Supporting Students to Build up Positive Mental Health and Resilience

Liz Diamond and Hazel Devereux from Student Services in conjunction with John Bostock

SOLSTICE & CLT Conference 2013

5th & 6th June 2013

“If within an organisation, people are falling into the stream up-river and the counselling service finds they are pulling them out down-river, then there is a duty to go up river, find out what is happening and stop them falling in the first place”Egan and Cowan 1979

Identifying transition points

Can you relate to this metaphor? What are some of the key ‘falling in’ points in your area? How do you help students to get out quickly and can you help to stop them falling in?

Your experience of the student journey As we go through the presentation draw upon the

experiences of students you have worked with …. What did their journey look like? Can we learn from it?

Think about key stages in your work with students

How might this be enhanced?

What opportunities might this raise for collaboration with teams like student services and others? Or for wider collaboration?

Why so vital now? Group/sector changing Can’t rely on research as it may not be applicable

to the new landscape or changing profile of your HEI

More complexityLearning may be changing and expectations

changingSqueezed NHS services and loss of some supportNeed to think creatively to use resources and

harness peer support etc.Changing climate – pre and post universityInternational students – wider knowledge needed

Stronger net through collaborationWhy needed ?Many of the key trigger points that impact upon student success are the same triggers for another student for a crisis/ suicide attempt

Similarly there is a cumulative effect – a mixture of personal and academic issues that spirals to either leaving university early or to crisis

Psychological factors relevant to the student population17-25 high risk period for schizophrenia and bipolar disorderAge group link re anorexia, substance abuse, sexual assault/ trauma ( need to consider those carrying out assaults as well as victims?) First onset for lifetime mental disorder – most by age 24 but will usually be unknown to the studentHigher levels of disturbance/ distress - 29% describing clinical levels of distress.Ordinary unhappiness - relationships

Social factors relevant to the student population Decrease in employment opportunitiesPeer influence - positive and negative Moves back in with parents – gap between

expectation and reality Loss of peers when transitioning out of

universityPerceptions – finance, prospects,

hopelessness

Who and when?Who are you as an individual, team,

department, organisation most concerned about and why? What have you been able to do about it so far?

Who is at risk of harm and when?Young men in their early 20’s¾ died in periods of transitions for example a literal

transition- arrivals and departuresTransitions associated with depression and perfectionismDisrupted academic histories Web of problems – relationship, financial, alcohol usePersonality traits – perfectionism, setting unrealistic

targets, poor impulse control, poor coping skills, feelings of worthlessness, inability to handle disappointment

The student Journey – mental well beingWhy is an understanding of this so vital from a

mental wellbeing perspective?

We know from research ( Papyrus) how important transition points are.

Need to input in ways that maximise engagement so you know earlier if things going wrong

Maximise support through targeted support – i.e. both type of support and timing of this support - one example may be peer support for example early on

Understanding of perception of hopelessness and implications for vulnerable students – what to watch out for

Increase ability to anticipate events

The student academic journeyWhat we are doing individually and in our

teamsWhat we are doing together What could we strengthen through further

collaboration?

How can you add to it? Students views and input – access to students who may not be

known to other services so you may be a key link Signposting to range of services such as peer support – i.e. SSG Reflection in teams to identify transition points etc. Small scale evaluation/ research Cycle of review and enhancement - passing on learning from one

group to another – sharing positive approaches to mental well-being Cycle of learning institutionally – collaborative provision without

blurring roles You may vital in your primary role to help students to normalise

and reconnect after a difficult timeYour team may be vital to strengthen the ’net’ through working with

others

Going forward -

Collaboration