Georgina Catterson

This year I have been actively working to address wellbeing support within the university. Using my faculty, SUSU, the student hub and formal complaints I have been able to raise the issue with the university. I would like to further this and be able to address the issue and implement solutions. I believe I can do this as a wellbeing officer. 

Mental health is a prominent aspect of student life. It affects everyone in different ways and support should reflect this. It needs to be readily available, which means removing wait time to speak to the wellbeing team, accessible, through various different platforms, and successful. For the mental health support to be successful we need to implement the changes students want and need. I will do this by collecting feedback forms and tackling issues raised. 

Adjusting to university as a new student can be difficult and challenging to mental health. If students have not been able to engage with the welcome week then they are often left isolated. By bringing in more monthly initiatives to join clubs and meet others, loneliness and isolation is prevented. More simplistic group activities are needed such as a walk and talk around the common or coffee and cake at the bridge. The low time and energy commitments are needed to make socialising less daunting. Additionally having these group activities led by people within the university who understand mental health allows those attending to feel supported. The wellbeing team are a great resource but more staff is needed. More information needs to be shared for those in a crisis as well as information on how to access a mental health nurse. DSA support through the disability team for students with mental health conditions needs to be promoted.

Students that have suspended studies need more support. These external students are being denied access to the wellbeing team during their year away. If they have suspended because of mental health, it is likely that denied support exasperates issues. There is currently no reintroduction to university, leaving students to adjust into university life alone. They can feel left out from having missed a year, isolated from not knowing people in the new cohort and overwhelmed at having forgotten study skills and academic knowledge. Suspended students need more support to overcome these challenges. 

A break between semester 1 exams and semester 2 teaching is needed. Students have sat exams for semester 1 and begun teaching semester 2 a couple of days later, impacting mental health. A break to relax and recuperate is needed with assignments and exams better spaced throughout the year.

Sport is great at reducing stress and promoting positive wellbeing. Making it more accessible, affordable and a smaller time commitment increases the likelihood of people joining, especially those struggling with mental health. This can be done by having more leisurely and relaxing sports, more days and times to engage with sport clubs and subsidising the sports pass, gym pass or the bus pass to wide lane.