The next BRIT Challenge will start on
25th January 2025 & finish on 25th December 2025
WALES
STEERING GROUP
By respecting and embracing existing mental health support and services, BRIT will work closely with universities, colleges, Students’ Unions, governing bodies and charities throughout the UK to facilitate a collaborative and proactive student, and staff, network.
Together, we will share best practice, provide opportunities to champion innovative mental health strategies and discuss ways to improve mental health provision both regionally and nationally.
The BRIT Wales Regional Steering Group will;
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Provide a forum for students and staff to share both their activity and fundraising successes when taking on the BRIT Challenge
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Enable the annual BRIT Challenge to act as a catalyst to involve the student body in meaningful mental health promotion throughout our feel-good fundraiser and the year ahead
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Establish a student network that can share best practice of university and college mental health provision and support
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Facilitate a collaborative fellowship of students and staff that can direct a cohesive approach to supporting and improving young adult mental health and fitness throughout the UK.
A WALES-WIDE NETWORK OF STUDENTS & STAFF
BRIT have established a BRIT Wales
Regional Steering Group.
BRIT Regional Steering Groups enable student, and staff, volunteers to represent every UK university and college, be integral to our vision, and both steer and guide our charity.
We want to ensure students, and staff, are at the heart of BRIT and will provide opportunities to join our BRIT Trustees’ Board and Chair, Co-Chair and Deputy Chair our 10 BRIT Regional Steering Groups.
"I am delighted to be supporting BRIT and taking on the role of Chair of the BRIT Wales Regional Steering Group to grow our Steering Group and encourage student and staff representatives from every Welsh University and College to join.
The BRIT Wales Regional Steering Group will provide a forum for students and staff to share their BRIT Challenge activity, successes and initiatives to ensure the BRIT Challenge; acts as a catalyst to involve every Welsh university and college in mental health, fitness and wellbeing provision; establishes a student and staff network to share best practice; facilities a collaborative fellowship of students and staff that can share a cohesive approach to supporting and improving mental health and fitness throughout Wales and; enable us to work closely with Welsh Education and Sport Governing Bodies and Charities.
By encouraging every Welsh institution to enter teams in the BRIT Challenge, we also aim to use the Challenge, with the support of Welsh BRIT Ambassadors, as a conduit to destigmatise mental health for students and staff throughout the academic year.”
Steve Savage
Pennaeth Chwaraeon / Head of Sport
Parc Chwaraeon Prifysgol De Cymru / University of South Wales Sport Park
Prifysgol De Cymru / University of South Wales
Chair of the BRIT Wales Regional Steering Group
AIMS
The aims of the BRIT Wales Regional Steering Group are to;
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Promote the annual BRIT Challenge to ensure that every university, college and Students’ Union have the opportunity to enter teams each year and encourage student and staff participation
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Encourage every university and college team to choose a second charity to fundraise for, alongside BRIT, in order to support local, regional and national charities
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Champion disability inclusion and invite students and staff of all abilities to take part
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Embrace the BRIT Challenge as a catalyst for promoting student services, mental health charities and support available to students and staff
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Reduce the stigma surrounding mental health by welcoming BRIT Ambassadors who will share their lived experience in order to encourage, enthuse, inspire and thank students and staff who participate in the BRIT Challenge
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Ask universities in each region to use their regional network to encourage and invite colleges to enter teams in the annual BRIT Challenge
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Encourage universities and colleges in each region to use their regional network to invite independent colleges and institutions who support students with disabilities and Special Needs to enter teams in the annual BRIT Challenge
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Conduct meaningful discussion in order to identify and proactively champion innovative and successful mental health strategies that can be shared across Wales and feed into an annual BRIT national forum to promote positive action around young adult and student mental health and fitness.
COORDINATION
A university and college have been asked to Chair and Co-Chair the BRIT Wales Regional Steering Group that will comprise of;
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Chair – Member of staff from a university (a 3-year tenure)
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Co-Chair - Member of staff from a college (a 3-year tenure)
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Deputy Chair - Student Opportunity (a 1, 2 or 3-year tenure)
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Representatives from every university and college in Scotland (minimum of a 1-year tenure).
COMPOSITION
The BRIT Founder and Non-Paid CEO will work closely with the Chair and Co-Chair on a strategy to promote the invitation for students and staff from every university and college to join the BRIT Wales Regional Steering Group.
In addition to BRIT Ambassadors being invited to deliver inspirational talks, we hope to secure long-term support from;
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Regional university and college (staff or student) mental health, wellbeing or sport networks.
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BRIT’s existing network of university or college staff (and students).
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Universities Wales (Universities UK).
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Colleges Wales/Colegau Cymru.
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Natspec.
