Student Mental Health & Wellbeing HIGHER EDUCATION ACADEMY, YORK WEDNESDAY 6 TH NOVEMBER 2013

BIO - ED 2008 – Launched The Mind Matters Society at the University of Leeds 2010 – Founded Mental Wealth UK: a national student mental health charity 2012 – Worked with the Guardian to publish data on increase in student suicide rate since the recession begun 2013 – Worked for NUS to lead ‘Open Your Mind’, their mental health project in Northern Ireland Current – Consulting for Mindfull; looking at international approaches to youth mental health & wellbeing

AGENDA An introduction to mental health & support mechanisms An introduction to anti-stigma work Basic forms of peer support Methods of self-care and looking after ourselves Actions we can take to improve the situation on our campuses.

QUESTION What do you want to get out of the day?

WHAT IS MENTAL HEALTH? “…a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.” – World Health Organisation ‘Healthy Settings’ Approach

STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH Suicides increased by 50% between 2007 and ‘20% consider themselves to have a mental health problem; ‘13% have suicidal thoughts’ – NUS Survey, 2013 Increasing grass-roots activity in spite of institutional limitations

What student issues might cause/exacerbate mental health problems? QUESTION

STUDENT ISSUES Exam/coursework worries Making friends/fitting in Living alone for the first time (domestic stuff) Feeling isolated from friends and family Career worries (graduate unemployment) Pressure from family / self Financial worries/debt For references / queries visit

MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS OCCUR WHEN… Perceived demand exceeds perceived resources for meeting demand Expectations Commitments Responsibilities Duties Burdens Pressures

THE LANDSCAPE Counselling services Mental health advisors Peer support programs Classes by counselling services (& libraries/careers centres) Campaigns (& Mental Wealth Groups) Increasing departmental activity such as peer mentoring and interest in integrating into curriculums National bodies/projects such as HUCS, UMHAN, Healthy Universities, MWBHE, MHHE, Student Minds, Nightline...

MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVE Film showings Inviting students to share what they do for their minds Writing worries on balloons Student radio / tv shows Mental health first aid training Poster competition ‘Paint your feelings’ – art/creative activity Information stalls Fresh fruit to encourage de-stressing Inner Child Day Exam stress packs

GROUP ACTIVITY (10 MINS) 1. What segment are you focussing on? 2. What’s your idea? 3. How would you implement it?

OPENNESS ABOUT WHAT? / WITH WHOM? WITH SELFWITH PEERSWITH AUTHORITIES ABOUT MY ISSUES (1 st person) REFLECTINGRELATINGDISCLOSING ABOUT GENERAL ISSUES (3 rd person) PHILOSOPHISINGDISCUSSINGLOBBYING

A CULTURE OF OPENNESS

RELATED LINKS ‘Student suicides rise during recession’ network/2012/nov/30/student-suicide-recession-mental-health NUS survey into mental health consider-themselves-to-have-a-mental-health-problem/ Royal College of Psychiatrists’ 2011 report 6.aspx Creating a coordinated approach to student mental health network/blog/2012/dec/05/student-mental-health-university- responsibility