Adopting the THRIVE framework

Dougie Boyd, Director of Education and Wellbeing at Brook, talks about how Brook works within the THRIVE framework for systems change in its support of young people with their mental health and wellbeing.  

Brook has always had a commitment to improving sexual health and mental health for young people. Throughout the years, our work in mental health has gradually grown, when funding and resources have allowed, to help us meet our mission of supporting young people through all of life’s challenges.  

Through the gradual expansion of our counselling service and our MyLife programme, we have supported thousands of young people to manage challenges they are facing with their wellbeing and mental health.  

In 2020, we adopted the THRIVE framework which allowed us to situate our work within the broader mental health services picture. 

Since adopting the framework, our wellbeing services have become more robust and effective

Through our new commitment to develop and expand our mental health offer, Brook will continue to use and work within the THRIVE framework to ensure high quality, needs-led and person-centred mental health support. 

What is the THRIVE framework?

The THRIVE framework recognises that mental health is experienced differently for every young person; mental health ebbs and flows depending on the person, circumstances and support they receive.

Rather than seeing mental health as a continuum that requires certain interventions to prevent it escalating, the THRIVE framework emphasises that young people all need different types and levels of support.  

An intervention that helps one person isn’t necessarily going to help the next.

It outlines five categories of need which young people may move between:  

1. Thriving – Able to manage the normal ups and downs of life but still need prevention and promotion to help maintain their current wellbeing.
2. Getting Advice – May be experiencing short term difficulties, recovering from poor mental health or may self-manage their mental health but need a little extra support.  
3. Getting Help – Would benefit from goals-based input with a professional that can assess the impact of the intervention.
4. Getting More Help – Likely to struggle with daily activities and require extensive intervention to manage their mental health.  
5. Getting Risk Support – In need of help and support but are unable to benefit from interventions so risk management is key.

The aim of the framework is to empower young people and their families to get the support that would be most beneficial to them. This means that with today’s climate of limited resources and high demand, mental health support provision can have a much greater impact.  

How did Brook adopt the framework? 

In 2020, Brook adopted the THRIVE framework in order to situate our services and understand better the ways we support young people. 

Thriving, Getting Help and Getting Advice 

MyLife is our one-to-one wellbeing programme that empowers young people to manage their mental health. It draws upon best practice for behaviour change including motivational techniques, strengths and asset-based approaches, applied positive psychology and goal-focused coaching.  Each of these modalities sit comfortably within an early-help, prevention and self-care framework.  

Similarly, our counselling service focuses on using motivational behavioural change that is person-centred, needs-led and goal-focused.  

From this, we can assess that our expertise, support and guidance lie within the first three categories of the framework: Thriving, Getting Help and Getting Advice.

Looking ahead, our wellbeing and mental health work anchors Brook in these three areas of provision where we have the longest history and are the most adept at delivering.  

Getting More Help and Risk Support 

Where someone needs help beyond what Brook are able to provide, we have always referred young people to specialist services that can support those in the Getting More Help and Risk Support categories.  

We aim to partner with other like-minded organisations through formal partnerships and our small grants programme to develop our support in these areas that we are not as experienced in.  

Learn more about the THRIVE framework for systems change