Students from Stratford-upon-Avon College have been preparing for their end of year exams, not just with revision, but with wellbeing workshops focusing on learning how to overcome internal challenges and become mentally resilient.
The College was excited to welcome Sam Coton, CEO and Founder of Better Me Better You, a community interest group dedicated to improving children’s mental health. The organisation recognises that mental health challenges are one of the biggest barriers to learning and help schools and colleges put wellbeing at the centre of education by equipping students with proven resilience tools.
Sam spoke to students from a wide range of courses
Over 150 students from a range of subject areas including Music, Art & Design, Construction, Foundation Learning, Motor Vehicle, Plumbing, Sports, Uniformed Protective Services and Business attended the sessions. These students are also studying English and/or Maths GCSEs alongside their course, with examinations imminent, so they benefited hugely from Sam’s inspiring and engaging talks.
Sam shared a range of methods and tips on how to develop resilience, how to meet adversity, how to cope with tough moments and how dealing with those feelings can lead to better results.
He spoke candidly about his own life experiences, in the hope that students can learn from his choices: “I’m authentic about my own challenges – saying this is me warts and all – so the students can learn from that.”
The tips and methods he shared can also be applied to many life experiences. Sam highlighted a key takeaway: “Master your mindset and keep calm in chaos!”
Overwhelmingly positive, the response to the workshops from the students included improved self-belief, focus, motivation and resilience.
Khairi Zada and Ramzi Suleiman both enjoyed the sessions. Khairi commented: “It was interesting to learn about having discipline in your life. It was very helpful.” Ramzi added: “It was interesting to learn how to deal with things when life challenges you. I think it will be very useful when taking exams.”
Head of Personal Progress & Development, Beth Tite, was extremely pleased to offer the students such a useful and engaging experience: “We were pleased to welcome Sam as part of a wider initiative to support our students in successfully completing their English and Maths examinations. The involvement of an external specialist brings significant added value, offering fresh perspectives and impactful strategies that enhance student confidence and engagement. We are keen to continue working with Sam as part of participation and development, creating a layered and relationship based approach that supports students to develop self worth, resilience, and motivation.”
