Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
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Leeds Beckett University winners recognised by Educators’ Trust Awards
Carnegie School of Education Graduates Adam Gillett, Amber Duxbury, Lakshmi Divakarla and Paula Willis were recipients of the Inspirational Educator Award in Mental Health in Education.
All four winners have been supported by the Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health in Schools, which offers a range of courses and support for education professionals including the UK’s first Masters degree for School and College leaders of Mental Health, and professional development courses.
The Centre was created in partnership between Leeds Beckett University and Mind’s Ahead in 2017 to help strengthen the mental health of the next generation by supporting schools in making positive changes at all levels of the UK’s education system, improving outcomes and life chances of children across the country.
The Inspirational Educator Award celebrates outstanding contributions to the multi-disciplinary area of whole-institution policy and practice. Each recipient was nominated by a judging panel, receiving high praise for the impact of their work.
Adam, who graduated in 2018 in MA School Leadership of Mental Health works as Associate Vice-Principal for Personal Development at Penistone Grammar School and is an Associate Lecturer at Leeds Beckett University. His influence in extending good practice in mental health to other schools and to the training of both education and medical staff through innovative external partnerships and projects was acknowledged.
Amber Duxbury, a MA School Leadership of Mental Health 2021 graduate, works as a MA Lead for pupil mental health at The Island Free School in the Isle of Wight. The judges were impressed with enthusiasm, having put her academic Master’s study into practice, developing a whole-institution approach to mental health through the Ambassadors Programme and in coaching individuals with quantifiable improvements.
Paula Willis, School Mental Health Specialist PG Diploma 2021 graduate, is a Senior Mental Health Lead, Springfield Primary School in Derby. Paula’s achievements in implementing, embedding and sustaining a whole-school and community approach which has improved the emotional health and wellbeing of students, and led to the school achieving the Carnegie Centre Mental Health in School Award (Silver Level).
Lakshmi Divakarla, School Mental Health Specialist MA graduate 2022, is an Emotional Literacy Support Teaching Assistant in Hull. The judges were impressed with the commitment and ambition that she brought to the post, evidenced by the extent of training and CPD she undertook to enhance her effectiveness in mental health within an educational setting.
The Trust is a charity that promotes the development of the profession of educators and recognises excellence and innovation with the provision of awards to practitioners of all kinds, in all subjects, at all levels of education, and in a wide range of organisations that assist learning.
The winners and their nominators are invited as Guests of the Trust to attend the Trust’s Annual Awards Dinner, this year to be held in Merchant Taylors’ Hall in the City of London on Friday 19 April 2024.