Pupil Leadership Wellbeing Programme for Schools is a practical guide for schools developing wellbeing ambassadors, pupil voice groups or peer support roles.
The focus is helping pupils contribute to wellbeing work without giving them adult safeguarding responsibilities. HIP Psychology supports schools across Northern Ireland and Ireland with pupil workshops, staff training, parent sessions and whole-school wellbeing planning.
Why this topic matters
Pupil leadership should build ownership while keeping adult responsibility exactly where it belongs. Schools need wellbeing input that pupils can understand, staff can follow up and leaders can connect to pastoral and safeguarding systems.
Key planning decisions
- What pupil leaders are allowed to do
- What they must never be asked to hold
- Which adult supervises the group
- How pupil voice will influence school action
Practical activities schools can use
- Role boundary mapping
- Campaign planning
- Safe signposting practice
- Feedback collection and action planning
How staff can follow up afterwards
Staff should know what to notice, what to record, what language to use and when to escalate. A strong session leaves adults with repeatable prompts they can use in normal school time.
Where this fits in a whole-school plan
This topic can sit inside a wider wellbeing calendar, pastoral care policy, school development plan or staff training programme. The aim is to make support visible before problems become harder to manage.
How HIP Psychology can help
HIP Psychology can deliver pupil leadership wellbeing programme support as a pupil workshop, staff CPD session, parent evening or consultancy input for a wider school wellbeing programme.
Useful guidance for schools
Schools can align this work with Department of Education emotional health and wellbeing guidance, Department of Education safeguarding and child protection guidance, Department of Education effective practice in educational settings, Public Health Agency Take 5 wellbeing resources.
Related HIP Psychology resources
Related resources include school wellbeing consultancy, training for schools, programmes for schools, mental health workshops for schools, pastoral care training, contact HIP Psychology.
Need help planning this? Contact HIP Psychology to discuss workshops, training or whole-school support.
FAQs
What should a pupil leadership wellbeing programme session include?
It should include a clear purpose, safe boundaries, age-appropriate examples, practical activities, staff follow-up and signposting routes for pupils or families who need more support.
How can schools keep wellbeing sessions safe?
Use scenarios rather than real incidents, avoid public disclosure, brief staff before sensitive topics and make safeguarding or pastoral routes clear at the end.
Can HIP Psychology adapt this for different school settings?
Yes. HIP Psychology can adapt pupil workshops, staff training, parent sessions and consultancy support for primary, post-primary and whole-school wellbeing priorities.