12S: Promoting Mental Health and Well Being with Colleges and Universities in Lothian Lothian Mental Health and Well Being Team Rachel King

Who are we working with? Working in 12 Settings- 6 Colleges, 6 Universities (now 9) Students plus staff= 75,000 people in Lothian (full time; part-time; access)= 9% Lothian’s population, and rising Differences in population in each setting Over 70 countries are represented- much higher than BME for Scotland Ages 14 to 90+

Project Aims Raise awareness of mental health and well being within college/ university settings Increase partnership working and understanding Develop expertise to deliver and facilitate training and education Extend and develop networks within and across agency boundaries Share learning within and beyond Lothian

Small Grant Scheme Round 1 Easter Bush Veterinary Centre: Counselling Services for veterinary students Offer access to the student counselling service for the veterinary students at UoE Oatridge College, Physical Activity Supporting Mental Health and Wellbeing Programme Implement programme of activities that will improve the mental and physical health and well-being of both Oatridge’s residential and non-residential student body and staff.

Small Grant Scheme Round 1 University of Edinburgh : Development of web based resource for staff around mental health and wellbeing Provide a comprehensive and easily accessible health promotion web portal for UoE staff- Raise the profile of health promotion in UoE. The website is user focussed and provides information in a user friendly format. Heriot Watt University Information on Self-Harm Resource about self-harm targeted specifically at students. Produced a new resource that is accessible, informative and helpful to students in Edinburgh who are concerned about self harm Improved students’ knowledge about how to access further advice, information and support services about self harm. Improved staff understanding of how to support students

Small Grant Scheme Round 1 Heriot Watt University International Students Mental Health Needs and Services Improve routes into support services for international students at Heriot-Watt University and Edinburgh College of Art Identify the barriers for international students in accessing information and support around mental health Developed and implemented an information resource (and appropriate method of dissemination) to help to address these barriers Edinburgh College: Settings Approach to Mental Health and Wellbeing Create opportunities for a mentally healthy workplace- staff training (50 staff trained) Signed see me pledge and created action plan Raise awareness-ongoing- in student population of mental health/ wellbeing

Small Grant Scheme Round 2 Built on the learning and outcomes from the 12S Pilot Focused on: building partnerships; developing networks; training and capacity building; settings approach; senior buy-in; highlighting wellbeing Seven Projects at six settings funded- max cost per project £3,000

Small Grant Scheme Round 2 Experiences of students with disabilities- development of podcasts University of Edinburgh Disability Service created podcasts with students and staff talking about what supports their mental health Experiences of students with disabilities- development of training and resources Heriot-watt University implemented a programme of training, developed with SAMH to increase awareness and knowledge of the issues faced by students with disabilities.

Small Grant Scheme Round 2 Student Experience- one week of mental health action Queen Margaret University Student Union delivered a week of events and workshops to raise awareness of mental health and wellbeing Student Experience- Stories of Recovery Edinburgh College developed events focused on hearing people’s experiences of mental health problems and the tools, resources and journeys of recovery

Small Grant Scheme Round 2 Resource Development- exam stress for non-traditional students Heriot-Watt University developed a leaflet and resource to support students from a variety of backgrounds at exam time Training and Capacity Building- training for trainers Oatridge campus, SRUC, developed a programme of activity for residential students and had training programme delivered concurrently for staff

Challenges for Small Grant Projects Changes in personnel Changes in structure Taking a settings approach Timescales and deadlines Look small on the page, loom large in the projects..!

Themes of Small Grant Projects Inequalities- range and reach was different, but realisation of need was key to all projects Use of people’s experience and own understanding Taking a settings approach Linked themes through all the projects- Building capacity in-house Building partnerships and relationships Linking with third sector agencies, using local health care agencies

Our Approach for All Areas Building networks Strengthening partnerships and joint working Building capacity Sharing practice/ look at challenges Being a resource across the settings Small grants scheme

Heriot-Watt and 12 settings: five projects Mental health of international students Self harm: development of guidelines for frontline staff Online tools: ‘Overcoming Bulimia Online’ The impact of disability on student mental health: increasing awareness and developing resources for academic staff Exam stress packs

International students The identification of barriers and solutions for international students in accessing information and support around mental health To develop and implement an information resource (and appropriate method of dissemination) to help to address these barriers, and To improve the knowledge of signs and symptoms of mental health difficulties at a university level

New resources developed Key findings: Sense of isolation and not knowing how to get help Often no previous history of mental health difficulty Pressure to succeed combined with family expectation and culture shock were key triggers Perception of being afraid to ask for help and not knowing the words to use Different health systems/ support services Documentary developed by students ‘Breaking isolation’ now integrated into student induction and web info

Stress help

Development of a training and awareness programme for academic mentors on the impact of disability on students' mental health raise awareness and understanding of the relationship between disability and mental health provide training for academic mentors and other staff to enable improved support to disabled students, including spotting signs of distress and appropriate referral protocols promote understanding and responsiveness to the needs of disabled students

Outcomes The project and research has helped shape the key messages: You’re already doing most of this – we’re just helping you to do it a bit better and know that there is support available to you and to the students Simple needs for students: oTo be understood oTo be responded to oTo use appropriate language oTo be responsible and give the right referral advice

Exam stress guide The project and research has helped shape the key messages: You’re already doing most of this – we’re just helping you to do it a bit better and know that there is support available to you and to the students Simple needs for students: oTo be understood oTo be responded to oTo use appropriate language oTo be responsible and give the right referral advice

The University of Edinburgh Jacquie Nicholson, Mental Health Advisor Student Disability Service University of Edinburgh

12s project grant Student voices and experiences What helped

Common pressures

aims

Reduce stigma

Positive messages

short films/podcasts Electronic Resource

Internationally available

by students for students Jess Matt Ellie Vlad Lucy

Jess o

disability-service/student-support/mental-health- experiences-videos The films were edited and introduced by the Rector in 2014 Peter McCall mental health champion Flyers produced for Fresher's week with link to the videos

Aiming to build on previous success…. Review original aims Reflect on what has worked well and been achieved Review most recent event

Aims of the event To develop the template for a sustainable educational resource which will increase the setting’s ability to tackle mental health issues To increase awareness across college students and staff of the impact of mental health difficulties, using lived experience To contribute towards the creation of an inter campus Mental Health Working Group Network during the period leading up to and throughout the 3 college merger To strengthen existing links with external agencies such as SeeMe Scotland, Scottish Recovery Network, LGBT Health and Wellbeing and explore new partnership opportunities

The experience – Stories of Recovery Welcoming, relaxed ambience – positive energy Enough space – 5 tables where volunteer participants based themselves Managing the flow – moving round Support for participants and attendees

Positive outcomes Great feedback – evidence of attitude shift/respect for peoples’ experience and courage Focus for cross campus relationship building Partnership between new college and new student association Start of a new thread to be continued…..

2015 event Widening range of participants (eg b-eat Young Ambassadors, CAPS as well as Health in Mind, Veterans First Point) Modelled on previous successful template of using restaurant / café space However… Pitfall of unfamiliar campus to main organising team Wrong time of day / academic year Too fearful? Undaunted and encouraged!

12S: Promoting Mental Health and Well Being with Colleges and Universities in Lothian Lothian Mental Health and Well Being Team Rachel King

any questions