1. Looking after ourselves…and others
Lynn Maher
Advocacy and Inclusion Development Coordinator

2. Committee, committed, commitment…
Being a Committee member brings responsibility
Your members will often come to you for support
Your members may also be your friends
Your committee position and role might mean that you have a duty of care or…
You might just be a good person and want to help
Looking after yourself is important
You will be able to look after others better if you look after yourself
These are good life skills to develop
Don’t get overwhelmed…it’s not good for your mental health

3. What is mental health? Mental health is not mental illness
Emotional ups and downs are normal
Being mentally well means being able to cope with life’s ups and downs - have the ability to bounce back
Sometimes bouncing back is harder – good mental health helps us recover even after negative life events
Good mental health means we have resilience to life’s challenges

4. Developing resilience on
The rollercoaster of life…

5. Looking after ourselves…
Self awareness – get to know the signs when you are stressed, anxious or your mood is getting low
Have a ‘toolkit’ of things to manage stress, reduce anxiety and raise your mood – your own Mental Health First Aid kit 
Maintain good boundaries and achieve a personal/study/committee/club/social life balance
Identify your personal priorities
Learn to say ‘no’
Don’t take on more responsibility than you have to…

6. Drop some ‘CLANGERS’ every day…
Connect with people and don’t live in isolation
Learn new things and continually challenge yourself
Notice the world and savour the moment
Give back – do something nice for someone, smile, volunteer…
Eat well
Relax, take time out to chill
Sleep – 6-8 hours good quality sleep is fundamental to good mental and physical health

7. Looking after others…
Recognise that someone might not be in a ‘good place’ – their mood might be low, anxiety high and may not be coping with challenges
Low mood, anxiety and diagnosed mental health problems can affect people’s behaviours, perception and how they interact (or withdraw)
Don’t feel that you need to ‘rescue’ and solve all their problems
Listen non-judgementally. Being judged can make us feel worse – being accepted and listened to can make us feel better
If mediating be aware of any conflicts of interest or bias – be as impartial as you can by setting these aside…for now

8. Knowing when to pass on and where to signpost…
Sometimes were are not the best people to support someone. Whether we lack the expertise or don’t have the time or capacity. It’s easier to pass on responsibility if you know where to signpost.
GP (for diagnosis, medication and support;
University Student Support Services (for counselling, Mental Health support);
Students Union for independent support and advocacy;
Helplines e.g. Breathing Space , Samaritans , SANE ;
Self-help websites (reputable and reliable ones) e.g. NUS Think Positive, Moodjuice, SANE, SAMH.

9. Maintain appropriate boundaries...
Your loyalties may be torn – club committee roles and responsibilities might conflict with friendships. Keep them separate.
Some examples…from the floor…

10. Further training… Stress Control SafeTALK
Scotland’s Mental Health First Aid
ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training)
…and don’t forget that the staff in the Students Union are here to help. If in doubt, come and ask us.