The Healthy Restart programme was funded by Inspire’s charity partnership with the Co-op. The project, which ran from 2022 to 2025, has made a significant impact on mental health and wellbeing across Northern Ireland.
Delivered by a dedicated team of trainers, it offered 200 workshops to a diverse range of participants, including community groups, schools, charities and more. With a focus on practical advice and relatable strategies, the initiative aimed to inspire positive change and improve the lives of those involved.
Who Was Involved?
Healthy Restart workshops were accessible to a wide audience, with trainers delivering sessions in cities, towns and rural areas. The programme engaged 2,789 participants from an array of groups: older people, those experiencing social deprivation, individuals with disabilities, carers, parents and young adults. Workshops were also designed to foster strong relationships with local organisations, ensuring that the content was tailored to meet the unique needs of each cohort.
Workshop Topics
The sessions covered a range of mental health and wellbeing topics, all of them built around the Public Health Agency’s accredited ‘5 Steps to Wellbeing’ approach. Key topics included managing stress and anxiety, food and mood, mental health awareness, self-care and the importance of sleep. Participants responded positively to the practical advice, with 98% of evaluations rating the workshops as ‘good’ or ‘excellent’. Participants highlighted the enjoyable and thought-provoking nature of the sessions, too, and many expressed an intention to implement the various tips and strategies in their daily lives.
Impact and Feedback
Over the course of three years, 109 community groups availed of the support offered by Healthy Restart. The majority of workshops were conducted in person, enhancing engagement and interaction. However, online and blended sessions were also offered to accommodate as many people as possible.
Attendees offered overwhelmingly positive feedback, praising the knowledge and engagement of the trainers. Not only did the workshops provide valuable information, they also created safe environments, in which individuals felt comfortable discussing their own experiences and challenges. The programme’s adaptability, as well as its responsiveness to each person’s needs, guaranteed relevant and impactful content throughout.
Looking Ahead
Healthy Restart has proven to be a vital resource for communities in Northern Ireland, promoting mental health and wellbeing via accessible, engaging training sessions. Inspire strongly believes that positive mental health and wellbeing can be rooted in community settings and we will continue to engage with grassroots groups to find ways of sharing this knowledge and bringing people together.