higher education and limit the life chances of students across the region. Schools required a flexible approach to support both their staff and their students during a highly disruptive period.

The Solution: A Bespoke "Pick and Mix" Approach

To address these complex challenges, Worth-it developed a tailored "pick and mix" package of student wellbeing and resilience interventions. Commissioned in February 2021 and delivered between March and October 2021, the programme allowed each school to select the specific support structures that best fit their unique cohort.

Our team of expert wellbeing coaches and consultants implemented a whole-school approach designed to consolidate the support triangle between teachers, students, and parents.

Key Delivery Activities

• Wellbeing Ambassadors: We trained designated teachers and HOP coordinators to facilitate a peer-led support programme. Students learned resilience strategies, stress management, and how to help peers in need, developing their leadership skills and creating an in-house network of support.
• Teacher CPD Workshops: Staff engaged in targeted training to understand how young people think and interact. This provided educators with actionable strategies for building internal resilience, ensuring a shared language across the whole school.
• Targeted Student Workshops: We delivered large class-size workshops alongside intense small-group sessions for students requiring further support. These workshops focused on practical scenario work and individualised coaching to help students implement positive changes.
• Parent Workshops: To ensure consistency at home, we ran interactive online workshops for families, teaching them the same resilience strategies their children learned in the classroom.
• Individual Teacher Coaching: Recognising the immense pressure on educators, we provided 1-to-1 coaching for teachers. This offered a safe space to reflect, develop personal resilience, and create action plans to stay motivated.

The Results

By integrating positive psychology into daily school life, the project delivered measurable improvements in both staff capacity and student wellbeing.

Impact on School Practice and Staff Capacity

The programme significantly enhanced the confidence of youth workers, teachers, and support staff. By participating in CPD and 1-to-1 coaching, staff felt supported and valued. They gained a deep understanding of evidence-based coaching techniques, empowering them to step into proactive, preventative roles rather than constantly reacting to crises.

Impact on Pupils

The project acted as a crucial protective factor for young people in a disadvantaged region. By equipping students with practical coping mechanisms, the interventions built the resilience needed to manage pandemic recovery.

For the Humber Outreach Programme, this emotional grounding was essential. Students who feel mentally secure and supported are far more capable of engaging with the HOP Progression Framework—allowing them to know, choose, and become confident in their progression toward higher education and graduate employment.

Conclusion

The Humber Outreach Programme collaboration demonstrates the power of targeted, flexible early intervention. By addressing the root causes of pandemic-related anxiety and equipping both staff and students with a shared toolkit for resilience, schools in the Humber region were able to protect student wellbeing. This proactive approach not only aided immediate recovery but also laid the groundwork for young people to raise their aspirations and thrive in their future endeavours.

Take the Next Step: Empowerment Through Positive Psychology

Are you inspired by the success of the Humber Outreach Programme? You too can empower the young people in your school or organisation by fostering a culture of wellbeing and resilience. We offer a range of solutions tailored to help you achieve this.

Explore our four key offers of support and discover the best path for your institution:

• Wellbeing Consultancy: Partner with us to develop a strategic, whole-school approach to mental health and wellbeing. We'll guide you in creating a sustainable culture of support.
• Wellbeing Club: Implement our ready-to-use programme that provides students with a safe and supportive space to develop essential coping skills and build resilience together.
• Wellbeing Ambassadors Programme: Empower students to become leaders of positive change. Our programme trains them to champion wellbeing initiatives and support their peers.
• Youth Coach & Mentor Training: Equip your staff with the skills to become certified coaches. This training empowers them to provide targeted, one-on-one support that helps young people thrive.

Take the first step towards transforming your school's approach to wellbeing. Contact us today to learn more about how we can support you.