How

 

Axia

 

built

 

an

 

approachable

 

first

 

step

 

into

 

wellbeing

 

support

2025 WINNER · Sports, fitness and wellness

Axia’s story began with a pattern noticed in coaching: people who arrived to work on fitness also wanted to discuss stress, sleep and burnout. The winning entry described a model that connected those everyday conversations with wider support.

What they did

Building on Mind & Movement, launched in 2023, the approach combined coaching across movement, nutrition, sleep, stress and social connection. Accessible English and Arabic communication aimed to make the first conversation easier.

Coaches were trained in mental health first aid, motivational interviewing and escalation pathways. Referral to clinicians was part of the model, recognising the boundary between coaching and clinical care.

For workplaces, the entry described baseline screening, tailored or 12-week programmes and manager resources. Engagement, progress and feedback were tracked, with organisational reporting described as de-identified and consented.

What the entry shows

The submission drew on coaching notes, completion patterns and pulse surveys. It reported positive experiences around habits and day-to-day functioning, but did not provide a quantified evaluation sufficient to establish a clinical effect.

The case therefore demonstrates the design of an accessible support pathway, rather than a proven treatment outcome.

What others can learn

A trusted, approachable first conversation can be one part of a wider support system. It needs clear professional boundaries and a route to specialist care when required.

The useful lesson is to design continuity between everyday wellbeing support and clinical services, while measuring what each part actually delivers.

Based on the organisation’s original 2025 mentl awards submission. Figures and observations are those reported in the entry.

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