Student Minds and the UPP Foundation are pleased to announce the release of their newest report, Climate Change and Student Mental Health. This report is the latest in a series of our projects supported by the UPP Foundation as part of their ongoing commitment to student mental health and wellbeing.
Uniting two of the most pressing challenges facing the higher education sector, the report explores questions of curriculum design, leadership, behaviour changes, the impact on specific student groups, the role of government and higher education institutions (HEIs), and more. The findings are based on a self-selected survey of students, and semi-structured student focus groups. Selected findings include:
In recent years, increasing attention has been given to the relationship between climate change and mental health in the general population and in young people. Despite this, there is a limited body of evidence exploring this connection for students in UK higher education. More needs to be done. Richard Brabner, Director of the UPP Foundation, said: "This fascinating report illustrates the need for universities to offer students practical and constructive ways for them to tackle climate change and wider environmental issues - not only for the good of the planet - but for their own wellbeing too." “While a lot more research is required looking at the relationship between climate change and mental health, we hope the report sparks an important debate in the sector” Rosie Tressler OBE, Chief Executive Officer at Student Minds, said: “Our vision is that this report is among the first in a growing body of research, establishing how climate change impacts students mentally and emotionally. We identified this knowledge gap in 2022 and were thrilled that the UPP Foundation backed this work. The report is testimony to our shared strategic ambition to understand how global issues affect students. While there is much more to be done, we hope the report has highlighted areas for further inquiry, as well as providing policymakers and universities alike with a starting point to understand and address this connection on a grander scale.” The report will be launched during a webinar hosted by the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) which will take place online on 18th October 2023, from 10:30am-11:30am. Find out more on their website. ENDS Editor’s Notes Student Minds Student Minds is the UK’s student mental health charity. We empower students to build their own mental health toolkit to support themselves and their peers through university life and beyond. We challenge the higher education sector, health sector, and government to make student mental health a priority. Contact: press@studentminds.org.uk Website: https://www.studentminds.org.uk/ The UPP Foundation The UPP Foundation was created in 2016 by University Partnerships Programme (UPP), the leading provider of on campus student accommodation infrastructure and support services in the UK. The UPP Foundation is a registered charity which helps students, graduates and universities fulfil their potential to transform lives and communities through funding pilot projects and hosting a thought leadership platform. Website: https://upp-foundation.org/ Our methodology in brief This research was conducted through a mixed-methods approach, comprising a literature review, a quantitative survey and semi-structured focus group interviews. Eligibility criteria were that participants were current students enrolled at a UK higher education institution, studying within any academic field at any level of study. We had 153 complete survey responses (taking place in February-March 2023) and twelve focus group participants (taking place in December 2022). Participation was incentivised with entry to a draw for shopping vouchers for survey participants and guaranteed voucher rewards for focus group participants. Are you affected by the issues raised in this piece? Student Space, run by Student Minds, is here to help you as you navigate the uncertainty of university life with expert support and wellbeing advice. Whether you’re stressed about your studies, personal life, or if you have concerns about what university life will look like, you don’t have to struggle on your own. Explore their dedicated resources, tips, tools and student stories to find the help you need.
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Today, we are excited to launch your new university mental health community - the Student Minds’ Hub. The Hub is a place where you can find community, engage with our training and resources, and find out how your university can put student mental health first. We are here to empower you to find the tools, insights and information that you need.
