Impact Report
2021-2022
Welcome to the iheart Impact Report, 2021-2022
Less than six years ago, a small group of people with a big vision came together to form iheart. Since then, our charity has evolved into a dynamic organisation that has reached and positively impacted over 25,000 young people in 22 countries. Significantly, in spite of the enormous challenges posed by the global pandemic, much of that impact has occurred over the past 18 months. This report will feature an emphasis on selected case studies that demonstrate the very real difference we are making in the lives of young people. While we understand that a case study can never be fully representative, it can be highly illustrative. As such, we hope that you find the human stories presented in this report aptly illustrative of the deep truths about the innate capacity for resilience and wellbeing which we share with our youth.
Thank you for joining us on this resilience journey. While there is a long, long way to go yet, there are also the fast-accumulating miles we have covered in a short period of time. Over the coming pages, we intend to provide a sense of both: the distance already travelled; and the huge amount of work still to do.
Best Wishes
Brian Rubenstein
Chief Executive Officer
Youth mental health has never been in such a bad state.
Almost every week we are confronted with a
new headline about how young people are struggling.
of all mental health problems start by the
age of 14.
of those young people
will not get a referral
to the NHS CYPMHS service.
Despite all of the efforts and funding
going towards youth mental health,
the problem continues to get worse. Why?
Youth mental health has never been in such a bad state.
Almost every week we are confronted with a new headline about how young people are struggling.
Case Study:
Fitzjohn’s Primary School
In early 2022, the iheart Wellbeing & Resilience Programme was delivered to year 6 pupils at Fitzjohn’s Primary School,
in North London.
Based on a comparison between pre- and post-programme surveys, we found significant improvements in
childrens’ abilities to:
Be resilient in challenging circumstances Resolve situations and communicate with an adult Manage worries and stress
There was also a 25% increase in pupils stating their belief that everyone can be peaceful, confident and happy irrespective of who they are or their background.
Case Study:
Fitzjohn’s Primary School
In early 2022, the iheart Wellbeing & Resilience Programme
was delivered to year 6 pupils at Fitzjohn’s Primary School,
in North London.
Based on a comparison between pre- and post-programme
surveys, we found significant improvements in
childrens’ abilities to:
Be resilient in challenging circumstances Resolve situations and communicate with an adult Manage worries and stress
There was also a 25% increase in pupils stating their belief
that everyone can be peaceful, confident and happy irrespective
of who they are or their background.
Changes students noticed in themselves:
Before the course I was easily annoyed and viewed people with bitterness. Now I find it easy to work with people who I find annoying.
I understand that whenever I’m feeling down, I can find my wellbeing again.
I have noticed an improvement in my ability to deal with my anger and hard situations.
iheart has helped me to stop overthinking so much.
Although I still get angry, I have learnt to control my temper. I know how to calm down more easily.
iheart’s Reach and Growth, 2021-2022
22 Countries
22 Countries
Hours of educational learning received by our
beneficiaries in the last 12 months from
our worldwide team.
%
of young people in 2022 who engaged with iheart learning
were via our new digital programme.
This demonstrates the huge potential for the scalability and
future reach of our digital transformation strategy.
%
average increase in resilience
As measured by the Edukit survey evauluating
student wellbeing amongst 310 Year 7 and
Year 8 students who participated in the new
ignite digital programme at Hendon School.
%
increase in the total number of young people
reached by iheart from January 2021 – July 2022,
compared to the previous 18-month period.
January 2021
- Publication of academic paper in Journal of Public Mental Health: “iheart is a promising new intervention offering a step-change in mental health education for improving resilience, mental wellbeing and the ability for children to navigate psychological challenges.”
February 2021
- Received matrix Standard accreditation (Department for Education’s quality mark) for iheart facilitator training course.e
March 2021
- National Lottery funded research report: “In such trying times, by preventing young peoples’ wellbeing from negatively spiralling, and in some cases, returning mental health to pre-pandemic levels … the iheart programme is a huge success given the challenges we are currently facing.”
April 2021
- Unlocking Resilience iheart Virtual Conference, featuring Dr. James Davies, Dr. Marilyn Bowman, Professor Anthony Kessel and leading mental health campaigner, Ian Russell, attended by 1,500 people.e
May 2021
- Launch of new Creating a Resilient Family, iheart‘s online course for parents and carers.
June 2021
- iheart Scotland receives official charity recognition.e
July 2021
- Updated edition of Escaping the Illusion, novel for young adults containing iheart’s core teachings, is published and also translated into Italian.
August 2021
- Over 500 certified iheart facilitators in 22 countries now trained through our accredited course.e
September 2021
- Launch of new Resilience Tutoring programme; adaptation of iheart Curriculum targeting individual young people requiring additional support.
October 2021
- BBC World Service broadcasts an eye-opening report on the iheart school programme after a BBC reporter spends time in the classroom.e
November 2021
- iheart Finland delivers programmes in ten schools, reaching over 1,100 young people.
