Human Givens Mental Health Wellbeing Program

In 2024, Creative Tuition sponsored by the Human Givens Foundation partnered with five mental wellbeing coordinators in Bristol to deliver a ‘Design a Mental Wellbeing App’ challenge, inspired by the Human Givens approach. We worked with three university psychology students, two professionals and one Human Givens therapist, Judith Desbonne.

The program engaged 50 young people, aged 11-14, across two Bristol schools—Redland Green School and Montpelier High School.

The challenge, outlined in the appendix, focused on introducing key concepts related to the nine emotional needs outlined in the Human Givens model. In collaboration with the science team, we designed workshops that explored the origins of these emotions in the brain and their underlying causes. We then guided students through practical exercises aimed at regulating emotions such as stress and anxiety, which can arise when one or more of these emotional needs are unmet. The team also incorporated engaging games and thought-provoking questions, encouraging students to actively explore and understand their emotional wellbeing.

Equipped with this newfound knowledge, students were then tasked with designing an app tailored to their peers, aimed at educating them about emotional needs while keeping them engaged and informed. The winning teams were rewarded with vouchers for their outstanding work. The students developed impressive apps, incorporating features such as reward points and incentives, all carefully designed to resonate with their target age group.

This report presents reflections from both students and coordinators on the CTC program, with a particular focus on the mental wellbeing app challenge. Overall, students found the app challenge both engaging and educational, with many expressing excitement and enjoyment about the apps they developed.

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