Work | Hiyield

Chasing the Stigma

Making mental health support more accessible

At Hiyield, we had the privilege of working with Chasing the Stigma, a national charity with a powerful mission to normalise mental health conversations and provide people with clear pathways to vital support. Their groundbreaking platform, the Hub of Hope, is the UK’s largest service finder for mental health support, providing access to over 14,500 support services.

The work that Chasing the Stigma does is life-changing and even lifesaving, and as a B Corp committed to using business as a force for good, it was an honour to collaborate with an organisation making such a profound impact.

Services

Application Development, Usability Testing, User Research, UX & UI Design, Web App Development, Web Development

Company Size

Small charity

Industry

Charity

Range

£100,000-£150,000

Website hubofhope.co.uk/

The challenge

The Hub of Hope database faced significant challenges when we first met the team at the start of 2024. With over 12,000 services listed at the time, the platform was struggling to keep up with demand and complexity of the provision.

Users also needed a simplified search function to make finding tailored mental health services even easier. The platform’s infrastructure was also beginning to show signs of strain as the user base continued to grow, due to the platform’s use as a signposting tool by the UK government and NHS England. Additionally, the design needed to be more accessible, especially for younger users, while service providers and the Hub of Hope admin team required enhanced tools and insights to manage listings more effectively.

A user-centred, research-driven approach

Hiyield partnered with Chasing the Stigma over a 12-month period to reimagine and rebuild the Hub of Hope. We took a user-centred approach to ensure the platform met the needs of its diverse audience.

Through extensive user research, including focus groups with young people in schools and community groups, we prioritised features that mattered most to users. This discovery phase allowed us to design a roadmap for development that was both practical and impactful.

Scalable tech solutions

On the technical side, we opted for modern, scalable solutions. The platform was rebuilt using Vue.js and hosted on Google Cloud Platform to handle increased traffic. We integrated Elasticsearch to deliver advanced search functionality, enabling users to filter services more effectively. To ensure smooth communication, SendGrid was used for email notifications.

From a design perspective, we focused on simplifying navigation and creating a fully responsive interface. Usability testing with real users helped refine the experience, ensuring the platform was accessible to all ages and situation.

Powerful analytics

For Chasing the Stigma’s partners, which include NHS Trusts, government departments and local authorities, we introduced powerful analytics tools, allowing organisations to track demand, identify gaps in provision, and make data-driven decisions. This has not only enhanced the functionality for providers and funders but has also empowered Chasing the Stigma to better understand the needs of their users.

Tech Stack

Vue.js
Google Cloud Platform
Elasticsearch
JavaScript/TypeScript
SendGrid
Maze
Figma

The project had many complex objectives but that only fuelled the motivation and commitment of the team… Their agility, responsiveness and understanding for various user groups and their unique challenges was exactly what we needed, and they have been a pleasure to work with.

Justyna Lisiecka
Head of Digital Development and Insights
Chasing the Stigma

The results

The new Hub of Hope launched in early 2025 with the enhancements creating a scaleable, impact driven platform, connecting more people to life changing mental health support:

Users can now find tailored support more easily thanks to refined search filters and a more intuitive interface.
The platform’s infrastructure is now scalable, supporting over 14,500 services and prepared for future growth.
Various stakeholders benefit from actionable insights that improve their decision-making processes.
Hub of Hope’s in-house Service Development and Quality Assurance team can collaborate with service providers even more closely to make sure that all listings are as accurate and up to date as possible.
The platform is connecting more people to life-changing mental health support, reinforcing its role as a critical resource in the UK.

Our investment into redeveloping the Hub of Hope has been made despite the desperately challenging funding landscape that is the reality for so many mental health support services. Our app really has never been more vital. The relaunch of the Hub of Hope marks a new chapter in our mission to destigmatise mental health and our team has worked tirelessly to ensure that the new design is accessible for all.

Jake Mills at Chasing the Stigma

Explore our services

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