December 2021
- Department for Education approves iheart as a provider of Senior Mental Health Lead Training for schools.e
January 2022
- iheart’s partnership with Lifelink in Glasgow leads to 790 children receiving the iheart programme in Scotland.
Feburary 2022
- iheart founder Terry Rubenstein co-presents with other leading mental health charities at a prestigious event held in the State Room at 11 Downing Street.e
March 2022
- iheart’s annual fundraising campaign, raises £410,000 from over 2,000 donors around the world.
April 2022
- Completion of successful pilot of iheart in Johannesburg, South Africa; 30 teachers trained, 200 pupils participated.e
May 2022
- iheart founder, Terry Rubenstein, interviewed as special guest on Slo Mo podcast by Mo Gawdat, expanding our message to countless new people and audiences.
June 2022
- Over 25,000 young people have now participated in an iheart programme, including children in Germany, Greenland and India for the first time.e
July 2022
- Launch of ignite – iheart’s new fully digital programme for children aged 9-13; over 1,500 young people reached in pilot phase with significant statistical increases reported in wellbeing and resilience.
January 2021
- Publication of academic paper in Journal of Public Mental Health: “iheart is a promising new intervention offering a step-change in mental health education for improving resilience, mental wellbeing and the ability for children to navigate psychological challenges.”
February 2021
- Received Matrix accreditation (Department for Education’s quality mark) for iheart facilitator training course.
March 2021
- National Lottery funded research report: “In such trying times, by preventing young peoples’ wellbeing from negatively spiralling, and in some cases, returning mental health to pre-pandemic levels … the iheart programme is a huge success given the challenges we are currently facing.”
April 2021
- Unlocking Resilience iheart’s Virtual Conference, featuring Dr. James Davies, Dr. Marilyn Bowman, Professor Anthony Kessel and leading mental health campaigner, Ian Russell, attended by 1,500 people.
May 2021
- Launch of new Creating a Resilient Family, iheart‘s online course for parents and carers.
June 2021
- iheart Scotland receives official charity recognition.
July 2021
- Updated edition of Escaping the Illusion, novel for young adults containing iheart’s core teachings, is published and also translated into Italian.
August 2021
- Over 500 certified iheart facilitators in 22 countries now trained through our accredited course.
September 2021
- Launch of new Resilience Tutoring programme; adaptation of iheart Curriculum targeting individual young people requiring additional support.
October 2021
- BBC World Service broadcasts an eye-opening report on the iheart school programme after a BBC reporter spends time in the classroom.
November 2021
- iheart Finland delivers programmes in ten schools, reaching over 1,100 young people.
December 2021
- Department for Education approves iheart as a provider of Senior Mental Health Lead Training for schools.
January 2022
- iheart’s partnership with Lifelink in Glasgow leads to 790 children receiving the iheart programme in Scotland.
February 2022
iheart founder Terry Rubenstein co-presents with other leading mental health charities at a prestigious event held in the State Room at 11 Downing Street.
March 2022
- iheart’s annual fundraising campaign, raises £410,000 from over 2,000 donors around the world.
April 2022
- Completion of successful pilot of iheart in Johannesburg, South Africa; 30 teachers trained, 200 pupils participated.
May 2022
- iheart founder, Terry Rubenstein interviewed as special guest on Slo Mo podcast by Mo Gawdat, expanding our message to countless new people and audiences.
June 2022
- Over 25,000 young people have now participated in an iheart programme, including children in Germany, Greenland and India for the first time.
July 2022
- Launch of ignite – iheart’s new fully digital programme for children aged 9-13; over 1,500 young people reached in pilot phase with significant statistical increases reported in wellbeing and resilience.
Summary of funds raised and spent
This period saw the publication of our 2021 year-end accounts. Some figures to spotlight:
91% of spending was allocated to charitable activities.
72% went towards the development and delivery of programmes to beneficiaries.
19% was spent on support and running costs.
9% was spent on fundraising activities.
In February 2022, iheart’s annual fundraising campaign generated £410,028 (amounting to approximately 40% of our annual budget).
Spotlight:
iheart in Scotland
Notre Dame Secondary School, Greenock
In early 2022, iheart Scotland delivered the full classroom programme to 156 pupils, almost all of whom had never been exposed to an intervention of this nature.
Greenock has one of the highest levels of social deprivation in Scotland, with residents facing significant challenges including employment, education, health, access to services, crime and housing.
95%
of students agreed with the statement: ‘I know I have everything I need inside of me to overcome my challenges’.
45%
of students reported an increase post-programme in their confidence to manage their worries and stress.
Queen Margaret Academy, Ayr
Post-course feedback from the Wellbeing Course for Educators delivered to the staff of Queen Margaret Academy was universally positive:
100% of educators would recommend the programme to colleagues.
