Workplace mental fitness since 2017
Mental health at work is shaped by everything around people — leadership, culture, inclusion, how work is designed and how connected people feel.
We help organisations understand what’s really going on and build the skills to do something about it, across mental health, suicide prevention, psychosocial safety, neuroinclusion and leadership.
Tailor this site
Laura Rigden, founder — and Monty, who comes to most things.
Workplaces, schools, universities, government and community organisations. Consultancy, private training, bespoke programmes, strategy and speaking.
Individuals joining open, accredited courses and live sessions — Mental Health First Aid, Suicide First Aid and the IAP Wellbeing Calendar.
How it fits together
Mental health at work is shaped by the wider system around people — leadership, culture, job design, inclusion, connection and how safe it feels to speak. So neuroinclusion, leadership capability, psychological safety, psychosocial hazard prevention, mental health literacy, suicide prevention and wellbeing all pull on the same thread. It helps to consider them together.
That’s good for people. It’s also how organisations stay healthy and perform sustainably.
Neuroinclusionwellbeing, belonging & retention
When work is designed for different brains, more people feel they belong, feel safe to speak up, stay — and get to do their best work.
Leadership capabilityculture & employee mental health
What leaders notice, say and do influences how work feels. We help them practise supportive everyday behaviours.
Mental health & suicide prevention educationearlier, better conversations
Literacy and confidence mean people notice sooner, ask directly and know where to turn — long before crisis point.
Speaking & awarenessshared understanding
A talk can start a useful conversation and help people consider what they want to do next.
Psychosocial hazard preventionsustainable performance
Preventing harm at the source — workload, role clarity, support, respect — protects people and protects delivery.
Connection & psychological safetyorganisational health
Trust helps people ask questions, raise concerns and learn together. Those conversations support wellbeing and the work itself.
Where to start
Most work moves through these five ways of working — but they aren’t rigid stages and they aren’t a framework you have to buy. You can enter at any point and move in any direction. Some organisations need one great course, booked quickly. Others want us to review what’s already in place, identify priorities and support the work over time.
What's already happening, and what's actually needed?
Consultancy, organisational review, conversations and needs analysis. We look at what you already have in place, find the strengths as well as the gaps and risks, and recommend proportionate priorities — rather than selling training for training's sake.
A shared understanding helps people decide what to do next.
Keynotes, conference sessions, awareness workshops, mental health and neurodiversity education and the IAP Wellbeing Calendar. These sessions create space for leaders and colleagues to discuss what matters to them.
Confidence and skill, not just information.
Practical, skills-based training: Mental Health First Aid, Suicide First Aid, leadership development, neuroinclusion and psychological safety. Learners practise conversations, consider boundaries and learn where to find appropriate support.
Turning insight into agreed priorities.
Facilitated strategy and action-planning sessions with leaders, teams or whole staff groups. People help shape the plan and agree who will do what next.
Change that outlasts the workshop.
Bespoke programmes, implementation support, refreshers, ongoing learning and longer-term partnerships — with review built in, so the work keeps adapting to what your people need next.
Awareness is often the first step towards action — but awareness on its own isn’t the goal. The point is what changes afterwards.
The specialisms, connected
Whichever door you come through, we’ll show you how it links to the rest — and only recommend what’s proportionate for you.
Awareness, skills and practical everyday support — from bitesized sessions to accredited Mental Health First Aid in the UK and Australia.
Read moreSuicide First Aid, awareness and organisational capability. Careful, evidence-informed, delivered with the seriousness it deserves.
Read moreUnderstand hazards, meet your duties and build teams where people can speak up, learn and challenge safely.
Read morePractical inclusion across roles, recruitment, communication and management, so different minds are supported at work.
Read moreManager and leader capability: active listening, emotional agility, difficult conversations, navigating challenge and change.
Read moreWhy play, curiosity and experimentation matter in adult life, learning and work.
Read moreAcross training, consultancy, speaking and partnership work.
We also partner with Art4Space in Lambeth, where we run open Mental Health First Aid courses together.
A creative community setting for Mental Health First Aid in Stockwell, Lambeth.
“The course was excellent, very useful in my role. I feel like I have improved as a result of the session.”
