Media Training with Mind
Front Door Comms was commissioned to deliver tailored media training to Mind’s regional network of charities across England and Wales. Led by Director Kath Chadwick, the programme aimed to build confidence, develop practical media skills, and empower Mind to engage successfully with press and broadcast media.
The Challenge
Mind’s regional charities play a vital role in delivering frontline mental health support within their communities. While they operate independently from the national organisation, they share a common goal: raising awareness, promoting services, and ensuring accurate representation of their work.
However, many teams faced barriers when engaging with the media. These included:
- A lack of confidence in approaching journalists
- Uncertainty around how the media landscape operates
- Limited experience in identifying and shaping compelling stories
- Concerns about handling sensitive issues or potential crises
Mind approached Front Door to help demystify media relations and equip their network with the tools and confidence to proactively engage with local press.
How we approached it:
We designed and delivered a series of interactive, practical media training sessions across multiple locations, including London, Birmingham and Leeds.
In total, over 20 participants from across England and Wales took part. Attendees represented a broad mix of roles, including communications officers, fundraising managers and members of the senior leadership team.
The sessions focused on:
- Understanding how the media works in today’s landscape
- Identifying strong, newsworthy stories within their organisations
- Building relationships with local journalists
- Preparing for interviews across print, online and broadcast
- Developing key messaging and handling challenging questions
- Managing potential crisis scenarios with confidence
The training was highly practical, with real-world examples, tailored advice, and opportunities for participants to apply what they learned in a supportive environment.
The Impact
We are very proud to say that the training delivered immediate, tangible results for the Mind team. Participants reported increased confidence in engaging with media and a clearer understanding of how to position their organisations positively.
Crucially, attendees began putting their learning into practice almost straight away by proactively reaching out to journalists, shaping narratives, and responding to coverage with enthusiasm.
Kind words from Mind
Emily Cotter, Marketing, PR and Comms Officer at Leeds Mind, said:
“I attended a media training session with Kath and came away feeling far more confident about dealing with the press. Drawing on years of experience at some of the country’s most respected outlets, Kath demystified media relations for us overburdened charity comms people. Her approach was knowledgeable, personable, open and generous.
Less than a month after the training, I was already putting what I’d learned into practice. A hyperlocal outlet had published a story that mentioned our charity in passing, but a few details risked giving the wrong impression about our stability.
With my new-found confidence, I got in touch with a comment from our CEO and a couple of corrections. The journalist published a follow-up piece and everyone was a winner: people got a clearer picture of our work, we gained some visibility, I strengthened a media relationship, and my CEO was delighted.
Thanks, Kath!”
In Summary
Front Door is very proud to have helped Mind become a more confident, proactive network of charities. Following media training, the team are better equipped to share their stories, raise awareness, and support their communities through stronger media presence.
If you and your team are keen to do more TV interviews, jump into a live radio chat or chat one on one with a print journalist, we’re here to make you media ready. Find out more about our PR and Media Training here.