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Mental Health Campaigner, Best-Selling Author, Strategic Advisor and Influencer, Ben is one of the most engaging young male voices in mental health advocacy. He is the founder of the viral suicide prevention project ‘Reasons To Stay’.
In 2018, Ben unexpectedly lost his younger brother to suicide, an experience that left him grappling with grief, guilt and confusion at just 17 years old. In January 2026, he launched Reasons To Stay, a suicide prevention project designed to reach people at difficult moments through anonymous letters written by volunteers. To date, the project has delivered over 5 million letters to visitors.
Ben is working with Penguin UK and US on Reasons To Stay: Letters of Hope from a World that Cares, a collection of messages bringing together hope and connection from strangers across the globe. The book will be released across multiple territories in early 2027.
Known for his raw and honest videos on social media, Ben has become a leading voice in breaking the stigma around mental health, improving education and support, and driving meaningful change. He regularly speaks about grief, vulnerability and how to support people who may be struggling with their mental health.
His broadcast work includes presenting a special series for BBC One’s Morning Live during Mental Health Awareness Week, exploring issues including body dysmorphia in men, religious and ethical approaches to suicide prevention, children’s mental health safeguarding and the rise in road worker attacks. He was also the focus of an episode of Snapchat’s I Want To Get Better, interviewed by Jameela Jamil.
Ben has appeared on BBC Breakfast, CNN, Lorraine, Good Morning Britain, Sky News and BBC World Service’s Outlook, as well as podcasts including Private Parts, Dr Alex’s Stompcast Podcast and Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place. His bestselling book, This Book Could Save Your Life (HarperCollins), was published in 2022 to critical acclaim, and he has written for publications including The Times, Sunday Times Magazine and Men’s Health.
As a keynote speaker and workshop host, Ben combines his personal story, frontline experience and work across healthcare, education and the private sector. He helps leaders and teams become more confident recognising when someone is struggling, understanding what to do and making simple, meaningful changes to create mentally healthier workplaces.
As a Strategic Advisor and Mental Health Policy Lead, Ben has worked with organisations including Wagamama, Pfizer and the NHS, helping to develop sustainable wellbeing strategies and advising company boards on mental health, DEI and sustainability policies. He is also an accredited Mental Health First Aid instructor, delivering training within organisations.
Ben is a crisis support volunteer with SHOUT, the national mental health textline, providing one-to-one support to people in need of urgent help. In 2025, he was awarded an honorary degree from Bournemouth University for his work in mental health awareness and suicide prevention.
Most of us are waiting for the right moment to say something to someone. For Ben West, that moment never came.
In 2018, Ben’s younger brother Sam died from suicide at just 15 years old.
In the years since, Ben has turned that grief into purpose and now helps people find the words to talk more openly about mental health and suicide. In January 2026, he launched Reasons to Stay, a global project where anyone in the world can write a letter to someone thinking about suicide.
This keynote by Ben cuts through the complexity of mental health and returns to what matters most: people helping people. Using data from real letters and psychological research, Ben explains that supporting someone isn’t about having perfect words or waiting for the perfect moment.
The session can include interactive workshop elements such as participants writing their own anonymous letter to a friend, family member, or colleague in need, guided by Ben, proving in a moving way that the tools for honest and positive communication and connection are often rooted in the simplest of actions.
Please thank Ben on the College’s behalf for contributing so positively to our event, he was awesome and helped shape the narrative perfectly.
A huge thank you Ben for presenting at our recent One Voice conference organised for students in the Marches Academy Trust. Your participation added immense value to the event, and your insights truly helped spark discussion around mental health awareness and support. Your commitment to fostering a supportive and educational environment is commendable, and it left a lasting impression on everyone present.