From the room
From training and workshops to consultancy and longer-term partnerships, here's what people have shared about their experiences with It's a Playground.
“We often partnership with It's a Playground and Laura delivers carefully and skillfully every time, she has so much knowledge and tailors her training to the groups needs. Remarkable impact. That is why we keep employing It's a Playground - professional and compassionate important work.”
How this one grew
One conversation → leadership programmes → org-wide learning → repeat commissioning
Case study · anonymised
With a leading global food services and corporate catering organisation. What began as one conversation grew into refined leadership programmes, wider learning, follow-up action planning and repeat commissioning.
The client is anonymised at their request, so no names, quotes or figures are published here.
Read the case studyThe power of play
Play gives us room to be curious, try things and connect. It can be part of learning, rest and everyday life — alongside caring for our mental, physical and social wellbeing.
Growth, hope, gratitude, curiosity and possibility can sit alongside difficult feelings. Looking after ourselves does not mean pretending everything is fine. We keep suicide prevention and trauma learning calm and carefully supported.
Our play philosophyEveryone is welcome here, with different backgrounds, abilities and ways of thinking and learning.
Our welcome and taking part
The playground principles
Exploring, experimenting, learning, connecting and playing are part of the playground mindset. It's an approach we bring to life, learning and work. These six principles have shaped IAP since 2017, and they sit underneath every programme we design.
To others, and to yourself. Small acts of care matter.
Make space for curiosity, enjoyment and trying something new.
Listen, share and make time for honest conversations.
Notice what's good, and what isn't. Both matter to wellbeing.
Mental, physical and social health treated with the same seriousness.
Keep learning, reflect on experience and take the next small step.
IAP Wellbeing Calendar
Live public sessions marking the moments that matter. Join as an individual — or bring any session to your organisation as a private group.
Upcoming
16 December 2026
09:00 GMT – 10:00 GMT (UK time) · Online
A relaxed session to reflect on the year’s achievements and challenges, connect with others and share.
Who can join: Free, with an optional donation. The listing specifies attendees must be older than 18.
Training & learning
Showing pathways available in International. Change your region at any time.
MHFA England — accredited
Two-day, one-day and refresher formats, open courses and private cohorts.
MHFA Australia — accredited
Standard and refresher pathways delivered for Australian workplaces and groups.
Suicide First Aid — licensed programmes
Licensed suicide prevention learning for open courses and private groups.
IAP-designed
Neuroinclusion, active listening, emotional agility, play, boundaries and more.
Complimentary consultation
Tell us what’s happening and we’ll suggest what would help most — that might be one workshop, a strategy session, or a programme that runs over a few years. Sometimes it’s less than people expect.
Meet the IAP Crew
Laura and Jennie work alongside a wider network of experienced facilitators, consultants and specialists. We bring the right people together for each project, across disciplines and locations.
Founder · Lead Consultant & Facilitator
Laura founded It's a Playground in 2017. She brings evidence, lived experience and curiosity to consultancy and learning, with human connection at the heart of her work.
Learn more
Training & Client Experience Coordinator
Jennie is one of the friendly people behind the scenes, keeping our training, events and client experience organised, welcoming and straightforward.
Learn more
Associate Consultant & Facilitator
Bisayo works across leadership, learning and inclusion. Her specialisms include neurodiversity, psychological safety and ADHD coaching-informed practice.
Learn more
Associate Trainer
Emma brings deep corporate learning and development experience to Mental Health First Aid and workplace wellbeing training.
Learn more
Associate Consultant & Facilitator
Sasha's work brings together equity, diversity and inclusion, neuroinclusion and psychotherapy-informed workplace wellbeing.
Learn more
Associate Trainer | Adult & Youth MHFA England Instructor
Tina brings over 25 years in education to warm, practical Adult and Youth MHFA training. She also volunteers with Shout and Crisis.
Learn more
Associate Trainer | Adult & Youth MHFA England Instructor
Brendan is an experienced Adult and Youth MHFA England Instructor with over 20 years' experience in education and leadership. He delivers practical mental health training across corporate, education, healthcare, hospitality and community settings, helping people build confidence in supporting others.
Learn more