BrainWaves Thought Leadership Event: adolescent wellbeing, future careers and navigating life’s next steps.
How can we help young people feel ready for what comes next in an uncertain world? This was the central question explored at LEH’s inspiring BrainWaves Thought Leadership event on Tuesday 3 November, which brought together Upper 5 and Sixth Form pupils, parents and an expert panel for a fascinating discussion about adolescent wellbeing, future careers and navigating life’s next steps.
Chaired by Julian Turner, Director of Education at BrainWaves, the panel featured Professor John Gallacher, Director of Science at BrainWaves and Professor of Cognitive Health at the University of Oxford; careers consultant Bella Eccles from Tinker Tailor; and adolescent life coach Rosie Ranford from RORA. They were joined by Head Girl, Lehara and her team, Alice and Maryam, who brought valuable student perspectives to the conversation, along with Ms Hart, Director of Futures & Head of Life Advice, and Ms Harding, Assistant Head of Life Advice, who hosted the evening.
Drawing on the latest research into adolescent mental health, alongside insights into the changing world of work, the discussion explored several important themes. Central to these was the powerful link between agency and wellbeing – how having a sense of control, purpose and ownership over decisions can help young people feel happier, more confident and better equipped to navigate uncertainty.
The panel also explored the growing importance of human differentiation in the workplace, and the uniquely human qualities that future employers will increasingly value. Equally important was the need for young people to make informed choices about university courses and career pathways, recognising their individual strengths, interests and aspirations rather than feeling pressured to follow a prescribed route.
LEH and Brainwaves
LEH is proud to be a research partner of BrainWaves, an ambitious, long-term research and education collaboration involving the University of Oxford and Swansea University. The programme aims to transform our understanding of adolescent mental health through large-scale research, using its findings to develop evidence-based resources that help schools support young people’s wellbeing.
As a BrainWaves partner, our Sixth Form students have participated in the research programme over the past few years, helping contribute to this important body of evidence. We have been particularly encouraged that LEH’s results have been considerably higher than the wider BrainWaves cohort average across key measures including sense of belonging, agency and happiness. These findings offer valuable insights into our pupils’ experiences and reinforce the importance of creating a school environment in which young people feel supported, connected and empowered.
Our current Sixth Formers will take part in this year’s Cohort Study on Wednesday 18 November, and our Upper 4 pupils completed their survey last half term, thus extending the opportunity to understand and support wellbeing across more of our school community.
The evening was a powerful reminder that preparing young people for the future is about far more than academic success. At LEH, we are committed to helping our pupils develop the confidence to make their own choices, the agency to shape their futures, and the balance, resilience and wellbeing to thrive in an ever-changing world.
Our thanks go to BrainWaves, our expert panellists, our brilliant student contributors and everyone who joined us for such an engaging and thought-provoking evening.