Supporting adult learners’ mental health

Posted on 26 August 2025 • Around the OU, University news

With adult learners gearing up for university or college OpenLearn has designed a new free course to give tutors and lecturers the tools to help recognise and support those individuals’ mental health and wellbeing.

The eight-week course, endorsed by respected mental health charity the Charlie Waller Trust, is designed to develop understanding in how poor mental health can impact learning.

Its proactive aim helps educators safeguard their learners’ wellbeing before they are struggling so they can get the most out of education.

The course, ‘Supporting Adult Learners’ Positive Mental Health’, explores a variety of strategies so that educators can positively assist mental health and educational success.

Increasing mental health needs

According to mental health charity MIND, one in six people experience anxiety and depression in any given week in England. But there are many other common conditions that can influence the learning environment.

Sarah Mander, one of the co-authors of the course and a Staff Tutor at The Open University, which OpenLearn is part of, said:

“I’m at the chalkface with adult learners and I see an increasing level of mental health needs amongst them year on year. I line manage lecturers, and feedback from my colleagues informed me that this was the same for them. As mental health needs increase, professional development opportunities need to increase. I felt that developing this course might meet some of those needs for our educator colleagues.”

Mental health expert Neill Boddington, another course author who has worked in college and university settings, said:

“I’ve seen, in speaking to educators and to learners, how powerful and influential the role of an educator can be towards the learners’ wellbeing and mental health.

“What I’ve tried to bring into this course is simplifying things to bring some easy and more simple considerations to what can really make a big difference in that learning environment.”

The course spans 24 hours and is designed to be bite-sized learning so that educators can dip in week by week building up to quizzes at the end of each session to embed learning.

Those who complete the course can download a Certificate of Participation and a free Open University Digital Badge, which can contribute to portfolios of continuing professional development.