GMLPN, NYLP and WYLP announce WellFest2021 Speakers

The Greater Manchester Learning Provider Network (@GM_LPN), North Yorkshire Learning Providers (@NYLP10) and West Yorkshire Learning Providers (WYLP) are excited to announce the speakers of WellFest 2021.

The WellFest virtual conference is aimed at work based learning tutors and practitioners, and will provide them with a virtual ‘get away; day covering not only CPD but also support for positive wellbeing practices, sharing lessons and successes, coping mechanisms for stress, caseload management and overall help to maintain mental wellness.

Speakers

The following speakers and sessions will take place at WellFest 2021:

• Health & Food | Louise Mercieca | Award winning author and nutritional therapist who owns the healthkick.
• Taking steps forward: practical support to prevent mental health crisis | NCFE in partnership with Big Dog Little Dog | Bob Kitchin, Co-Founder at Big Dog Little Dog | Richard Powell, Business Development Manager at NCFE
• Stephen Mordue, Senior Lecturer, Social Work | University of Sunderland
• Cognassist
• Establishing mental fitness in education – how to give your students and staff the mindset to flourish this year | NCFE in partnership with Fika | Dr Fran Longstaff, Head of Psychology at Fika | Dawn Baker, Director of Innovation and Investments at NCFE
• AoC Mental Health Project | GMLPN
• Fitness and Wellbeing | Tameside College
• Digital Wellbeing | Amie Bentley, Apprenticeships Business Development Advisor – Wellbeing Leader Manchester Metropolitan University
• Managing Anxiety | SallyAnn Coleman, Head of Commercial | Apprentify
• Mental Health & Apprenticeships – an apprentice perspective | Emma Nolan, GM Apprenticeship

Alex Miles, MD, WNYLP, said:

“WYLP held the first WellFest last year during the pandemic to support our members with their own mental wellbeing & from that success we wanted to make WellFest21 even better, reaching a wider audience so they can benefit from the fantastic speakers & guests we have on offer. We therefore joined forces with our network colleagues across the Pennines to bring this year’s festivities – with GMLPN onboard we know WellFest21 will be a great event and we look forward to seeing you all there”

Anne Gornall, Executive Director, GMLPN, said:

‘It’s great to be working with WYLP and NYLP on WellFest 2021- a festival for Wellness. Mental Health and Wellbeing is priority for us and our members – to support staff and learners – and we are excited to explore some of the mental health challenges and solutions at the conference.’

The conference will take place on Thursday 17^th June 2021 from 9:30-15:00.

The Challenge

The coronavirus pandemic has put mental health at the forefront of everyone’s minds and given us all an opportunity to be open about the way in which mental health affects us and those who we work with. 

Mental Health in the Further Education sector is particularly an issue:

• FE lecturers stand out with high levels of anxiety and the lowest levels of positive wellbeing among educators.
• 1 in 4 people experience mental health issues each year (reference)
• At any given time, 1 in 6 working-age adults have symptoms associated with mental ill health.

At WellFest 2021 we will explore some of the causes and solutions to the mental health challenge within the Further Education sector.

The conference will take place on Thursday 17^th June 2021 from 9:30-15:00. To book a place at WellFest 2021 please visit here.

Sponsors: GMLPN, NYLP and WYLP are excited to announce that WellFest 2021 will be sponsored by NCFE, Cache, Big Dog Little Dog, Cognassist, LearnBox and Skills Forward.

GMLPN, NYLP and WYLP launch WellFest 2021 during Mental Health Awareness week 2021

The Greater Manchester Learning Provider Network (GMLPN), North Yorkshire Learning Providers (NYLP) and West Yorkshire Learning Providers (WYLP) were excited to mark Mental Health Awareness Week with the launch of WellFest 2021. Mental Health Awareness week took place from 10^th May – 16^th May, with the theme of the week being nature and how nature helps mental health and wellbeing.