Jonny Benjamin

Jonny Benjamin MBE is an award-winning mental health campaigner, author, filmmaker and public speaker who combines lived experience with powerful advocacy to transform conversations around mental illness. Diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder at 20, he has since produced documentaries for BBC Three and Channel 4, launched ThinkWell mental health education programmes in schools nationwide, and created the viral #findMike campaign that made him a leading voice on suicide prevention. Recognised with an MBE and an honorary doctorate for his services to mental health, Jonny empowers organisations, schools and communities to break stigma, foster understanding and build cultures where mental wellbeing is prioritised with compassion and practical action.

Standing on a bridge in London in 2008, Jonny Benjamin MBE encountered a stranger who changed the course of his life. That moment of compassion, when a passer-by talked him back from suicide, became the catalyst for one of the most powerful mental health campaigns of the decade. Six years later, Jonny launched the viral #findMike campaign with Rethink Mental Illness to locate the man who had saved him, transforming his own lived experience of schizoaffective disorder into a platform that would reach millions and reshape conversations around mental illness and suicide prevention. Diagnosed at 20 with a combination of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, he turned to YouTube to document his journey, creating films that have educated and inspired audiences worldwide whilst dismantling the stigma that so often surrounds mental health conditions.

Jonny's work spans documentary filmmaking, education, and advocacy at the highest levels. He has produced and presented documentaries for BBC Three and Channel 4, written extensively for national and international media, and delivered keynote addresses across the globe. His contributions have earned him an MBE for services to mental health and suicide prevention, the President's Medal from the Royal College of Psychiatrists, and an honorary Doctorate of Letters from Glasgow Caledonian University. In 2016, he founded ThinkWell, a mental health education programme that has reached secondary schools throughout the UK, and three years later established Beyond Shame Beyond Stigma, a charity dedicated to supporting young people, families, and teachers. His published work includes two books on mental health, with The Book of Hope bringing together voices from actors, musicians, athletes, and psychologists to inspire recovery. Recognition for his tireless campaigning has also come from the Jewish and LGBT communities, including awards from Attitude Magazine, PinkNews, and Jewish Care's prestigious Topland Award.

Jonny empowers organisations, schools, and communities to create environments where mental wellbeing is understood, discussed, and prioritised without shame. His presentations combine personal authenticity with practical insight, equipping audiences to recognise warning signs, challenge stigma, and foster cultures of genuine support. By 2026, he aims to make mental health education compulsory in schools, driven by the stark reality that 75 per cent of mental illness begins in adolescence and suicide remains the leading cause of death for people under 35. Whether addressing corporate teams, educational institutions, or healthcare professionals, Jonny delivers messages that resonate long after the event concludes, inspiring meaningful action and lasting cultural change that saves lives and transforms how we collectively approach mental health.