Young people across the UK can now access a new digital resource to build emotional strength and prevent mental health crises, thanks to a collaboration between England football captain Harry Kane and youth support charity The Mix.

New resilience tool aims to support youth mental health

The Mix, the UK’s leading digital support service for young people and part of the charity Mental Health Innovations (MHI), has launched a self-paced learning tool called Resilience as part of its LifeSkills programme. Developed in partnership with The Harry Kane Foundation (HKF), the course helps young people build confidence, manage challenges, and strengthen mental health before reaching crisis point.

This initiative comes amid growing concern for youth mental health in the UK. Data from the Mental Health Foundation shows that 1 in 8 children and young people aged 5–19 had at least one probable mental disorder in 2023, with anxiety and depression rising steadily since the COVID-19 pandemic. The NHS reported over 500,000 young people awaiting support from child and adolescent mental health services in 2024. Early intervention tools like Resilience aim to equip users with practical strategies to foster resilience, a key factor in preventing escalation to more severe issues.

LifeSkills programme

LifeSkills is a series of free, self-paced digital learning tools designed to support well-being through expert guidance, lived experience, and interactive content. Co-designed with young people, the modules are relatable, engaging, and practical. Existing topics include Growth Mindset, Anxiety, and Substance Misuse. Resilience builds on this foundation, helping young people adapt to setbacks and maintain well-being in everyday life.

Harry Kane’s mental health advocacy

The launch highlights Kane’s longstanding commitment to mental health. Since establishing HKF in October 2022 on World Mental Health Day, Kane has promoted initiatives to normalise conversations about emotional well-being. The foundation has supported projects including free resilience workshops for parents during Mental Health Awareness Week 2025, and collaborations with Starbucks to fund mental health training through sales of “Harry’s Flat White.”

Developed with HKF, Resilience reflects Kane’s personal commitment to mental health advocacy. Drawing on his own experiences, Kane encourages young people to nurture their well-being:

“I’ve always believed that mental health is just as important as physical health. Building resilience has helped me throughout my life, on and off the pitch. I’m proud that through my Foundation’s partnership with Mental Health Innovation’s The Mix, we’re giving young people the tools to manage challenges and take care of their well-being,” says Harry Kane, Founder of HKF and England men’s captain.

How resilience works

The tool teaches that resilience is not about being unbreakable but about learning, adapting, and growing through challenges. It helps young people recognise their strengths, seek support, and ask for help when needed.

Key features include:

• Comic-style graphics presenting everyday scenarios with practical tips
• Videos, real-life stories, and expert insights to make concepts easy to digest
• Two age-specific versions: ages 10–14 and 15–18, with age-appropriate language and examples

Each LifeSkills topic combines lived experiences with guidance from clinical experts in a non-judgmental format, providing early intervention support for those not yet in crisis.

The Mix and Mental Health Innovations

As part of MHI, the charity behind the UK’s free 24/7 text messaging support service Shout, The Mix focuses on prevention and early intervention. It provides free, confidential digital support to under-25s through articles, discussion boards, support chats, social media, counselling, and a vibrant online community. Since its launch in 2018, Shout has handled over 2.5 million conversations.

Victoria Hornby OBE, CEO of Mental Health Innovations, says: “LifeSkills gives young people the tools to understand and strengthen their mental health in a format that feels natural and accessible. We’re delighted to be working with the Harry Kane Foundation on this new Resilience topic, which combines lived experience, clinical expertise and the voices of young people themselves.”

Co-created with young people from The Mix’s online community and youth voice network, and shaped by MHI’s specialists, Resilience empowers users to recognise strengths, build self-belief, and develop strategies to protect mental health in a fast-changing world.

Expert perspectives

Dr Mina Vasileva, child psychologist at the Anna Freud Centre, notes that resilience-building interventions can reduce anxiety symptoms by up to 20% in adolescents, based on recent studies published in the British Journal of Psychiatry.

By integrating sports figures like Kane, who embody perseverance, the tool bridges inspiration with actionable advice, especially for boys who may hesitate to seek help due to stigma.

Celebrity influence in mental health initiatives

This partnership illustrates a growing trend in UK mental health efforts: leveraging celebrity influence for prevention. Similar to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s Heads Together campaign, HKF’s involvement amplifies reach. With youth anxiety up 48% since 2008 according to YoungMinds, tools like Resilience provide a proactive approach, encouraging open dialogue and self-care before problems intensify.

Availability

The free Resilience module is available immediately on The Mix website, with plans for wider promotion through schools and social media. Kane continues to lead both on and off the pitch, reinforcing the message that resilience is a skill anyone can learn to navigate life’s pressures.