We are currently going through a process of digital transformation to ensure you receive our information in the most effective and accessible way. As part of this transformation, in October 2022 we appointed Simon Brooker as Digital Lead, overseeing the creation of the Hub and strengthening and consolidating our website platforms. Alongside Simon, we have also brought in experts to help manage content and data architecture to ensure our website content is accessible, informative and up-to-date. As a charity we have been running for just over ten years and like lots of small charities, we developed our technology on a shoestring: relying on free platforms, discounts for nonprofits and pro bono consultancy from bigger companies. This helped us to establish and maintain a core website at a low cost. But we also found that our approach to digital was sometimes driven by short-term priorities, rather than a long-term strategic direction. We are excited to be changing this and having a strategic approach to improving our digital technology including our websites. We can’t wait to take you along on the journey! Your online university mental health community At Student Minds, we create and curate resources for you. The Student Minds’ Hub is a place where you can find community, engage with our training and resources, and find out how your university can put student mental health first. Explore our training, the University Mental Health Charter, insights and research. We are here to empower you to find the tools, insights and information that you need. What’s next for the Student Minds’ Hub? We are going to be migrating all of our training support and content across to your Hub by the end of the year. Information on our Training Programmes is available on the Hub, however, we encourage our trainers and associates to please continue to use the original website until further notice. We hope to begin on boarding trainers and associates in late October 2023 and aim to have all our training networks on the Hub by the end of the year. The Hub will also begin developing our insights and reports relating to student wellbeing. Keep your eyes and ears open for this new exciting resource bank coming soon! Next steps - our new primary website We are currently working on building our new primary website, working with students, staff and university communities to user test and develop a website that works for you. We are hoping to share this at the start of next year for you to use. We’re committed to positioning students at the core of our work and have commissioned an industry leader in user research William Joseph - who have also helped us shape our Student Space website to ensure this commitment continues. William Joseph will support us in audience and branding development to ensure our website is structured in a way that provides the best possible user experience for you. We hope to begin building the new website at the start of 2024 with the launch in early spring. We can’t wait to share it with you all. Access your Hub today Explore the Hub by signing up today and discover community, engage with training and resources and find out how your university can put student mental health first. If you have any difficulties registering, make sure to get in touch and we will be happy to help. Let’s improve university communities so that every student gets the mental health support they need to reach their goals. Together, we can ensure no student is held back by their mental health. Today is an exciting day - the day we launch our new 10-year strategy, vision and mission. Working with you, we’ve brought together our supporters, students and higher education professionals to put our new bold strategy in place and we can’t wait to work together to achieve it.
Over the past year we've been developing our new messaging and presenting our new vision and 10-year strategy to you. We recognised that after 10 years our messaging had become inconsistent and we have been working hard to articulate our ambition in a clearer way for you. We have a clear vision: No student should be held back by their mental health. Our mission is to improve university communities so that every student gets the mental health support they need to reach their goals. Academic pressure, money worries, loneliness. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed at university. Around one in four students report having a diagnosed mental health issue while at university. Navigating identity, discrimination and global concerns can all make student life even tougher. We want every student to have the mental health support they need to reach their goals. We know this is a bold ambition, and that’s why we’ve put a bold strategy in place to achieve it. At Student Minds, we commit to:
We’ll do this by focusing on:
You can read more about our ten-year strategy to improve university communities, how we are going to do it and the change that we want to see on our website here. You can also sign up for our newsletter or follow us on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook and TikTok for regular updates on how we are working towards our bold ambitions. We’ve already made great strides in improving university communities over the past 10 years and we’re immensely proud of our team and achievements to date. But there’s more to do and we’re energised to do it. Thank you for your ongoing support, we hope you’ll support us on this journey. And if you can, please do consider donating or asking your organisation to support us, to help us get there together. Together we can ensure no student is held back by their mental health. At Student Minds, we are delighted to celebrate the second wave of institutions who put themselves forward for the University Mental Health Charter Award assessments. Pursuing the Award is a statement of a university's commitment to improvement and development of better practice in university mental health.
