NCG’s Deputy CEO and Executive Principal Tony Lewin joined leaders from across education, business and the third sector at Westminster this week, to explore how earlier intervention could help shift the approach to mental health from crisis response towards prevention.
The Mental Health: From Crisis to Prevention Policy Evidence Session was held with Layla Moran MP, Chair of the House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee, and chaired by Paula Sherriff, Senior Advisor at the Purpose Coalition.
The session brought organisations together to share practical experience of what is working, where barriers remain and what policymakers need to understand about improving mental health outcomes.
Discussions explored early intervention and access to mental health support, the relationship between mental health and people's opportunities and life chances, and how stronger collaboration between education, employers, healthcare providers, local government and communities could help turn prevention into practical action.
For Tony, one of the strongest themes was the important role education can play in supporting young people before they reach crisis point.
He said: “The strongest message for me was the need to move from crisis to prevention. We need accessible support, but we also need to help people develop the confidence, resilience and strategies to manage their wellbeing before problems escalate.
“Growing up in a digital and social media age brings new pressures for young people, and education has a significant role to play. We need to look beyond responding when someone reaches crisis point and consider how education, enrichment and the wider student experience can support positive mental health and wellbeing.”
Examples shared at the discussion reinforced the potential role of enrichment within a preventative approach to mental health.
Tony continued: “The examples shared by PLG Beyond were particularly interesting and demonstrated the potential impact of this preventative approach. They made a strong case for enrichment as an integral part of education rather than an optional extra, and the role the wider educational experience can play in building confidence, resilience and positive mental health strategies.”
For NCG, the discussion closely connects to its mission to enable social mobility through exceptional education, and the important role that mental health and wellbeing can play in people's opportunities and life chances. The conversation also considered the wider impact of poor mental health on education, employment, productivity, economic participation and life chances, alongside the importance of greater collaboration between different organisations and services.
Tony added: “There is also a bigger national challenge, making what can feel like a fragmented system more joined-up, with better coordination between services and investment focused on prevention as well as crisis response.
“Early intervention is not simply better for individuals, it can also deliver better long-term outcomes for our communities and public services.
“Colleges see first-hand both the pressures facing young people and the difference the right support, experiences and opportunities can make. It is important that experience is part of the national conversation about prevention.”
The session forms part of the Purpose Coalition's 2026 Policy Evidence Session programme, with evidence contributing to a report and recommendations aligned with parliamentary priorities and wider engagement with policymakers.