Mental Health, Well-being and Building Resilience
This element introduces learners to the fundamental concepts of mental health, emotional well-being, and resilience. It explores how various personal, social, and environmental factors can impact well-being, and it examines the interplay between emotions and overall health. Learners will develop practical strategies to enhance their own well-being and resilience and become familiar with appropriate sources of advice and support.
Assessment criteria
Topic Overview
The OCN NI Level 1 Certificate in Personal Success and Well-Being is designed to help you build the skills, confidence, and mindset needed to thrive in education, work, and daily life. This qualification focuses on developing self-awareness, resilience, and practical strategies for managing your well-being. You will explore topics such as goal setting, emotional regulation, healthy relationships, and personal responsibility, all of which are essential for achieving success in any area of life.
This certificate is part of the Foundations for Learning suite, which provides a stepping stone to further study or employment. Unlike traditional academic subjects, this course is highly practical and personal—you will apply what you learn directly to your own experiences. By the end, you will have a toolkit of techniques to handle challenges, make positive choices, and pursue your goals with greater confidence.
Studying personal success and well-being is important because it equips you with life skills that go beyond the classroom. Employers and educators value individuals who can manage their time, work well with others, and cope with setbacks. This course helps you become more self-aware and proactive, setting a strong foundation for future qualifications and a fulfilling life.
Key Concepts
Core ideas you must understand for this topic
- →Self-awareness: Understanding your strengths, weaknesses, emotions, and values. This is the starting point for personal growth.
- →Goal setting: Using SMART criteria (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) to create clear and realistic objectives.
- →Resilience: The ability to bounce back from setbacks and adapt to change. Techniques include positive self-talk and problem-solving.
- →Emotional regulation: Recognising and managing your emotions in healthy ways, such as through mindfulness or breathing exercises.
- →Healthy relationships: Building and maintaining positive connections with others through effective communication, empathy, and respect.
Learning Objectives
What you need to know and understand
- 1. Know what is meant by mental health, emotional well-being and resilience. 2. Be aware of the factors that influence health and emotional well-being. 3. Be aware of the link between emotions and well-being. 4. Know how to improve well-being and resilience. 5. Be aware of mental health and well-being sources of advice and support.
Assessment Criteria
Key criteria assessors look for in your portfolio
- Award credit for clearly defining mental health, emotional well-being, and resilience in the learner’s own words.
- Award credit for identifying at least two internal and two external factors that can influence emotional well-being.
- Award credit for providing a personal example that illustrates the connection between emotions and physical or mental well-being.
- Award credit for outlining one practical strategy to improve personal well-being or resilience.
- Award credit for naming a local or national support organisation and describing how it can help.
Assessment Guidance
Guidance for achieving higher grades
- 💡When defining terms, use simple, everyday language and avoid dictionary definitions; show you understand the concept.
- 💡For factors influencing well-being, use a mind map to categorise internal (e.g., self-esteem) and external (e.g., relationships) influences.
- 💡When explaining the link between emotions and well-being, think of a time you felt stressed and how it affected your body or behaviour—use that as an example.
- 💡To demonstrate improvement strategies, choose at least one that you have tried or would like to try, and explain why it might help.
- 💡When discussing sources of support, research a real local service and note its contact method, so your evidence is accurate and credible.
- 💡Use real-life examples: When answering questions, link concepts to your own experiences. This shows you understand how to apply the ideas, not just memorise them.
- 💡Be specific in your goals: For any goal-setting task, ensure your goals are truly SMART. Vague goals like 'be healthier' won't score as well as 'walk for 20 minutes three times a week'.
- 💡Reflect on your learning: In assessments, demonstrate that you can evaluate your own progress. Mention what worked, what didn't, and what you would do differently next time.
Common Mistakes
Common errors to avoid in your coursework
- Confusing mental health with mental illness, assuming one implies the other.
- Overlooking internal factors such as genetics or thinking patterns when discussing influences on well-being.
- Describing emotions without linking them to tangible effects on physical health or daily functioning.
- Suggesting generic advice (e.g., ‘think positive’) without practical, actionable steps.
- Naming support services but being unable to explain what they actually offer.
- Misconception: 'Personal success means being perfect all the time.' Correction: Success is about progress, not perfection. It's normal to make mistakes; what matters is learning from them and moving forward.
- Misconception: 'Well-being is just about feeling happy.' Correction: Well-being includes managing difficult emotions too. It's about overall balance—physical, mental, and social health—not constant happiness.
- Misconception: 'Goal setting is only for big achievements.' Correction: Goals can be small and everyday, like completing a homework assignment or practising a hobby. Small steps build momentum towards larger successes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions students ask about this topic
Pass / Merit / Distinction Evidence Checklist
How your portfolio evidence is graded for OPEN COLLEGE NETWORK NORTHERN IRELAND Mental Health, Well-being and Building Resilience
Demonstrate baseline knowledge, accurate terminology, and core practical application.
Provide detailed analysis, structured explanations, and clear workplace reasoning.
Deliver thorough evaluation, original problem solving, and fully justified recommendations.
Before You Start
Prior knowledge that will help with this topic
- •Basic literacy and numeracy skills (Level 1 or equivalent) to complete written tasks and interpret data.
- •A willingness to engage in self-reflection and group discussions; no prior knowledge of well-being topics is required.
Coursework AI Review
Self-check your coursework evidence against P/M/D criteria
Key Terminology
Essential terms to know
- 1. Know what is meant by mental health, emotional well-being and resilience. 2. Be aware of the factors that influence health and emotional well-being. 3. Be aware of the link between emotions and well-being. 4. Know how to improve well-being and resilience. 5. Be aware of mental health and well-being sources of advice and support.
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