In Autumn 2019, we published the University Mental Health Charter (UMHC) after a year of development alongside thousands of students and members of staff across the country. With a focus on a whole university approach, the Charter sets out a number of principles of good practice to help universities to prioritise the mental health and wellbeing of their communities. Then in 2020, we launched the University Mental Health Charter Programme, a place for university members to come together, share good practice and receive guidance in applying for the Award. Institutions are able to apply for the Award assessment process at any stage while a member of the programme. To date the majority of universities on the programme are still to start their assessment process. With over 60 Universities commiting to creating cultural change in this year’s programme, we are excited that a number of these universities have been through the Award process and we are able to announce the first group of universities to achieve Award status. Applications for the Award are assessed by a team of peer assessors with expertise and extensive experience of working and studying in the sector. Each Assessment Team contains qualified clinicians, higher education academics, professionals, and students. The UMHC award assessment is a robust process of evaluation aimed at:
Following the assessment, every university is provided with a detailed report highlighting good and excellent practice and recommending further actions each university can take to continue to improve their whole university approach. Gaining a Charter Award is a recognition of the journey universities have travelled so far, in developing their approach to mental health and wellbeing. We are pleased to announce that the following universities have received the Award this time round:
Explore the University Mental Health Charter website to see which other universities have achieved the Award. These awards are a demonstration of genuine commitment, hard work and investment on the part of these universities and the staff and students who have worked together to reach this milestone. They can be rightly proud of their achievements to date. It is important to note that achieving an Award is a symbol of progress, it does not mean that those receiving an Award are perfect, or that every student or member of staff will have good experiences within that institution yet. Those receiving their Award today, are doing so because they have made an ongoing commitment to continual improvement and have been able to demonstrate significant and genuine progress towards a whole university approach, in line with the Charter Framework. To maintain their Awards or to achieve a higher level award, all of these institutions will have to continue to build on this progress. There is work still to be done. There is also still work to be done across the sector. There are two higher levels of Award (merit and distinction), which no university has yet achieved. We look forward to the day when we announce the first universities to gain these levels of award. Congratulations to these institutions. We are proud of everything they have achieved and the hard work they will do to create change and improve the mental health and wellbeing of their student and staff communities. Thank you to everyone who made the assessment process possible. The Charter Programme is gradually ensuring we are all speaking the same shared language on mental health as a sector and building a shared vision for the future. Want to join the University Mental Health Charter Programme? Find out more on our website. We are delighted to announce that we have received a grant of £8,000 from the Charlie Watkins Foundation to support the ongoing development of Student Space.
Student Space, originally launched in August 2020, was developed to support students through the Coronavirus pandemic. Thanks to a further three years of funding from the Office for Students and Higher Education Funding Council for Wales, we have been able to continue the site and adapt it to support students through the uncertainty of university life with written advice and information, direct support and student stories. The Charlie Watkins Foundation was founded in memory of Charlie who was only 22 when he took his life in March 2017. Sadly, Charlie never recovered from the tragic loss of his mother when he was only nine years old. Charlie is one of many young people who have suffered from mental health challenges, and the Charlie Watkins Foundation, which is managed by Essex Community Foundation, aims to raise funds for partners of the Foundation to better support young people who struggle with their mental health and well-being Tim Watkins, founder of the Charlie Watkins Foundation said: “The Charlie Watkins Foundation is delighted to be supporting Student Minds in this initiative. The development of the Student Space University directory will provide vital support for students whilst continuing our work in "SMASHING THE SIGMA” surrounding mental health issues suffered by many young people today.” Developed in collaboration with students, service providers and higher education professionals, Student Space currently comprises several support elements including advice and information, student stories and direct support services. The funding provided by Charlie Watkins Foundation will be used towards further developing our university support search tool, allowing us to expand the service even further to include more institutions from across the UK, in particular institutions in Northern Ireland and Scotland,. Rosie Tressler, CEO at Student Minds said: “Through Student Space we have reached over 440,000 people to date, providing support for students in need. We welcome the support from the Charlie Watkins Foundation, alongside our other funding partners, to help us continue to ensure that no student is held back by their mental health. It’s clear that despite the end of the pandemic, students are continuing to struggle, with current worries around money, loneliness and exam stress. Together we can ensure that Student Space continues to make support for students even more accessible to those in need” To date over 75,000 students have accessed our search tool, so we are excited to be able to offer support to even more students who need it. Want to know what support is available at your university? Use our Student Space search tool to find out now. We will be updating the directory over the next few months so if your university’s information is not currently available, please