New digital campaign empowers Year 8 pupils with mental health and wellbeing apps

On World Mental Health Day, 10 October 2025, the Health and Education Ministers of Northern Ireland launched an innovative digital campaign, Helping You Thrive in Secondary School, aimed at supporting Year 8 pupils as they navigate the transition from primary to secondary education.

This initiative introduces a curated selection of free, age-appropriate apps designed to promote positive mental health, mindfulness, and self-esteem, available through the Health and Social Care (HSC) Apps Library.

The campaign, developed by Digital Health Care Northern Ireland (DHCNI) in partnership with the Department of Health (DoH) and supported by the Department of Education (DE), provides young people with accessible tools to build emotional resilience and manage stress.

These digital resources are intended to complement existing school nursing provisions and align with the joint Emotional Health and Wellbeing in Education Framework, which promotes a holistic approach to supporting children’s mental health in educational settings.

Supporting young people through a critical transition

The move from primary to secondary school is a significant milestone, often filled with excitement but also potential challenges.

The Helping You Thrive in Secondary School campaign targets Year 8 pupils, offering them digital tools to foster confidence and emotional strength during this period of change.

L-R are Health Minister Mike Nesbitt; Orlaith Heaney, Antrim Public Health Nursing Team; Education Minister Paul Givan.

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt highlighted the importance of the initiative, stating:

“The apps are aimed primarily at children who have moved from primary to secondary education. This transition can be an exciting one, filled with new opportunities and friendships, but it can also potentially be unsettling and daunting for some.

“We therefore want children to have the tools to grow confidently, stay focused, and manage stress as they embark on this new chapter, with resources that support their wellbeing and build resilience every step of the way.”

The apps, accessible via the HSC Apps Library at apps4healthcareni.hscni.net, include a range of resources such as Sorted: Mental Health, Combined Minds, Coggi, Feeling Good Teens, Our Generation, and Worth Warrior.

Each app has been independently evaluated to meet stringent digital and clinical safety standards, ensuring they are safe, user-friendly, and effective.

These tools are designed for use outside school hours, in line with the Department of Education’s guidance on mobile phone use in schools.

A holistic approach to emotional wellbeing

The campaign is part of the broader Emotional Health and Wellbeing in Education Framework, a joint initiative by the DoH and DE launched in February 2021. This framework promotes a whole-school approach to emotional health, aiming to build resilience and provide early support for children and young people.

Programmes such as Being Well Doing Well and Emotional Wellbeing Teams in Schools (EWTS) are already supporting schools across Northern Ireland, and the new digital campaign complements these efforts.

Education Minister Paul Givan emphasised the link between emotional health and educational success, saying:

“Children and young people’s emotional health and wellbeing is a key influence on their education; positive emotional health can help ensure meaningful engagement with learning experiences in school and improved learning outcomes. These digital resources will be a valuable addition to my Department’s ‘Being Well Doing Well’ whole school approach to positive emotional health & wellbeing in schools and education settings.”

School nurses play a pivotal role in the campaign, using Year 8 Health Appraisals to recommend specific apps tailored to individual pupils’ needs. Parents and guardians can also be guided towards these resources to support their children at home.

The apps cover a range of topics, from managing anxiety and low mood to fostering positive body image and emotional resilience, ensuring young people have tools to address various challenges.

Curated and safe digital tools

The HSC Apps Library, developed in partnership with the Organisation for Review of Care and Health Apps (ORCHA), ensures that all recommended apps meet high standards in accessibility, data privacy, and clinical assurance.

With over 350,000 health apps available globally but only 20% meeting safety standards, this curated library provides a trusted resource for young people, parents, and educators.

Apps like Coggi, developed with Great Ormond Street Hospital, use augmented reality to engage children in stress-reducing activities, while Worth Warrior employs cognitive behavioural techniques to address body image concerns.

Our Generation offers gamified challenges to promote empathy and mental health awareness, and Feeling Good Teens provides audio tracks to boost self-esteem and focus.

Minister Nesbitt underscored the campaign’s alignment with World Mental Health Day, noting:

“It is timely that these positive health and wellbeing apps are being launched on World Mental Health Day, as this is an example of the use of digital innovation to provide positive mental health support.

“The apps have been independently evaluated to ensure they meet digital and clinical safety standards, and they will complement existing school nursing provision. They can be shared and promoted by the school nurse during Year 8 Health Appraisals if deemed appropriate.”

A step towards a healthier future

The Helping You Thrive in Secondary School campaign reflects Northern Ireland’s commitment to leveraging digital innovation to support young people’s mental health. By providing free, safe, and accessible tools, the initiative empowers Year 8 pupils to take control of their wellbeing, fostering resilience and confidence as they navigate the challenges of secondary school.

For more information on the campaign and to access the apps, visit apps4healthcareni.hscni.net. Additional details on the Emotional Health and Wellbeing in Education Framework are available at education-ni.gov.uk.