This is a small-scale action research project, conducted between 2019-2022, undertaken at a College of FE. The college offers apprenticeships, full and part-time programmes, and an outstanding SEND provision for students aged between 14-19. The selection of topics for the study arose from a pressing need for policy change across the FE sector, to meet the increasing needs of student mental and emotional health in FE. As an Advanced Practitioner in mental health and wellbeing, I immersed myself in the context of FE change agency and developed an impact training model to achieve this goal, within a realistic and natural timeframe for FE, whilst providing desirable clarity to the sector. The study predominantly utilises qualitative research methodology in accordance with my alignment to constructivism as a theoretical framework. Utilising theoretical frameworks from Goleman (1995) and Mezirow (2000) the study seeks to redefine professional development by introducing transformational learning for affective education. Quantitative descriptive statistics are included to provide holistic depth and insight into the rich descriptions provided. Thematic analysis within this work allows for the experiences of staff undertaking the training model within the setting to be contextualised and to explore to which FE roles mental and emotional health support should belong. This study is able to prescribe appropriate training for those within the FE sector to allow for transformational learning to occur; rich descriptions detail the impact of this style of development upon the study participants. The study recommends a regeneration of the labelled ‘whole’ approach to mental health; including universal and mandatory training for those in FE.

Speaker: Georgina Ford

Published in: London International Conference on Education (LICE-2022)

• Date of Conference: 14-16 November 2022
• DOI: 10.20533/LICE.2022.0009
• ISBN: 978-1-913572-52-5
• Conference Location: Virtual (London, UK)