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About DISCOVER
Who we are
The DISCOVER team, comprised of a group of clinical psychologists, has created a series of innovative school-based workshop programmes for sixth formers who experience anxiety, low mood and high stress. DISCOVER interventions are designed to support the mental health and wellbeing of 16-19-year-olds, and to be accessible and relevant to young people from all backgrounds. DISCOVER aims to build teenagers’ resilience and help them deal better with ongoing academic and/or personal stresses. Problems tackled in our interventions include: sleep difficulties, excessive worrying, low self-esteem, relationship difficulties, low motivation, procrastination and poor time management.
About discover
The DISCOVER ‘How to Manage Stress and Worry’ programme, which we developed in 2010, is an award-winning, evidence-based mental health programme run by specially trained psychologists for students who are experiencing anxiety low mood and high stress. Up to 16 students per school sixth form can attend this 4-month programme. To deliver this DISCOVER programme, We work in partnership with teachers in sixth forms across London and the South East of England. To date, we have supported more than 6000 young people in over 50 schools.
The DISCOVER team also runs ‘standalone’ Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health assemblies which can be delivered to large groups of teenagers to build their resilience to stress. Linked to these assembly sessions, we can provide a related 2-hour Emotional Wellbeing Booster workshop for up to 25 students. We also developed DISCOVER Emotional and Mental Health PSCHE teacher resource packs for Key Stage 5 tutorials, which can be used to augment this DISCOVER assembly.
See section 'How DISCOVER Works' for details of our various DISCOVER offers
With Maudsley Charity funding, we recently adapted our DISCOVER workshop programme to develop accessible mental health support to care leavers aged 16-19 This DISCOVER “Getting the Life You Want” programme is currently being piloted in partnership with local authorities, to train involved clinicians in the method and manual.
We are grateful to Dr June Brown, Reader/Associate Professor in Clinical Psychology at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Kings College London, who originally developed the wellbeing workshops for adults (Brown, 2000), and gave permission for us to adapt this innovative service approach for 16-19s. Dr Brown was the Chief Investigator in the NIHR-funded Brief Educational workshops in Secondary Schools Trial (BESST) , which has evaluated the effectiveness of DISCOVER workshops in schools in four English regions, and is the Chief Investigator of the subsequent NIHR-funded study of the Implementation of DISCOVER for older teenagers.
Why DISCOVER is important
Rates of anxiety and depression are high amongst 16-19s, and national surveys show a worrying increase in mental health problems amongst teenagers in recent years. Chronic anxiety and worry can negatively affect young people’s ability to deal with the pressures of exams and coursework. High stress can also affect their motivation, their self-esteem and personal relationships, and decision-making about their future life goals. Under high stress and pressure, some young people may feel hopeless and suicidal or may resort to self-harm. Those young people who face adverse social and family circumstances are at heightened risk of experiencing mental health difficulties. Importantly, if left untreated, high stress levels in teenage years can lead to longstanding emotional and mental health difficulties, and associated occupational disadvantages that continue into adulthood. However, although evidence-based psychological therapy exists and the need for support is great, teenagers often find it hard to access suitable psychological interventions, and they may even fail to recognise the early warning signs of anxiety, stress and low mood.
Our DISCOVER interventions.
We can offer the following DISCOVER programmes, to meet young people’s needs:
- The DISCOVER ‘How to Manage Stress and Worry workshop programme, for up to 16 sixth form students (delivered over four months).
- The DISCOVER Emotional Wellbeing Assembly (either as a 50 minute or 30 minute version), for up to 600 sixth form students.
- The DISCOVER Emotional Wellbeing Booster workshop (120 mins, for up to 25 students.
- The DISCOVER ‘Getting the Life You Want programme’, designed with and for Care Experienced young people aged 16-19.
- The DISCOVER Teacher PSHCE resource pack, A seven session set of Key Stage 5 Emotional and Mental health tutorials.
See section ‘Commissioning DISCOVER in your school’ for more information.
In 2021, the DISCOVER team helped the TOAD film company to create 'Reset and Rewind', a series of short films featuring rap artists talking about their mental health and sharing wellbeing tips. The five films were commissioned by Channel 4 and the BFI, and feature artists Konan, Krept and Ms Banks exploring trauma, grief and body image.
How does DISCOVER help?
DISCOVER interventions are based on Cognitive Behaviour Therapy principles and are designed to encourage young people to come forward and make sustainable changes to problems that they experience in their daily lives. Our programmes offer up-to-date scientific and psychological advice to teenagers about the impact of stress and worry on their wellbeing and offer new, effective ways to address their difficulties. Students are supported to set a personal life goal, drawing on various DISCOVER techniques which they learn and practice.
Problems that our DISCOVER programmes can address include:
- Excessive worrying and low mood
- Low resilience to stress and pressure, at home or at school
- Loss of motivation and lack of confidence
- Poor sleep and lack of energy
- Difficulties organising workload and revision
- A poor work/life balance
