Mental health platform comes on board as sponsor of Educate Awards

Educate Awards has announced that Hidden Strength will be an associate sponsor of this year’s ceremony.

Hidden Strength is a unique mental health platform for young people that offers meaningful support and advice in a safe, anonymous environment.

The London-based company, which was founded by Linsey Lunny, is available to people aged 13-24 and facilitates a community of like-minded people to anonymously come together and support each other, with round-theclock access to tools and activities that promote holistic mental wellbeing.

The app was launched in May 2021 following research commissioned by the company, which found that of the 3.3 million people aged 13-24 suffering from something that affects their mental health, two thirds (66%) would take up therapy if was free.

Hidden Strength will help combat the UK’s growing mental health crisis which has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The research revealed more than half (58%) of young people suffering from mental ill-health have only done so since the first lockdown in March 2020, whilst nearly three quarters (73%) say their condition has worsened in the last 14 months. This trend is also set to continue, with a quarter (23%) of young people saying they feel very anxious about the return to normal once lockdown restrictions lift.

Supported by John Cameron OBE, former director of Childline, the app’s content is provided by mental health experts in order to give young people the tools to deal with life’s challenges. As a result, therapist support and readable content will be free for those who need it most.

Hidden Strength will sponsor the Mental Health & Wellbeing Award and Linsey will also form part of the judging panel for this category.

Linsey started her first business in

2005 in children’s nurseries and preschools. Linsey sold the business in 2017 to a Private Equity firm. Having had her own mental health struggles she wanted to create something relevant that doesn’t just talk at young people, it understands the world they live in.

Linsey Lunny said: “Hidden Strength is delighted to be a sponsor to the Educate Awards. I am launching Hidden Strength to support young people with their mental health and well-being. To be able to do this is a privilege.

“Teachers and staff working with young people go above and beyond on a daily basis and we want to recognise them. Together we want to support young people in a way no one has done before – anonymously, in their own environment and providing support that they might not feel able to ask for from other service providers.”

Linsey added: “We provide free, anonymous 24/7 support from qualified therapists – we are there for the young people when they need it most. We are also here to support the amazing work teachers do.

We want to work together to change the future of our young people. The Educate Awards is our starting point. We feel strongly that working with schools will allow us to reach the young people that need us most.”

Founder of the Educate Awards, Kim O’Brien, said: “Mental health and wellbeing is such an important part of school life now that we need to recognise the hard work and dedication that is going on in classrooms across the region.

“I am thrilled that Hidden Strength has come on board and that Linsey will offer her expertise when it comes to judging the entries. This is a popular category and I’m sure Linsey will be left suitably impressed by how North West schools are effectively tackling mental health issues.”