Derby College Group commended at AoC Beacon Awards for student-led mental health innovation

Derby College Group has been commended at the prestigious AoC Beacon Awards in recognition of its innovative, student designed Mental Health Toolkit, a pioneering initiative supporting learner mental health and wellbeing across the College.

The AoC Beacon Awards, delivered by the Association of Colleges Charitable Trust, celebrate excellence and innovation across further education in England. The awards highlight outstanding practice that demonstrates colleges’ positive impact on students, communities and wider society. Each year, only a small number of projects nationally are recognised across carefully selected categories.

Derby College’s commendation acknowledges the success of its Mental Health Toolkit, designed and created by Level 3 Digital Creative Media students based at the Joseph Wright Centre. Developed by students, for students, the toolkit responds directly to the growing mental health challenges faced by learners in education.

Presented as a physical mental health first aid kit, the toolkit contains practical, hands on resources to help students manage feelings of anxiety, stress and overwhelm. The resources are structured around key wellbeing themes including connection, creating calm, motivation, positivity and resilience, ensuring learners can access support both in the moment and beyond.

Toolkits are now available in classrooms and key learning spaces across College sites, including Learning Support Base Rooms, making support visible, accessible and stigma free.

Each toolkit includes practical multisensory tools designed to support emotional regulation and grounding, takeaway strategy cards offering clear and practical guidance learners can use independently, and resources that encourage reflection, reassurance and positive coping strategies.

A prototype interactive digital version of the toolkit is also in development, extending accessibility and ensuring support can reach a wider student audience.

The project has already demonstrated strong impact, with staff reporting increased student engagement, improved emotional self regulation and greater confidence in managing wellbeing challenges within learning environments.

The Mental Health Toolkit was led by Catherine Guerrero, Team Manager for Teaching and Learning, working closely with students and curriculum colleagues including Daniel Bochenski, Course Co ordinator, and Jill Hounslow Eyre, contributor and advisor.

Commenting on the commendation, Catherine Guerrero said: “This is a real honour and recognition of the creativity, professionalism and insight shown by our students. They led this project from concept and research through to final design. The Mental Health Toolkit continues to grow in strength and is now used across all College sites, supporting students where and when they need it most.”

Building on the national recognition, Derby College Group plans to further expand the toolkit with credit card sized wellbeing tips to support students during assessment and exam periods. These will include positive affirmations, music based visualisation techniques, grounding strategies and practical advice for the night before and day of exams.

Catherine Guerrero added: “We remain committed to supporting students with declared mental health needs and to maintaining consistently high expectations, so they achieve and progress in line with their peers.”

The AoC Beacon Awards commendation reinforces Derby College Group’s reputation for innovative, inclusive and student centred practice, and showcases how co creation with learners can deliver meaningful, real world impact in further education.