direct them to studentspace@studentminds.org.uk and we can support them in adding the information required. Do you need or know of someone in need of support? Student Space is here to help you through the challenges of university life. Student Minds responds to parliamentary debate on a statutory duty of care for university students8/6/2023 Overview of the debateOn Monday, a statutory duty of care for students at university was debated in the House of Commons, a culmination of tremendous efforts by campaigners through months of work and dedication. We fully celebrate the achievement of getting student mental health on the national agenda and are all indebted to the families and friends who have been campaigning and sharing their experiences to drive positive change. Members of Parliament spoke to the personal experiences of their constituents, families with experiences of bereavement and students that had difficult experiences at university. These devastating accounts demonstrated the urgent need for accountable processes and clarity on the role of institutions in preventing student deaths by suicide. Robert Halfon, the Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships & Higher Education, spoke to the governments’ planned approach:
Ministerial support for the University Mental Health Charter As an organisation, we are committed to an approach that drives forward change across the sector addressing both the root causes of poor mental health within university communities and how this needs to be addressed on an ongoing basis as it evolves over time. This is why we developed the University Mental Health Charter. Following the debate, the Rt. Hon. Robert Halfon MP, Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education, has written to leaders across the higher education sector to express his ambition that all eligible universities join the University Mental Health Charter Programme by September 2024. We hope that this will help to formalise a genuine commitment from all universities across the sector to embed a whole-university approach to student mental health. To date, 61 institutions have signed-up to become members of the programme and we know that many more universities are committed to make the changes needed to embed mental health and wellbeing into university communities that will improve student mental health. We want to support universities to understand what a whole-university approach to student mental health means for them in practice, give them opportunities to learn from each other and foster safe spaces for open, reflective discussions and learning. With recruitment opening soon for 23/24 we are cautiously optimistic about what this might mean for the next year’s Programme membership and look forward to meeting with universities that may consider joining for the first time. We also look forward to working with the Department for Education and the Minister to explore how the government can support this ambition and respond to the wider factors surfaced in the parliamentary debate which contribute to the wellbeing of the university community. Where next on a Statutory Duty of CarePreventing deaths by suicide is a nuanced, complex, issue, as is addressing poor student mental health more widely. There isn’t a simple solution. We believe that what will prevent further student deaths by suicide is the material changes made to students’ experiences, accountability measures, support, and the way universities and the wider health system aid students in distress. We understand that some may see a duty of care as a way to direct universities to make these changes, but we are not confident this would play out in practice. At Student Minds, we are an independent charity led by student experience, strong evidence and clinical oversight. We ensure that any work we support or develop is evidence-led and shaped by the expertise of students, HE professionals and clinicians. We are not afraid to challenge the government, universities or other organisations where necessary and often have in the past. When the petition was first developed we consulted the LEARN network, students, staff, clinicians and legal experts. While supportive of some of the asks of the campaign - for greater clarity on the roles and responsibilities of universities and for the gap in accountability to be addressed - we were not convinced that a full Statutory Duty of Care was the right approach at this time having not received evidence that the unintended consequences and potential to cause inadvertent harm would be managed. Earlier this year we published a news piece outlining the approach we take with the Charter and the recognition we have that this needs to be a joined-up effort across the Higher Education sector, working with the NHS, working with national policy makers and campaigners, and by building on research and evidence to strengthen and improve practice. We also attended the Petitions Committee’s evidence session to speak to the approach we’re taking with the University Mental Health Charter and the guidance, frameworks and best practice that has been being developed over the last few years. Student Minds will follow the progress the sector makes, and with our support, over the next 12 months. We will continue to engage with providers and the government to review our position on regulation as required. Thank you to all our supporters, advisors and collaborators for working with us to secure a future where no student is held back by their mental health. Further supportWe understand that it's not easy for any students, family members or members of the university community to read about these very difficult issues and we encourage anyone affected to look after themselves and reach out to others if required (please see links provided below).
Are you looking for support? Research into student mental health suggests that broad support networks can help recovery from, and management of, mental health difficulties. Your wider support network might include friends and family, your GP, University counselling / wellbeing services.
Are you feeling actively suicidal? If you are feeling like you want to die, please consider that many people who have attempted or come close to suicide look back with gratitude that they did not act on their intentions. If you are feeling actively suicidal now:
Student Minds responds to calls for more legislation and regulation concerning student mental health7/3/2023 Content warning: This article mentions difficult subject matter. Signposting to further support can be found at the end of this piece.
