Birmingham Communities

The Birmingham Communities Educational Programme brings Brain Smart® into local neighbourhoods, working with residents to strengthen community resilience and mental wellbeing.

Developed through coproduction with community working groups, the programme focuses on making wellbeing knowledge accessible, relevant and culturally meaningful.

By learning how the brain responds to stress, emotions and everyday pressures, participants gain practical tools that help them manage challenges and support others around them.

Brain Smart® is about giving communities simple, practical tools to understand their mental health and support one another.

Richard Stewart, Director, Jamma Wellbeing

PARTNER ORGANISATIONS

Community-led wellbeing

At the heart of the programme are Community Mental Health Ambassadors — local residents who are trained to share Brain Smart® knowledge and facilitate conversations about wellbeing within their communities.

This peer-led approach ensures that the programme reflects local experiences and builds trust.

The result is a sustainable model where knowledge spreads through relationships, networks and shared learning.

Impact

Through the Birmingham Communities programme, Jamma Wellbeing aims to:

Case Study or Short Story

Brain Smart® has truly transformed my everyday life. Through this program, I came to realise that I had been my own biggest ‘bully’ for years. As a parent of four young children, I constantly felt like I had the weight of the world on my shoulders. I would lie awake at night worrying about the smallest things and questioning whether I was a good enough parent, often sending my mind and body into unnecessary panic.

Jamma has helped me understand the difference between a true life threatening situation and a challenge that can be worked through with the right mindset. I’ve learned that not everything is as serious as it feels in the moment. With a healthier outlook, I am now able to show up more calmly and confidently not just for myself, but for my children as well.

One of the most powerful tools I’ve gained is understanding the difference between “brain in bully mode” and “brain in smart mode”. I’ve shared this concept with my children, and it helps us navigate daily challenges together in a positive and balanced way.

I’m so grateful for the clarity, peace, and resilience this program has brought into our lives. I can’t wait to bring what I have learned into my community and help build a healthier society. I hope to support children and adults, in growing more resilient, self-aware and to be kind to themselves and others.

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NEWS

Updates from across Jamma Wellbeing including new work, partnerships,
training opportunities and organisational news.

Why peer support works: the power of being understood by someone who has been there

Professional mental health support is valuable. But there is something that peer support offers that clinical services often cannot.

Emotions are not the enemy: why trying to get rid of difficult feelings does not work

We spend a lot of energy trying to avoid, suppress or eliminate difficult emotions. Anger, fear, sadness, anxiety.

Why talking about mental health at work is still so hard, and what actually helps

Most organisations now have a mental health policy. Many have trained mental health first aiders. And yet most employees still would not tell their manager if they were struggling. What is going wrong?

Why self-compassion is not self-indulgence: what the research actually says

Most of us are far harder on ourselves than we would ever be on a friend. We think this makes us more disciplined. The evidence suggests it does the opposite.

What is neuroplasticity and why does it matter for your wellbeing?

Your brain is not fixed. It changes throughout your life, shaped by your experiences, thoughts and habits. Understanding this is one of the most hopeful things you can learn.