Student Minds Awards
The Student Minds Awards celebrate all of our amazing volunteers' achievements over the last academic year. Congratulations to our 2019 winners who have gone above and beyond to help us to transform the state of student mental health!
This year's winners are...
Individual Campaign of the Year - Angela Hubert
After experiencing poor care between home and University services, Angela spearheaded a continuity of care campaign that looked to lobby the Government to enable dual registration at GP surgeries for students. Angela’s petition was just shy of 30,000 signatures which resulted in the Government responding to it. Dual registration has not happened but it has put the issue on the map for students and working groups are also now looking at the idea of digital passports for in the NHS in order to ensure better continuity of care. Angela also presented her story at the University Mental Health Day roundtable to the Universities Minister, which has helped gain attention for this important issue. |
Leaders Group of the Year - Bath Student Minds Campaigns Group
Our Bath Campaigns Group has gone from strength to strength this year. Running successful campaigns aiming to create positive change for University of Bath students. One of our key principles for our groups is that they “Listen” to the student experience in order to improve it, Bath has embodied these principles. After looking at the analysis of a large student survey they have successfully run campaigns on “Look After Your Mate”, worked with their local MP and ran a successful “Time for Tutees” campaign where they collaborate with Bath Students’ Union and the University to win improvements to the academic tutor system. |
Campaigner of the Year - Patrick Taylor
Patrick has been a real force for change for student mental health this year. Patrick attended our summer LEADers training and has gone on to lead the Bath Campaigns Group to achieve all that they have this year and has worked fantastically with the amazing team at Bath. As well as this Patrick has been a key member of our Student Advisory Committee, has volunteered to mentor other campaign group leaders that are getting started and shared his inspiring story at a roundtable with the Universities Minister around University Mental Health Day. A truly well deserved award for a dedicated mental health campaigner. |
Best New Peer Support Group - Buckingham Positive Minds
It has been great to introduce Buckingham Positive Minds to you this year. This new peer support group has had an incredible first year. The volunteers have worked well together and have had some really great creative ideas for promoting the groups (like this). Their team working and innovation for publicising and running the groups means they’re worthy winners - well done! |
Group Fundraiser of the Year - Costa Rica Cyclers
The Valley Girls Cycling Team, Sarah, Sharon, Emma, Kate, Amanda, Clare and Sue approached Student Minds last summer to say that they wished to partake in a cycling challenge across Costa Rica to raise money for Student Minds. No one could have anticipated at the time what an incredible success this adventure would be. Between them, the team raised a jaw-dropping £18,086.25! This huge amount of money will enable Student Minds to turn more of our goals into a reality. Congratulations, all - I hope you are feeling proud of what you have achieved. |
Individual Fundraiser of the year - Rob Harrison
Rob shunned the typical end of term train journey laden with multiple suitcases, and took on the unique challenge of kayaking home from university to raise money for Student Minds. His 300 mile trip from Manchester to Guildford took 10 days, and involved the support of friends and family to help lift his kayak over ever lock. By undertaking this epic journey, he raised an absolutely incredible £1,642.50 from 48 generous donors. Congratulations, Rob - and thank you for choosing to support Student Minds! |
Blogger of the Year - Emily Maybanks
Emily has shown praiseworthy dedication in her regular submissions to the blog across her time at university. In particular, her accounts have given a great display of progress over university periods: earlier articles discussed dealing with experiences of conditions like SAD and PTSD alongside university, whereas recent articles display the transition to dealing with struggles beginning work as a graduate and reflections on coming out as LGBTQ+ at university. Her varied, dedicated writing, mirroring her own progress through university has made her a very valuable writer for The Student Minds Blog. |
Blogger of the Year - Niraj
Niraj is a new contributor this year but has consistently worked well with the editorial team to provide articles of a strong standard on topics that hadn't been talked about much previously on the blog. In particular, Niraj has shared his experiences of dealing with mental health at university whilst also explaining how this interacts with his experiences as a student with autism and invisible disabilities. By discussing his experiences, he also displayed how other students dealing with mental health and invisible disabilities, such as autism, can also get help in the university environment. |
Volunteer Recognition Award - Aneeska Sohal
Aneeska has been a great volunteer for Student Minds this year, leading the York Student Minds group to organise and coordinate fundraisers as well as running listening sessions that look to identify prevalent issues in the York student mental health experience. Aneeska also fundraised and raised awareness of Student Minds when we were chosen as one of the charity partners for this year’s York v Lancaster Roses varsity event, running a stall on our behalf across the weekend. During the opening ceremony, she and her colleague, Harriett spoke about the group’s campaigning on York Student Television, explaining what they do and the wider cause of student mental health clearly and passionately. |
Volunteer recognition award - Rebekah Dussek
Rebekah has inspired many in her role as Press Ambassador by sharing her story with mental health difficulties at university openly and confidently. She has spoken live on national TV speaking on both BBC Victoria and 5 News and has attended a university event sharing her experience with university staff and health care professionals. Her desire to change the narrative of student mental health and share her story to help others understand the unique experience of students has been incredible to see. She has been a real advocate for the power of student voice and has empowered other students and recent graduates to share their own stories. |
Volunteer recognition award - Michael Priestley
Michael has offered his incredible research skills to support the development of the University Mental Health Charter, giving up his time to facilitate focus groups as part of our Road Trip and analysing over 12 hours of data to help make the Charter a reality. Alongside this, he has been a Sub-Editor on the Student Minds Blog supporting lots of students to share their mental health experiences at university. He has generated lots of ideas to ensure the platform engages more students, to help ensure students can support other students in the challenges they face. |
Volunteer recognition award - Lauren Scott
Lauren has coordinated the peer support groups at the University of Bath this year. She’s been proactive, very organised and has brought the team of facilitators together to ensure a variety of peer support groups and workshops are not only available to students who need it but are run effectively and sustainably. Lauren stays in regular contact with Student Minds and always shows motivation and dedication to the project. |
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Volunteer recognition award - Zoe Hurrell
Zoe has provided supervision to our Bath peer support groups this year. She is always really engaged in clinical supervision sessions and shows great reflection. She’s a really supportive and knowledgeable supervisor to the peer support volunteers. |