Stars open up on what belonging means to them
A new video mini-series created by BAFTA ahead of Children’s Mental Health Week 2026 explores the importance of belonging for wellbeing, with familiar faces from stage and screen.
BAFTA’s Young Presenters Elizabeth Okogwu (winner of the 2025 BAFTA Young Presenters competition, in the 10-14 years category) and Afraz Hussain (winner in the 15-18 division) sat down with comedian/actor Henry Rowley, broadcaster Joe Tasker, performer and motivational speaker Arti Shah, and actor/musician Jacob Anderson, to explore this year's Children’s Mental Health Week theme ‘This is My Place’.
The stars thoughtfully answered questions on their sense of belonging and how that matters as individuals, in friendships and relationships, at school and work and in the wider community – playing a vital role in their mental health and wellbeing.
The interviews are available here on the official Children’s Mental Health Week website and BAFTA’s YouTube channel.
“The key to focus on is not what you should be doing, but what makes you feel good about yourself… when you find your people, and when you find you can breathe and relax and actually really express yourself, and you’re not having to put on a face or put on a disguise, that’s true belonging.”
“Sometimes you mould yourself to fit in, but I think it’s important to accept who you are and be yourself.” says Arti. “Find something that you love, find something that makes you feel at home, grounded, makes you feel like it’s you and who you are. It’s so important, but it doesn’t happen overnight. You might try a number of things and think ‘oh this isn’t right for me, why am I not belonging?’ but keep going. Never give up on yourself, always believe in yourself and you will find the thing that matters most to you and you will belong.”
“When you’re using your brain but you’re not over-calculating or over-editing yourself, you’re just in a state of ‘flow’. That feeling is what I get when I’m in a space where I feel like I belong and I’m doing something that makes me happy and makes me feel calm. It’s the best feeling.” and he offers advice to others on how they can feel that too: “Figure out what you care about - what you’re interested in. Find that thing and just put as much energy as you can into that. There will definitely be people in this world, on your street, at school, in your friendship group, that have a similar interest as you. Find those people and hold onto them.”
“Listen to them and involve them.” heeds Joe. “If someone wanted to join a club and everyone else is already there, already settled - and if you’re one of those people - just engage with them, talk with them, see what they like... and remember it’s not always an instant thing to feel like you belong.”
Jacob Anderson is also an official Champion supporter of Place2Be – the charity behind Children’s Mental Health Week. During his interview with Elizabeth, Jacob shared some insight into their work in schools:
Commenting on the BAFTA video series, Place2Be Chief Executive, Catherine Roche, says:
“Since Place2Be first launched Children’s Mental Health Week in 2015, the campaign week has been embraced by thousands of schools, families, children and young people across the UK.”
“The theme this year is ‘This is My Place’, because when our young people feel that they belong, it empowers them to contribute positively to the world and make a real difference.”
Through our campaign week we’re encouraging peers, families, schools and communities to create inclusive and nurturing environments, where children and young people can say "This is My Place".
As we celebrate children and young people feeling valued and encouraged, we’re delighted - once again - to have the support of our long-term partner BAFTA and their terrific Young Presenters."
BAFTA's Young Presenters competition
BAFTA is using the Children’s Mental Health Week theme ‘This is My Place’ to launch its annual competition to find the next BAFTA Young Presenters.
Last year’s winners, Elizabeth and Afraz have hosted digital content for the Young BAFTA YouTube Channel, participated in the Young BAFTA Showcase, and engaged in exclusive workshops and prestigious industry events, interviewing stars of stage, screen, media and games. Their year as BAFTA Young Presenters ends on a high in May, as they take to the red carpet to conduct their final interviews with leading talent from the year’s best television shows, at the 2026 BAFTA Television Awards Ceremony with P&O Cruises.
The competition opens on Tuesday 10 February to young people aged 10-18.
See BAFTA’s website for details on how to enter the Young Presenters competition.
More about Place2Be's partnership with BAFTA
This latest video series from BAFTA for Children’s Mental Health Week is part of the award-winning, ongoing partnership between BAFTA and Place2Be, who have been working together since 2016. Partnership highlights over the last decade include:
- delivering dozens of Roadshows in primary schools in some of the most deprived communities across the UK, to foster transferable skills such as self-confidence, creativity and communication. The most recent Roadshow to Robin Hood Primary School in Nottingham comprised a variety of interactive elements, including competitions, roundtable discussions, classroom meet-and-greets, as well as a presenting masterclass and a games design workshop – presented by Newsround presenter De-Graft Mensah and CBBC presenter Kia Pegg.
- the Schools Time Capsule Project capturing children’s experiences of the Covid pandemic and life in lockdown (the capsule is preserved within 195 Piccadilly and will be opened in 2047 for BAFTA’s 100th anniversary)
- Jointly winning the ACA Outstanding Contribution to Children’s Arts Award 2021, in recognition of our incredible partnership to promote mental wellbeing and the importance of creativity in young people’s lives.