Joshua Stubbs, Knowledge Transfer Partnership Associate, Department of Education

He holds bachelor’s, master’s and doctor’s degrees in Education and is passionate about supporting children and adolescents to realise their potential.

Our 60-second interview with Joshua:

Could you please tell us what work you do in the field of mental health?

I am leading the development of an evidence-based mental health and wellbeing primary school curriculum in collaboration with Dr Dusana Dorjee of the University of York and subject specialists at the PSHE Association – the national body for PSHE education. The curriculum focuses on supporting pupils to self-regulate and cultivate a sense of themselves as socially connected, purposeful and growth-oriented.

What do you find most rewarding and inspiring in this work?

I find collaborating with my colleagues especially rewarding – there is always so much that we can learn from one another. I also share their enthusiasm for supporting the mental health and wellbeing of children and adolescents and find their unshakeable determination to create a world-leading curriculum perennially inspiring.

What is the most challenging or complicated aspect of this work?

Creating resources that can be readily adapted by teachers to meet the specific needs of their pupils is among the most challenging aspects of this work. It is also an extremely important aspect of this work because it is our ambition for the curriculum to be as inclusive as possible. This means that we need to listen to teachers and carefully consider how best to create resources that can be easily tailored to meet the needs of a diverse range of pupils.

What impact do you hope your work is having - or can potentially have?

There is strong evidence to support the idea our curriculum will meaningfully contribute towards supporting the mental health and wellbeing of millions of children and adolescents, improving their life trajectories and enabling them to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives. It is my hope that our curriculum will achieve this goal.

Could you share with us one piece of advice that you follow for your own mental health?

Be patient with yourself – remember that experiencing difficulties, challenges and setbacks is an unavoidable aspect of life.