HumanettIQ is giving young people in East London the tools to improve their wellbeing through self-defence, mindfulness, and mindset coaching. We’re proud to support them over the next three years to run over 300 school sessions in Tower Hamlets, Hackney, and Newham.

One in five children and young people in England have a probable mental health condition. This has a significant impact on education, resulting in almost a third of students missing a week or more of school in 2023. Additionally, 74% of teachers reported that poor mental health is negatively affecting students’ ability to learn.

This is where HumanettIQ steps in.

Their sessions help schools support young people facing mental health struggles and behaviour challenges. By learning how to manage stress and build strong connections with others, students gain emotional skills and tools to overcome life’s challenges.

HumanettIQ was founded by Ricky Manetta, who has trained and taught martial arts from a young age. His passion for helping others grew from his own experience of being bullied at school, which first inspired him to launch an anti-bullying campaign. Since then, HumanettIQ has grown rapidly. After a successful pilot at Stepney All Saints School in 2022, they now run sessions in secondary schools and youth centres across East London, Kent, and Essex.

So, what do the sessions involve? There are a wide range of topics covered, ranging from breathing techniques, managing anger, and learning how to box. Each session is adapted the schools’ specific needs by working closely with teachers and the behavioural team. This makes sure that young people are given the support they need to build confidence and resilience.

The impact of the sessions are wide reaching. Learning self-defence and practicing mindfulness equips young people with invaluable skills that will support them no matter what path they choose. Over the next three years, HumanettIQ aims to improve student attendance, behaviour, and overall wellbeing in the three schools they’re working with.

Alongside running weekly sessions, the project trains sixth form students to become assistant coaches who help lead sessions. By giving young leaders the chance to train as coaches, they can develop important skills such as confidence, time management, and empathy. Kayla, at just 16 years old, is the first young person to train as a coach with HumanettIQ.

With a strong interest in boxing, Kayla is studying Sports and Fitness in college while training to become a coach. Balancing the fast-paced sport of boxing with mindfulness has inspired her to approach challenges with a positive mindset. Kayla shared, “I’ve been meditating a lot and helping myself. If I feel overwhelmed, I just take a moment for myself, and boxing has definitely helped me in my day-to-day life.”

Now, Kayla is putting the skills she’s learned from HumanettIQ to good use by helping others. In addition to training hard every week, she assists in running sessions and is working towards her goal of becoming a coach herself. We can’t wait to see what Kayla achieves as she continues to grow and develop in this role.

The sessions run by HumanettIQ support young people to manage stress, build confidence and improve their wellbeing. By combining self-defence with mindfulness, students are empowered to overcome barriers that affect their learning and enjoyment of school.

With strong connections to local schools and youth centres, HumanettIQ reaches the young people who need the most support. Their pilot at Stepney All Saints Secondary School was a great success, and they’ve already made a positive impact on the school community.

We’re delighted to fund HumanettIQ to continue helping more young people stay engaged in education and feel more confident about their futures. The skills they develop through these sessions will not only support them now, but also as they take their next steps.

You can learn more about HumanettIQ here.