LSST Birmingham Learners Complete Brain Smart ® Programme to Become Mental Health Ambassadors
By Kunal Chan Mehta | Article Date: 28 July 2026
Forty learners at LSST Birmingham have taken an important step towards becoming champions for mental wellbeing after completing an innovative Brain Smart® Educational Programme for Communities, delivered in partnership with Jamma Wellbeing. They are all now ready to train as Community Mental Health Ambassadors.
Bringing together undergraduate students from LSST’s Health & Social Care and Business programmes, the interactive sessions equipped learners with practical knowledge of neuroscience – focusing on how the brain influences emotions and behaviour – while actively reducing mental health stigma.
Rather than viewing mental ill-health as a personal failing, Brain Smart® – Jamma Wellbeing’s evidence-informed educational framework – helps individuals understand why the brain responds as it does during periods of stress and emotional challenge.
Richard Stewart, Director of Jamma Wellbeing, joined the opening session to introduce the organisation’s mission and engage directly with learners, laying the foundations for what both organisations hope will become a long-term collaboration benefiting LSST students and communities across Birmingham.
The programme also focused heavily on professional development. Students cultivated critical transferable skills – such as active listening, leadership, and community engagement – that directly strengthen CVs, personal statements and job interviews across health, education, business, and public sectors.
The programme concluded with the inaugural meeting of LSST Birmingham’s Men’s Working Group, bringing together staff and learners to lay the foundations for a long-term initiative dedicated to advancing male mental health and wellbeing.
Mr Mohsin Riaz, Dean at LSST Birmingham, said: “Supporting mental wellbeing is fundamental to student success and employability. This programme demonstrates LSST’s commitment to creating an environment where learners not only achieve academic excellence but also develop the confidence and skills needed to thrive in their careers. We are delighted to begin this partnership with Jamma Wellbeing and look forward to expanding its impact across Birmingham.”
Samina Shafieq, Careers and Employability (HE) and Programme Manager (FE) at LSST Birmingham, who led the initiative, said:
“What has been truly inspiring is seeing our learners move beyond understanding mental health to recognising their own ability to support and encourage others. This programme has created a space for honest conversations, while helping students develop core skills that will benefit them throughout their careers and lives. We are delighted to work with Jamma Wellbeing and look forward to creating lasting impact across our student community and beyond.”
The Mental Health Ambassador initiative reflects LSST’s commitment to helping students thrive both personally and professionally. Through its partnership with Jamma Wellbeing, LSST is giving learners the knowledge, confidence and skills to better understand mental health and make a positive difference in their workplaces and communities.
For additional information or interviews, please direct questions to LSST’s Public Relations Manager via kunal.mehta@lsst.ac.
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