BRIT
PARTNERS
We believe a collaborative approach is vital to support and improve young adult mental health and fitness throughout the UK.
EDUCATION PARTNERS
To deliver our aim of supporting Student and Young Adult Mental Health, Fitness & Wellbeing and to reduce the feelings of isolation and loneliness, we need every University and College Leadership Team and every Students' Union in the UK to invite and encourage their students, and staff, to take part in the annual BRIT Challenge.
The success of the annual BRIT Challenge requires a whole university, college and community approach to Young Adult Mental Health.
To invite and encourage their members to champion The British Inspiration Trust’s aims and the annual BRIT Challenge, we are delighted to have partnered with Education Governing Bodies who share our vision.
Their Chief Executives & Chairs will ensure our invitations are sent out to every University Vice-Chancellor and College Principal in the UK so that the leadership of each institution champions, promotes and participates in our campaign and event.
The NUS have also partnered with us to encourage every Students' Union to enter teams in the annual BRIT Challenge in order to fundraise, maximise student participation and champion both inclusivity and adaptive sport involvement.
SPORTING PARTNER
ORGANISATIONS
Our aim of delivering inspiration to students and young adults at universities and colleges is through the support of British Sporting Icons acting as British Inspiration Trust (BRIT) Ambassadors.
We need Sporting Governing Bodies to encourage their Olympians, Paralympians, Invictus Athletes, Iconic Personalities from a wide range of Sports, Adventurers and Explorers to join us as Ambassadors and visit universities and colleges throughout the annual BRIT Challenge.
These inspirational Ambassadors will inform us of which university or college they will visit. We will then introduce the Ambassador to the institution’s BRIT Challenge Point of Contact. There are approximately 450 universities and colleges in the UK, so partnering with Sporting Governing Bodies will assist in encouraging their current and retired sports personalities to join us. We will also ask the institutions themselves to encourage their sporting alumni to take part as Ambassadors.
SPECIAL PARTNERSHIPS
We are delighted to have enjoyed special partnerships and relationships with the following organisations who have either championed our work to support young adult mental health or provide expert advice and support;
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The Matthew Elvidge Trust
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Shout (Mental Health Innovations)
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British Paralympic Association
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British Paralympic Association Athletes Commission
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British Olympic Association (Team GB)
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British Olympic Association Athletes Commission
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British Rowing
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Royal Yachting Association
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Royal Navy
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National Fire Chief's Council
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The Foundation for Positive Mental Health
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Expert Self Care
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MindOut LGBTQ Mental Health Service
Our aspiration is to develop long-term partnerships and strong working relationships with Mental Health Charities, Education and Sporting Governing Bodies and all UK universities and colleges in order to deliver a collectively powerful impact in support of young adult mental health in the UK.
“In 2019/20, Universities UK partnered with BRIT, together with The Association of Colleges, Colegau Cymru, Colleges Scotland, BUCS and the NUS, to invite and encourage every university and college in the UK to take part in the Row Britannia Challenge.
The founder and non-paid CEO of BRIT personally invited every vice-chancellor and college principal to encourage their students to enter a team, complete the challenge and raise funds to support student mental health. Almost 130 visits took place during an unprecedented 5-month UK-tour and pre-lockdown, almost 100 institutions were taking part with many more of our members preparing to register teams.
The COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic stopped hundreds of thousands of students, and staff, from completing their 2,020-mile challenge and reaching their fundraising targets. I am delighted that BRIT is delivering a bigger, better and more inclusive BRIT 2021 Challenge in 2021 that can be completed on campus or at home, depending on the restrictions in place. This will enable students to take part wherever they are.
I urge all of our members to register teams to take part in the BRIT 2021 Challenge, support their students in taking on their 2021-mile challenge and help to raise vital funds for BRIT’s collaboration of mental health charities who support young adults in the UK.”
Professor Julia Buckingham CBE
President of Universities UK
“At sportscotland our vision is for an active Scotland where everyone benefits from sport. We want to help the people of Scotland get the most from the sporting system.
We are delighted to support the British Inspiration Trust (BRIT) and this inspiring initiative for students and young adults. I am pleased that so many Scottish universities and colleges entered teams for BRIT’s 2020 Row Britannia Challenge and hope that they will all take part in the BRIT 2021 Challenge.
The is an inclusive and accessible event that has the potential to engage many young people throughout Scotland and improve their mental health and fitness. For maximum impact and success, I would encourage all our universities and colleges to champion this opportunity, enter teams and encourage student participation.”
Stewart Harris
Chief Executive
sportscotland
"We are very excited to be working with The British Inspiration Trust and providing advice, guidance and support. We believe that having physically and mentally healthy students and staff is central to enabling every higher education to perform better and achieve its Vision and Purpose. This is why we encourage every organisation to position wellbeing and mental health as a strategic priority.
BRIT is unique; not only are they a collaborative charity supporting other mental health charities through their UK-wide fundraising events; they are determined to bring education and sporting institutions together, in order to encourage every university, college and student union to embrace their annual BRIT Challenges and support and improve student and staff mental health and fitness. BRIT are also striving to bring British Sporting Icons together by inviting them to become BRIT Ambassadors and deliver much needed inspiration to young adults and students.
We need to invest more in mental health and wellbeing and the work of The Matthew Elvidge Trust involves providing grants and influencing policy across suicide prevention, bereavement support and mental health education in schools, universities and the workplace; https://matthewelvidgetrust.com "
Hamish Elvidge
Chair, The Matthew Elvidge Trust
Founding Member, Mental Health in Higher Education Advisory Group
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