My initiative is designed for and delivered in London
Yes
I am 18 years of age or above, by the application deadline.
Yes
My organisation is a registered UK entity and has a London-based address.
Yes
My organisation is a non-profit (e.g. school, university, or local authority) — not a for-profit, which can only join as a partner.
Yes
If there is a for-profit organisation as a partner in my initiative, they work on a cost-recovery basis only.
Yes
My solution is implemented at scale, or if not, I have a clear business plan, a minimum viable solution (prototype, pilot, or proof of concept), evidence of access to a lease for the space you are leveraging, and evidence of work or impact in London within your coalition.
Yes
I am aware that, if I am submitting more than one application to a Challenge run by Ashoka and Go! London, only one of them is able to progress through the stages.
Yes
Are you an employee (and their children and grandchildren) of Ashoka or any of its respective affiliates and participating advertising and promotion agencies?
No
I have read and accepted the Challenge Terms & Conditions.
Yes
First Name
Ted
Last Name
Lawlor
Pronouns
He/Him
Email address
I would like to receive notifications and updates about Go London!, Ashoka, Ashoka Changemakers, and other Ashoka opportunities.
0
Are you an Ashoka Fellow?
No
Are you applying from an organization founded by an Ashoka Fellow?
No
If you are applying from an organization founded by an Ashoka Fellow, please specify the name and organisation of the fellow below.
Lead Organisation Name
If Only They Knew
Year that you started/ registered your organisation
2017
Initiative Title
Mental Fitness
My initiative is designed for and delivered in London
1
Website URL(s) or Social Media Handles
https://www.instagram.com/tedlawlor
Initiative Stage
Growth (You’ve moved past the very first activities; working towards the next level of expansion.)
Sectors/Themes: What topic does your project most directly relate to?
Health & Fitness
Initiative Summary: Describe your initiative in one sentence
A mental fitness workshop series using accessible somatic movement and guided meditation to help young people regulate their nervous systems, reduce mental blocks and anxiety, whilst improving focus, confidence and wellbeing, with proven results.
The Problem: What problem are you helping to solve and who will benefit the most from your solution? How close are you to the problem and/or community impacted?
Many young people experience chronic stress, anxiety, emotional overload and low confidence, which directly impacts their ability to regulate emotions, concentrate, engage in physical activity and participate fully in community life. While demand for mental health support is rising, access to early, preventative and practical mental fitness tools remains limited and confusing — particularly for young people who do not engage with traditional talking therapies or feel alienated by clinical models. I help people understand how to 'train' their mind like their bodies using the metaphor of 'mental fitness'. This problem is one I am deeply connected to through lived experience. Within the space of one year, I experienced multiple significant personal losses, including the death of my female cousin through knife crime, the loss of my uncle and father, and a major car accident. These events led to PTSD and depression, leaving me in desperate need of help. Conventional support routes did not fully meet my needs, which led me to develop, test and refine practical nervous system and mental health regulation tools through somatic movement and guided practices. These tools became essential in my own recovery, helping me regain emotional stability, clarity, confidence and the ability to re-engage with life and performance. I learned how to train my mind like I did my body in the gym. This lived experience now directly informs my work with young people in the same community that I experienced struggle in myself, so I understand the people and their mindset well - this is reflected in the feedback from some of the 100+ people I have worked with directly.
Your approach: How are you/ will you addressing the problem outlined above? How does your solution unlock or reimagine access to spaces for sport and physical activity? What role do landowners, local authorities, or other decision-making stakeholders play in your approach? We'd love to know about the origin of your idea, and what was your "aha" moment" that led you to take action?
This initiative delivers mental fitness workshops combining accessible somatic movement and guided meditation to support nervous system regulation. It helps young people reduce anxiety, emotional overwhelm and mental blocks that limit engagement in sport, movement and community life. By improving regulation, confidence and self-awareness, the programme removes barriers that prevent participation. When young people feel calmer and more in control, they are more likely to engage consistently and build positive relationships with physical activity. Workshops are delivered in gyms, community halls, schools and leisure facilities, reimagining these spaces as places for both physical and mental fitness. Gyms can leverage this work to offer a holistic wellbeing model, supporting nervous system and mental health alongside physical training. Landowners, local authorities and stakeholders enable access to spaces and integrate the programme through partnerships with gyms, councils and community organisations. The idea came from lived experience. After multiple traumatic events and developing PTSD and depression, I refined these tools for my own recovery. Seeing them improve others’ regulation and confidence inspired me to formalise and deliver this approach in community and activity settings.
Collaboration with young people and the community: In what ways does your initiative engage young people and community members closest to the problem? What role do they play in building the solution you deliver?
Our initiative actively engages young people, particularly those experiencing stress, anxiety or performance pressure, in both the design and delivery of workshops. Participants help shape session content, provide feedback on techniques, and co-create approaches that feel relevant and accessible, ensuring the programme meets real, lived needs rather than being top-down. We work closely with young high-performers, including emerging athletes, members of PureGym, Team GB athletes, and participants connected to Anthony Joshua’s charity. Their involvement provides peer insight, role-modelling, and motivation for others, while also informing refinements to the programme so it resonates with a wide range of young people. Community members, including local youth organisations and gym partners, help identify spaces, support access, and advise on how sessions can best complement existing physical activity provision. By involving young people and stakeholders directly in shaping content and delivery, the programme builds ownership, relevance, and sustainable engagement from those it aims to benefit.
Potential for/Evidence of Impact: How do you imagine your initiative will make a difference in unlocking spaces for and access to physical activity and sport so far? If you have already implemented it, what difference have you made so far? What is the impact your initiative has had , and or what impact do you envision having in the future?
