Headucate UCL: Volunteering for Mental Health Awareness

Changing the Conversation on Mental Health

Written By Harshitaa Sendhilkumar

Over 50% of young people report having experienced mental health challenges at some point during their lives, with the NHS Digital Report revealing that 1 in 6 individuals aged 5 to 16 have been identified as having a diagnosable mental disorder. Despite the alarming prevalence of these struggles, a recent study from The Prince’s Trust indicates that nearly half of young people feel unable to discuss their mental health due to fear of judgement. This stark disparity underscores the ongoing sigma and misunderstanding that surrounds mental health issues today.

What if we could change this narrative? What if we could reshape the way students perceive mental health? What if every young person felt supported rather than alone in their mental health journey? These are the core questions driving Headucate: a volunteering organisation dedicated to tackling stigma and promoting mental health awareness in schools. 

What is Headucate?

Headucate is a UK-wide, student-led organisation, with branches across multiple universities, delivering educational workshops in schools focused on understanding mental health, debunking misconceptions and promoting good practices while providing essential resources to students. 

When I heard about Headucate UCL at the volunteering society fair during Welcome Week, I immediately resonated with the initiative and knew it was an opportunity I wanted to be part of. Joining as a volunteer, and now serving as the Outreach Lead and Training Officer for volunteers, I’ve had the privilege of shaping our impact by connecting with schools and helping to expand our reach to ensure more students have access to these crucial conversations. 

Hearing feedback from students about our interactive workshops - expressing that they gained a better understanding of mental health, dispelled common myths and felt more confident in not only discussing these issues, but also accessing support - has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my role, as it highlights the difference that volunteers can make. 

Voices of Our Volunteers

[Two speech bubbles/something similar with direct quotes from what other volunteers had to say (written below)]

“I’ve had really insightful and interesting conversations with teens about mental health as a volunteer and it is an incredibly fulfilling experience. As part of the committee, it was an opportunity to get involved with the local community and understand all the effort that goes into running community projects. It’s a great chance to develop your teaching and communication skills, and you get to bust some mental health myths!”

• Lucy White, Headucate Project Lead, Final Year Medical Student 

“Headucate has been a rewarding opportunity and I’ve met so many different people - both students and volunteers - from a variety of diverse backgrounds in my three years of volunteering. We do sessions in both primary and secondary schools, so tailoring each session to our audience is an interesting part of the experience. Not only does it build your presentation skills, but it also develops your flexibility to be able to adapt on the day which really makes me enjoy the process. We have to be sensitive and aware of the mental health challenges that students may face, so creating a safe environment for everyone is critical in our workshops. It is especially heartwarming to witness passionate discussions among students and staff about different topics within mental health! The sessions give us the chance to hear real-life stories and appreciate different perspectives whilst achieving Headucate’s primary aim - to inspire conversations about mental wellbeing across schools in the UK. All in all, I would really recommend joining our team of volunteers to everyone who wants to get to know more about how discourses of mental health are taking place in schools.”

• Tiffany Wai, Headucate Project Lead, 3rd Year BSc Psychology with Education Student

Making a Difference Together

This year, we’re aiming to reach more schools, expand our university workshops, and bring mental health education to even more students. If you’re passionate about mental health and breaking the stigma, Headucate UCL is always looking for new volunteers - because the more people involved, the bigger the impact we can make. We’ll provide all the training needed to confidently deliver engaging and interactive workshops so no prior experience or knowledge is necessary. We also understand the busy schedules of university students so volunteering is entirely flexible - you can join as many or as few sessions as you’d like. 

Being part of Headucate has been one of the most rewarding and impactful experiences of my time at UCL. If you’ve ever thought about getting involved in mental health advocacy, working with students or simply making a positive change, this is an incredible opportunity to do just that!

Breaking the stigma starts with a simple conversation.

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