Mental health is the number-one priority at Action Tutoring, which this year was acknowledged as the 'Rising Leader' at the Headspace for Work Mindful Workplace Awards.

The London-based charity, which helps disadvantaged pupils by providing volunteer tutors, prides itself on being a safe and inclusive workplace where staff feel able to talk freely about mental wellbeing.

Meditation is encouraged through the Headspace app and is embedded in a culture in which collaboration, compassion, and gratitude are fostered. Some meetings begin with a meditation.

The charity, which operates in eight areas including Newcastle, Liverpool, Birmingham and Bristol, unlocks the potential of children and young people who face disadvantage. It tackles the attainment gap head-on by forging partnerships with schools nationwide. Trained volunteer tutors enable pupils to make academic progress, opening doors to future opportunities.

Action Tutoring says it is a friendly, dynamic and welcoming place to work and its head office in Wapping is in a vibrant co-working space, but it has staff working across all of its regions. It has ambitious plans for expansion and aims to be supporting 12,000 pupils a year in five years’ time.

The charity is a Living Wage and Disability Confident employer. It demonstrates its inclusivity by adopting the Halo Code, which champions the right of staff to embrace Afro hairstyles.

Staff benefits include 33 days' holiday a year, hybrid working, a "hero of the month" rewards system, training and development opportunities and team away-days and social events.