After the successful events of Feel Good January and February for staff and students, the University is continuing to put mental health at the forefront of everything we do; with the University Mental Health Day on March 9th, founded by Student Minds and the University Mental Health Advisors Network.
The day is all about getting the nation talking about student mental health, to get creative and explore new ways to shape the future of student mental health. Staff and students can get involved with University Mental Health Day by inspiring conversations, taking action, and creating change through hosting an event, signposting a friend or colleague to the available resources, and sharing your experience on social media using #UniMentalHealthDay.
Feel Good is UWE’s flagship health promotion programme, based on the four pillars of wellbeing:
- Relax
- Try something new
- Eat Well
- Get Active
Feel Good February was dedicated to staff. In partnership with meditation and mindfulness app Headspace, The Feel Good for Staff Challenge was launched in that month, with 21 teams participating. Look out for more staff activities in the forthcoming months.
For student support on World Mental Health Day, watch Amber Cowburn’s TEDxUWE talk, where she discusses five tips for managing mental health and the importance of creating a healthy environment: ‘Mental Health: turning awareness into education’.
1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem of some kind each year in England1, with 1 in 6 people reporting a common mental health problem in any given week2. Whether you are living with a condition, know, or are supporting someone who is, it is important that you seek out daily and long-term support. UWE Bristol are proud to feature a range of professional health and wellbeing services to support students that include out of hours support and are also partnered with local organisations such as Off the Record and Bristol Mental Health, endeavouring to provide them with an extensive range of care.
For staff members, we have the Health and Wellbeing Hub, that features a range of provisions including the Employee Assistance Programme and the Happy Mind Collective mindfulness course; in addition to a Guidance for Managers to assist their teams.
Exercise is also a great way to raise endorphins and the free MOVE programme at the Centre for Sport, offers over 40 activities for students to engage in, including: dance, hiking, mediation, Tai Chi, and yoga. If they require quiet and self-reflection, there are sanctuary spaces across all campuses and the Student Centre based on Frenchay Campus, is also home to the out of-hours team on the first floor. If they require pastoral support, 2OCT003 based in The Octagon is a 5-minute walk from there.
As a staff member, MOVE is included in the cost of an Active Card membership or costs just £40 to join for the academic year as a standalone membership. Staff also have designated rooms in the Octagon for quiet and self-reflection and can also join a wellbeing walk around the campuses, or volunteer at the community garden.
Diet can also impact mental wellbeing and the University strives to offer a range of nutritious food and drink outlets on all campuses that accommodate dietary requirements including vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free and are open to any recommendations to diversify their options. We recommend trying OneZone’s Buddha Bowl, a plant-based meal of proteins and vegetables, to kick start your 5-a day intake. There are also Hydration stations located throughout each of the campuses to encourage you to work towards drinking 1.5 to 2.3 litres of water a day, as recommended by the NHS. Water has many benefits, including improved focus, boosting your immune system, and mood maintenance, so you could also combine a short walk to a station in another building and get some fresh air to maintain those endorphins.
No one should ever feel alone with their mental health, so we encourage you to engage with the links embedded within this post or to speak with your personal tutor or manager, for further support.