100% of educators identified specific personal or professional benefits that they had gained from the course.
Lifelink, Glasgow
iheart Scotland deepened their excellent relationship with Lifelink, a leading Glasgow-based community services organisation providing mental health support to young people.
Having completed the iheart accredited Facilitator Training course, Lifelink staff members worked closely with our Scotland team to provide much-needed support to young people stuck on the CYPMHS waiting list.
Spotlight
New Project:
Resilience Tutoring
Claire Buckley and her daughters Milly (11 years old) and Poppy (9 years old), recently participated in the Resilience Tutoring programme with iheart Facilitator, Sarah Mylchreest.
Here is some of what they had to say about their learning experience:
Why did you think Resilience Tutoring would be useful for your family?
CLAIRE: My youngest daughter, Poppy, panics very easily; she’s a worrier. We were at the point of going to speak to the GP because even something as simple as people singing “Happy Birthday” would make her uncomfortable and panicky. We could see that it was starting to impact her daily life, and we didn’t want it to get worse. I spoke to my husband about a post I had seen on Facebook offering the iheart Resilience Tutoring with Sarah, and we thought that this was a good first step we could take. Now after completing the programme, we no longer feel we need to take further action.
You did the online programme with your daughters; how did that work for you?CLAIRE: Both girls were really comfortable with the online format. Poppy started talking straight away, which really surprised me. She was excited about the fact that this could help her, because she really didn’t like feeling the way she did. We found it a positive experience from the beginning. It was good for me too, being on hand when the girls were learning with Sarah. I took part in some of the activities with them, and shared with the girls some of my own examples. It was nice for the girls to hear that everyone has these feelings, and that it’s completely normal. Before, Poppy was asking “why do I feel like this and no-one else does?” Hearing that it wasn’t just her, and that it’s normal, but that she has a way to approach it, was really good for her.
How have things changed in your family after the Resilience Tutoring programme?CLAIRE: Poppy is a lot happier. She’s taking part in things that most people would think of as normal, but that she wouldn’t dream of doing before. Swimming, netball, shopping – she’s really enjoying herself, her confidence is increasing, and the worry Poppy used to carry around so much is getting less all the time. Poppy still has some scary moments, but, when she has those, I find myself referring to the activities we learned during the programme to support her.
MILLY: I always knew that my younger sister worried about a lot of things, but, for some of those, I really didn’t understand why. Through this programme, I’ve understood a lot more about why Poppy felt the way she did. In terms of myself, I used to get easily stressed over a lot of stuff, and this programme has helped me with that. I’ve learnt that I still have my wellbeing, whether I pass my exam or not.
CLAIRE: Here is one story that demonstrates how things have changed for Poppy. We were given tickets for Christmas to go and see Little Mix. Instantly, Poppy was adamant: she wasn’t going. She was too scared and worried about all the different things that might happen. Then, as we were doing the programme, she changed to “maybe, I’ll go”. The last session took place just before the concert, and we talked it through using the insight questions: what it would be like if she didn’t have all this worried thinking? And then she just decided to go. I was so proud of her. She went to the concert and had a really good time. I know this never would have happened if she hadn’t had done this programme.
International Case Study:
King David High School, South Africa
In one of the most far-reaching iheart projects to take place thus far, the Wellbeing & Resilience programme was delivered to the year 9 cohort at a large Johannesburg school.
International Case Study:
King David
High School,
South Africa
In one of the most far-reaching iheart projects to take place thus far, the Wellbeing & Resilience programme was delivered to the year 9 cohort at a large Johannesburg school.
86%
of students noticed a positive change in themselves since participating in the programme.
86%
of students noticed a positive change in themselves since participating in the programme.
97%
of students would recommend the programme to their peers.
97%
of students would recommend the programme to their peers.
A summary of the qualitative research reflected noticeable changes which students reported about themselves:
I have realised what other people think of me doesn’t define who I am.
Even if things aren’t going my way, I am not as upset or angry as I used to be.
I’m a lot more confident in myself.
I have been happier in my own body and more comfortable to do the things I love.
I have helped others more and have not bullied anyone on purpose. I have been kind to everyone and stood up for myself.
I have been more kind to my parents.
A summary of the qualitative research reflected noticeable changes which students reported about themselves:
I have realised what other people think of me doesn’t define who I am.
Even if things aren’t going my way, I am not as upset or angry as I used to be.
I’m a lot more confident in myself.
I have been happier in my own body and more comfortable to do the things I love.
I have helped others more and have not bullied anyone on purpose. I have been kind to everyone and stood up for myself.
I have been more kind to my parents.
A Heartfelt Thank You
From all of us at iheart and on behalf of all of the young people we are helping, thank you for your support, generosity and continued belief in our mission to help young people uncover their built-in wellbeing and resilience and realise their potential.
To view iheart’s full finanical accounts, click here.