CHAIR AND CO-CHAIR
We are delighted that The University of South Wales (USW) and
Andy Johns, former Vice Principal at Coleg y Cymoedd, have kindly agreed to Chair and Co-Chair the BRIT Wales Regional Steering Group
Steve Savage, Pennaeth Chwaraeon / Head of Sport, at Parc Chwaraeon Prifysgol De Cymru / University of South Wales Sport Park, Prifysgol De Cymru / University of South Wales is Chair of the BRIT Wales Regional Steering Group and Andy Johns, Cyn Is-Bennaeth /Former Vice Principal at Coleg y Cymoedd is the Co-Chair.
"I am thrilled to be Co-Chairing the BRIT Wales Regional Steering Group to support young adult, student and staff mental health, wellbeing and fitness.
Having worked in Further Education in Wales for over 30 years, I look forward to inviting colleagues at colleges throughout Wales to identify staff and student representatives from their institutions to join our Regional Steering Group and building a legacy network in Wales to steer and guide the work of the British Inspiration Trust and ensure the annual BRIT Challenge is a success at every Welsh College.
Together we have the opportunity to ensure the BRIT Challenge has a positive impact on how we improve mental health and wellbeing, explore how we can engage students and staff of all abilities, destigmatise mental health and champion equality, diversity and inclusion throughout Wales.”
Andy Johns
Cyn Is-Bennaeth / Former Vice Principal
Coleg y Cymoedd
Co-Chair of the BRIT Wales Regional Steering Group
“At Swansea University we have a very proud sporting heritage, so it comes as no surprise that we have embraced this project and its aims. After meeting Phil, and seeing the commitment that carries the BRIT Challenge forward every year, it is self-evident why it has gone from strength to strength.
Raising awareness and supporting young adult mental health are essential and to do so in such an inclusive way makes this a truly unique project. This is our chance at Swansea University, alongside our sister Welsh universities, to promote physical activity, mental wellbeing and to raise money for worthwhile causes.
We look forward to playing our part in making 2023’s event another success through our new Get ACTIVE programme and we hope that as many of our students and staff as possible sign up and take on the Challenge.
The Challenge itself may only be for two months but we hope it will have a lasting impact on the people who take part and those who benefit from its help”.
Professor Paul Boyle CBE FRSE FBA
Vice-Chancellor
Prifysgol Abertawe / Swansea University
“The University of South Wales (USW) supports the British Inspiration Trust’s BRIT Challenges, and we are delighted to be taking part again in 2023.
We are very aware of the pressures upon staff and students and finding ways to assist them in managing their mental health and wellbeing is a priority. The annual BRIT Challenge complements our existing strategy. Our aim is to encourage the whole university and our Students’ Union to participate; be that completing a mile for mental health on University Mental Health Day, adding distance to our 23,000-mile BRIT Challenge target, 23 minutes of physical or wellbeing activity for 23 days, or, being involved in 23 acts of kindness in the community.
USW are committed to supporting and championing BRIT to ensure the annual BRIT Challenge becomes a legacy event and that every university and college in Wales enters teams to ensure that together, we can support and improve the wellbeing of students and staff throughout Wales”.
Mark Milton FCIPD
Prif Swyddog Gweithredu / Chief Operating Officer
Prifysgol De Cymru / University of South Wales
“Student and staff health & wellbeing is a priority at Bridgend College. We promote Active Wellbeing as one of the core elements of looking after physical and mental health.
BRIT does an amazing job with this annual challenge to unite young people across the UK and we are inspired by the vision of the organisation to grow and develop. We support BRIT due to the inclusive nature of the challenge, all students and staff can get involved. It is great to initiate conversations about the importance of physical activity on our health and talking about mental health within our College but also in the wider community."
Jon Nottingham
Arweinydd Lies Gweithredol / Active Wellbeing Lead
Coleg Penybont / Bridgend College
“Cardiff & Vale college are excited to be part of this year’s BRIT CHALLENGE 2023. This fantastic initiative will give learners & staff across all college campuses an opportunity to raise valuable funds for great charities. This will provide the college with an opportunity to share the importance of mental health through inclusive and engaging challenges, all with the intention to improve mental and physical health."
"Mae Coleg Caerdydd a'r Fro yn falch iawn i fod yn rhan o BRIT CHALLENGE 2023. Bydd y fenter wych hon yn rhoi cyfle i ddysgwyr a staff ar draws campysau'r coleg i godi arian at elusennau haeddiannol. Bydd yn rhoi cyfle i'r coleg rannu pwysigrwydd iechyd meddwl trwy weithgareddau cynhwysol a diddorol, i gyd gyda'r bwriad o wella iechyd meddwl a chorfforol."
James Martin
Rheolwr ywyd myfyriwr / Student Life Manager
Coleg Caerdydd a'r Fro / Cardiff and Vale College