By delivering sessions in traditionally “physical fitness” spaces such as gyms, community halls, and sports facilities, we help bridge the gap between mental and physical wellbeing, making these environments more welcoming, accessible, and relevant to young people who might otherwise feel excluded. So far, we have worked with over 100 individuals, including young high-performers, athletes from Team GB, PureGym, local football clubs and Anthony Joshua’s charity. Outcomes are tracked through self-reported wellbeing, confidence, and regulation measures, with 100% of participants reporting positive impact, with a score of, on average, 68% reduction to negative emotions (such as anxiety & stress) and 83% increase in positive emotions (such as motivation & focus) In the future, we envision this initiative transforming how gyms, sports clubs, and community spaces support young people’s holistic health. By embedding mental fitness into physical activity settings, we can increase participation, retention, and sustained engagement in sport and movement, particularly for those who face psychological, social, or confidence barriers. Over time, this approach can be scaled across multiple communities, creating more inclusive and supportive environments where physical and mental wellbeing are integrated.
Innovation: What is different about your initiative compared to other solutions that are already out there? How is your approach original and innovative?
This initiative is unique in combining somatic movement, guided meditation, hypnotherapy, and breathwork into an accessible mental fitness workshop specifically designed for young people. I am currently the only facilitator delivering this exact blend, creating a distinctive approach that goes beyond conventional talking therapies or standard mindfulness classes. My background as a young, working-class male also sets this programme apart. It allows me to connect authentically with participants who might otherwise feel excluded from traditional wellbeing or mental health services. This lived experience informs the design, delivery, and adaptation of workshops, ensuring the tools resonate with the communities I serve. Unlike other solutions, which often focus on clinical support or physical performance in isolation, my approach integrates mind and body in environments where young people already participate in sport and physical activity. By bridging mental fitness with physical spaces, the programme reimagines how gyms, halls, and community facilities can support holistic wellbeing, creating a preventative, practical, and relatable model that meets the real needs of young people.
Viability and Scalability: How are you setting your initiative up for success, and what is your plan to ensure operational sustainability of your solution and its impact? What are your ideas for scaling your initiative to the next level?
The initiative is designed for sustainable impact through a combination of proven delivery, evidence tracking, and strategic partnerships. Workshops are already established in gyms, community halls, schools, and with partners including PureGym, Team GB, and Anthony Joshua’s charity, providing a strong foundation for scale and credibility. To ensure operational sustainability, we are developing a facilitator training programme that enables others to deliver the method consistently across multiple sites. This train-the-trainer model allows the approach to expand while maintaining quality, ensuring more young people can access the workshops without relying solely on my personal delivery. Scaling the initiative further will involve leveraging additional community partners — gyms, councils, schools, and youth organisations — to increase reach and embed the programme into existing youth and physical activity provision. We are also refining resource materials, outcome tracking systems, and guidance for facilitators, ensuring the programme can be replicated and adapted for different communities. Over the next 12–18 months, we aim to grow delivery across multiple London communities, deepen partnerships, and create a scalable model that integrates mental fitness into physical activity spaces. This will enable sustained impact, reach new young people, and provide a replicable framework that can be expanded to other regions and community settings. We have already created a sustainable, replicable model, it's now about scaling.
Roles and Responsibilities: Describe how responsibilities are shared among your team or partners.
The initiative is designed for long-term impact and sustainable operation. Our current model combines direct delivery with evidence tracking, ensuring each workshop produces measurable improvements in nervous system regulation, confidence, and engagement in physical activity. This data-driven approach allows us to continuously refine content and demonstrate outcomes to partners, funders, and participants. The next step in scaling the initiative is to leverage more community partners, including gyms, schools, councils, and local youth organisations, to increase reach and accessibility. By embedding the programme into existing youth and physical activity provision, we can extend its benefits to more young people while maintaining relevance to local communities. We are also developing a facilitator training programme, enabling others to deliver the method consistently across new settings. This train-the-trainer model allows the approach to scale without compromising quality, ensuring the programme can expand across multiple communities and regions while sustaining measurable impact. By combining strong partnerships, structured delivery, and facilitator development, the initiative is positioned to grow sustainably, creating a replicable, holistic model that integrates mental and physical fitness for young people at scale.
Upcoming Milestones: Please provide an overview of the milestones that are required for your initiative to come to fruition/to grow.
Phase 1 – Facilitator Training & Partnership Expansion (Months 1–2): Train additional facilitators in the mental fitness method to expand delivery across community and gym sites. Develop facilitator manuals, session guides, and onboarding processes to maintain quality and consistency. Engage new community partners, gyms, schools, councils, and youth organisations to secure additional sites and integrate workshops into existing programmes. Establish monitoring and feedback systems for both facilitators and participants to ensure impact is maintained. Phase 2 – Multi-Site Rollout & Impact Tracking (Months 3–8): Deliver workshops at multiple locations, tracking outcomes for nervous system regulation, confidence, and engagement. Collect data and feedback to continuously refine delivery and maximise impact. Phase 3 – Scaling & Sustainability (Months 9–12+): Analyse outcomes and produce evidence reports for partners and funders. Replicate the programme in additional communities and regions. Continue to adapt content based on participant and partner feedback to ensure long-term relevance, engagement, and sustainability.
Capacity-Building Participation and Support Funding: If you were to make it as a finalist, you will be required to participate in an 8-week capacity building programme. If funding/ cost is a barrier to your participation, we may be able to offer up to 10,000 GBP of grant money available to support you. Please break down below, if it is the case, what costs you would incur and you would need covered. (Please note that there are restrictions on how the grant money may be used; please refer to the T&Cs for further details.
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User Email
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