A new Discovery College in East London is being launched to support young people aged 13-18 in in Tower Hamlets, Newham, City and Hackney with their emotional health and wellbeing. Elaine Vassell, Discovery College Manager from Mind, who will run the college for the Trust, explains more.

What is the Discovery College?
The East London Discovery College is a community initiative co-produced with young people, parents/ carers, partner services and other stakeholders, which will offer a range of fun and engaging courses, information and resources to support young people with emotional health and wellbeing. This extends the offer the Trust has in Bedfordshire and Luton.

The aim of the Discovery College is to help increase resilience in our communities, provide alternative and additional support at a community level and bolster early help for young people alongside existing support. The College will work collaboratively with young people, parents/carers and those who support children and young people’s emotional health and wellbeing to understand what the college can offer, ambitions and gaps to enhance the quality and impact of its work.

Who is it for?
The Discovery College is open to anyone aged 13-18 years of age living in the boroughs of Tower Hamlets, Newham, Hackney & City. There is no referral required. Young people or their parent/ carer can sign up to any courses they are interested in. The young person does not have to be a service user and no diagnosis or assessments are needed.

How will it help children and young people?
The Discovery College courses will offer tailored support, recognising and building on young people’s existing strengths and developing new skills to empower young people to achieve their goals. The courses will also provide opportunities to socialise and connect with other young people in the local community both face to face and virtually.

What kind of courses or workshops will be available?
Young people, parents and those working with young people have told us they would like workshops focusing on anxiety, low mood, stress, self-esteem and emotional resilience. This is just the start and more online and in-person courses will be identified and developed with young people. We want young people to decide what courses and activities should be on the timetable and help to deliver these.

Have children and young people helped shape the college?
Absolutely, it's all about what the young people want. We're looking to hear from more young people who may have a hobby or interest they would like to share with others which could be turned into a workshop!

Young people and their parents/ carers can also help to shape and continuously improve the Discovery College. We need their ideas on things like branding and marketing, website design, how the Discovery College operates and improving the courses and activities it offers. Young people can try something completely new or get involved with things they are passionate about to help make the Discovery College a success!

What is the most exciting thing about the project?
The most exciting thing is that young people are playing a real part in decision-making and how we run the Discovery College to ensure it makes a real difference to their lives. They can attend the college or get paid as a Peer Tutor to co-faciliate an activity. Most excitingly, everything is co-produced with young people, it’s free, fun and informative.

Where can people get more information?
Simply contact us at discovery-college@mindthnr.org.uk or follow us on social media:
Instagram - @dceastlondon
X - (formerly Twitter) @DCEastLondon