University Mental Health Day- How to support our students
A thought leadership piece by Gemma Holgate- RLB Consultant & Trainer
In 2018, Physics student Natasha Abrahart died by suicide after being asked to give a group presentation despite her social anxiety disability. The University of Bristol were found to have discriminated against Natasha and the thought that she did not receive the help she needed is deeply saddening. Sadder still is the knowledge that Natasha’s student story is not the only one to end in tragedy.
Also at the University of Bristol, Ben Murray killed himself in May 2018, Theo Brennan-Hulme died at the age of 21 whilst studying at the University of East Anglia in March 2019, Harrison de George took his own life whilst studying to be a teacher at Manchester Metropolitan University in 2020, and Harry Armstrong Evans died at the University of Exeter in June 2021; these are just a few of the names to be remembered and there of course have been many since.
The Office for National Statistics reported that between the academic year endings of 2017 and 2020, there were 319 student deaths by suicide, with 64 occurring in the 2019-2020 academic year. This final reported year was the lowest of the four and the report also points out that this is far below the average of the general population. However, any life lost to suicide is too many, and it is generally agreed that more need to be done to protect students while they study.
What impacts student mental health?
The pressures of study can prove a real challenge for some individuals. The desire to do well can induce anxiety on top of managing workloads, meeting deadlines, and trying to have a well-rounded university experience. Students are often offered academic supervisors and can speak to their tutors about their workload should they choose to; assignment deadline extensions and additional help in exams is also often offered.
For those who chose to live away from home to study, being in halls of residence or rented accommodation can bring its own difficulties. Many students will not have lived alone before so learning how to manage the responsibilities of being independent. Add on top of this the worry of budgets and the increasing cost of living, plus the lack of affordable student housing in many areas, and what should be an exciting aspect of university life can take its toll.
Making new friends and finding social groups can be a daunting prospect especially if social anxiety has previously been a cause for concern. Loneliness and a lack of social connection was a huge concern during the pandemic and highlighted the need for friendships within the student community. Again, universities often do a lot to promote social groups and activities on and off campus with things like student unions, clubs, and societies.
Social anxiety is not the only previous or underlying condition that might be exacerbated by student life. Anxiety, depression, PTSD and trauma, adverse childhood experiences (ACES), and even perfectionism can be heightened by new and stressful environments. Add to this perhaps having to register with a new GP or find the right services for the support they need, and this can negatively impact on their mental health.
A diverse range of students means a diverse range of needs which require a diverse range of support. A lack of support services, inadequate support services, or a limited choice of support services on offer can also have a negative impact on student mental health. Offering traditional and holistic therapies in conjunction with the NHS or other external organisations could allow more students to feel they have someone to go to.
The benefits of getting it right
Healthy and happy students who feel supported through their education will want to spend their time learning. Getting the right mental health support in place will not only increase the attendance of current students but also keep young people signing up to receive a university education. Students are, after all, a university’s greatest asset in terms of being ambassadors for student life of all ages.
Hand in hand with improved attendance is improved attainment. Students who are supported to achieve will feel more confident, and an increase in confidence can spill out into all areas of academic and personal experience such as being able to make new friends or ask for help when needed. Improved attainment can also increase job prospects, options for further study, and the skills to manage workloads and deadlines.
A psychologically safe university environment will make for a great experience not just for students but also for staff, parents, and wider networks. Knowing that you, your students, or your children are in a place where mental health is not only acknowledged but actively supported, would be a huge relief and alleviate some of the anxieties around going to or sending young people to university.
Getting mental health support right at universities will also help to create healthy future employees who are not only academically ready but personally and emotionally prepared for the world of work. The majority of students are able to go through university life and have great experiences and outcomes but there needs to be systems in place to ensure that no young person misses out on this due to their mental health.
What can be done to help?
In 2019 Student Minds launched the University Mental Health Charter, a whole university and whole sector approach to student mental health. The charter outlines four key domains and 18 themes that have been drawn from academic research, consultations, and collaborations. The four domains are: Learn, Support, Work, and Live, with each being broken down into elements that impact mental health and wellbeing.
Learn covers transition into university; learning, teaching, and assessment; and progression. Support covers support services; risk; external partnerships and pathways; and information sharing. Work covers staff wellbeing and staff development. Live covers proactive interventions and a mentally healthy environment; residential accommodation; social integration and belonging; and physical environment.
These link to the Universities UK (UUK) Mentally Healthy Universities framework. This framework again encourages a whole university approach and highlights 5 key themes to help make this happen: leadership, co-production, information, inclusivity, and research and innovation. There is a heavy focus on working in partnership with external organisations such as the NHS and learning from what else is happening in the education sector.
Whilst charters and frameworks are a great starting point for guiding universities towards improving mental health support for students, they rely on universities signing up to these pledges and implementing their suggestions. There will naturally be discrepancies in how this is done and how far they go. However, the consequence of not doing so is the tragic and unnecessary loss of lives.
There is also a need to link with high schools and colleges to prepare young people for university life and life beyond education. Self-awareness, self-care, and self-understanding techniques and activities help individuals build a sense of identity, understand who they are and what they need, and build confidence. Programmes like this would ensure a smoother transition into their chosen next stage.
Where can I find out more?
Websites such as Universities UK, Student Minds, Office for Students, and Department for Education all have a wealth of resources, research, and information that can be accessed around student mental health, support services, and initiatives. If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health you can access support through organisations such as Mind, Samaritans, and Student Space.
You can also research individual health and wellbeing policies via university websites and if you would like to work with RLB to strengthen your University mental health strategy with policies, procedures, training, and supervision then please use our contact us form for a free consultation.