We are aware that over the last few months a number of campaigns* have called for more legal duties and regulation on universities regarding student mental health, and specifically in relation to the loss of life by suicide. We recognise that these conversations are extremely difficult. Every student's death is a devastating tragedy that has an unimaginable and profound impact on families, friends and the whole community. At Student Minds we are committed to tackling student ill-health and preventing deaths by suicide. We acknowledge the complexity of addressing deaths by suicide and that there are no quick or simple solutions, whilst also believing there is much our communities can do. We believe that a holistic, whole-university approach to mental health**, is vital in understanding how we can best support students’ wellbeing and prevent deaths by suicide. In part, we believe the answer will lie in sustained joined-up working across the Higher Education sector, working with the NHS, working with national policy makers and campaigners, and by building on research and evidence to strengthen and improve practice. Due to our unique role in assessing universities' approaches, and because we are following the outcomes of several ongoing and significant projects and proceedings, we will not be responding to specific campaign asks at this time. Based on our research however, we acknowledge that there is value, for students and staff, in providing more clarity around roles, responsibilities and their related boundaries - and we do support the case for further discourse across the sector to clarify this. We have engaged in consultation with students, staff, clinicians and parents and we may publish on the detail of these issues in the coming months.We would welcome receiving further evidence and insights around the role of regulation and how the risks of any legal changes could be mitigated (please email info@studentminds.org.uk if you would like to share information with our team). We would like to take the opportunity to share with our networks existing resources universities may draw upon to improve student mental health and create healthy university communities, as well as routes to further support if you or someone you know has been impacted by these experiences. * Campaign examples include; https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/627329, https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/622847 ** A whole-university approach must include both adequately resourced, effective and accessible mental health services and proactive interventions. It must provide an environment and culture that reduces poor mental health, as well as supporting good mental health, and facilitating staff and students to develop insight, understanding and skills to manage and maintain their own wellbeing. Resources and guidance for Higher Education professionals
Further support We understand that it's not easy for any students, family members or members of the university community to read about these very difficult issues and we encourage anyone affected to look after themselves and reach out to others if required (please see links provided below). Are you looking for support? Research into student mental health suggests that broad support networks can help recovery from, and management of, mental health difficulties. Your wider support network might include friends and family, your GP, University counselling / wellbeing services.
Are you feeling actively suicidal? If you are feeling like you want to die, please consider that many people who have attempted or come close to suicide look back with gratitude that they did not act on their intentions. If you are feeling actively suicidal now:
In November 2022, we partnered with Alterline to conduct a nationwide survey of students, exploring their current mental health and wellbeing. The research findings show some positive improvements in key wellbeing measures, after notable drops during the Covid-19 pandemic. This includes more students reporting high life satisfaction compared to 2020/21, and fewer reporting low satisfaction. However, these levels have not yet recovered to pre-pandemic levels, and other issues, such as the cost of living crisis, are also having detrimental effects on students’ wellbeing. Below, we highlight some of our key findings and share our thoughts on what must be done to support students.
Our findings demonstrate the scale of mental distress within the student population. Over the last 18 months, we have consistently found that around one quarter of students have a diagnosed mental health issue. In this latest research, we also found that one third of students have poor mental wellbeing according to the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scales, and one third say their mental health has worsened since beginning university. It is clear that a whole-university approach to mental health is vital in ensuring students are well-supported during their studies and are not held back by their mental health. Students also continue to juggle several competing priorities. Our findings show there is a clear risk of overwhelm and burn-out. Over half of respondents said they never or rarely have energy to spare, and increasing numbers reported feeling stressed about managing their time, money and juggling study with paid employment. At the same time, almost half of respondents said they had cut back on things they do for enjoyment to help with their financial situation, and a further one third said they are likely to need to in the coming months. This is a concerning finding given the important role that hobbies, social connections and relaxation play in supporting positive mental wellbeing. For more information on our work around the cost of living and where you can find support at this challenging time, visit our Cost of Living Hub. The government must act now. We need the government to act now to lessen the financial pressure students are experiencing during the cost of living crisis. Student Minds is urging the government to increase maintenance loans in-line with actual inflation rates; to consider the re-introduction of maintenance grants for those most in need of financial support; and to ensure all policy measures are student-inclusive. Our Chief Executive, Rosie, has also signed an open letter in collaboration with other mental health charities, calling on the Prime Minister to act with speed and compassion to tackle the root causes of destitution, to prevent suicide and an inevitable rise in mental ill health. Further, Student Minds is joining organisations from across the mental health sector to support calls for the government to publish the ten year mental health plan they previously agreed to develop. We believe that a dedicated mental health plan, which focuses on both prevention and treatment, is vital in addressing mental illness and supporting good wellbeing. For more information on the campaign to publish a ten-year mental health plan, visit Rethink Mental Illness’ campaigns page. If you are a student in need of support, Student Space is here for you. Explore our resources and support, as well as our university support search tool to see what support is available at your institution. University Mental Health Day 2023 will be changing date, due to the planned UCU strikes. Originally taking place the week before, the campaign will now be held on Thursday 9th March 2023.
University Mental Health Day is about bringing the higher education community together to start conversations and promote cultural change in student mental health. With strikes taking place throughout the week of 27th February, we want to ensure that all university staff and students get the opportunity to engage in the day fully. We want to make this year bigger and better than ever, and recognise that this wouldn’t be possible if we were to go ahead and run the day as originally planned. At Student Minds we strongly believe in a whole-university approach to mental health and wellbeing. There is no good student mental health without good staff mental health. Universities need to be a healthy place to not only study, but to work, so a whole-university approach is essential for thriving university communities. We hope that by moving the date, we are ensuring staff are able to engage and participate in the day alongside students. We understand the disruption that strikes may be causing to students, particularly following the Covid-19 pandemic. This period may feel like a very stressful time, so now more than ever we need to get the nation talking about university mental health Join us on Thursday 9th March to ensure no student is held back by their mental health! Are you a student being impacted by the strike action? It’s okay to be worried about how this may affect you, Student Space is here to support you. Explore our resources and support, as well as our university support search tool to see what support is available at your institution. Student Minds receives funding from UPP to explore climate change and student mental health24/1/2023 Student Minds are delighted to announce our new research project exploring the impact of climate change on student mental health and wellbeing, which is being generously supported by the UPP Foundation. The UPP Foundation are ongoing supporters of Student Minds; previous projects they have funded include our Student Living report and the University Mental Health Charter. The findings of our research will be analysed and presented within a policy report, which we expect to launch in Spring 2023.
Climate change and poor student mental health are two of the defining challenges of our era, yet there is minimal research exploring the relationship between these topics. Speaking to our Student Advisory Committee confirmed the responsibility students feel towards climate change and the worry they feel about their futures. “Thinking about climate change makes you hopeless for the future - but feeling hopeful for the future is so integral for good mental health” - Student Advisory Committee Member There is a growing evidence base to suggest that climate change has significant impacts on the mental health and wellbeing of the general population. Despite this, research into the impact of climate change on student mental health, in particular, is scarce. This research will take a mixed-methods approach, drawing on a systematic literature review, semi-structured focus group interviews, and a survey to understand how students think about, feel about, and respond to climate change. We want to say a big thank you to all of those students who have already spoken to us about their views in a number of focus groups. We are also grateful to receive support and feedback from professionals across the health and higher education sectors in the development of this project. Our hope with this report is that it will serve as a foundational piece of work for future researchers, students, policymakers and practitioners to further explore the relationship between climate change and student mental health, while also identifying key recommendations and areas of good practice. Rosie Tressler OBE, Chief Executive Officer of Student Minds, said: “The climate emergency demands an urgent response, so we are delighted to be conducting this timely research, which centres student experiences. Our goal is to provide a strong foundation for future exploration into the relationship between climate change and student mental health. We are delighted to partner once again with the UPP Foundation to deliver this work. We hope the report will serve as a vital resource for all future researchers, policymakers, activists and professionals committed to tackling two of the biggest challenges facing our society today.” Richard Brabner, Director of the UPP Foundation said: “We received an unprecedented number of outstanding applications for our most recent funding round. We chose these brilliant projects as they either help universities address fundamental issues we are facing in society, or provide an innovative approach to supporting disadvantaged students succeed during their studies “We expect that these projects will ignite great practice across the higher education sector and look forward to sharing their outcomes in the months and years ahead” For more information about this research, or any of our other projects and publications at Student Minds, please do not hesitate to contact us at policy@studentminds.org.uk. |
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