‘Why I’m running for students’ mental health’

In just under two weeks, myself and two work friends (and a growing number of supportive colleagues) will be running the Simply Health Great Bristol 10k. Along with many of the 13,000 runners, it will be our first time doing it. And like many others, we have been inspired to do it to raise money for a compelling cause.

In our case, that compelling cause is young people’s mental health. The three of us work at the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol), in very different roles, but we are all witness to the increasing issues that students are having with regards to their mental health and wellbeing. We are not unique in this – the university sector as a whole has seen a threefold increase in students seeking some sort of counselling support since 2007.

I am not an expert in mental health and I’m also pretty new to the world of Higher Education, having only been working at UWE for just under a year. However, in that time I have been truly inspired by the work at the University to tackle student mental health and wellbeing issues with a completely fresh and modern approach.

At a time when universities seem to be the subject of criticism in the media and by politicians (some of it more justified than others) UWE is one of the first universities in the country coming out loudly and publicly to confront the issue of mental ill health. It is looking at a ‘whole university’ environmental, cultural and systems change that other institutions up and down the country can then learn from.

In plain English, that doesn’t simply mean providing more counselling support (although it may include that). It means looking at how universities are set up and run. From the accommodation they provide to the extra curriculum activities on offer. From dealing with the transition from home to university, to adjusting curriculums to make sure students get the right amount of contact time with staff and the opportunity to make friends with others on their courses. It also means working much more closely with schools and colleges, the NHS and mental health providers, local councils, and other partners, to join up the work others are doing on this.

https://twitter.com/UWEEvents/status/984118150663942146

At UWE Bristol, a key part of our newly launched ‘Mental Wealth First’ strategy is about removing the stigma of talking about mental health issues. In spite of the high profile public campaigns and endorsement from the Royals in the last couple of years, many people still find it difficult to talk about their own mental health. We have to get to the point where it is no more embarrassing to admit to feeling mentally unwell as it is to saying you have toothache or a broken leg. A quarter of the UK population will experience a mental health issue this year, so it really is crazy that for many of us, there remains an element of taboo when it comes to talking about it.

I have a confession to make at this point – I am one of those embarrassed people. I have had issues with anxiety myself and, after a particularly difficult time in my personal life a couple of years ago, I found myself in a very dark period of depression for quite a long while. I did seek help but I never talked about it publicly, not even to my close friends or family. I didn’t want to be seen as a failure or weak and so I battled it all alone. Some irony here, since my role as head of communications for UWE now involves promoting the importance of talking about mental health issues. But it does at least mean I understand why people still struggle with the stigma.

It is actually being involved in the development of our Mental Wealth First strategy that has brought me out of the closet. Working with a number of students over the last few months who have so bravely volunteered to tell their own mental health stories has been truly inspiring and humbling. I am so grateful to them for coming forward and talking about their issues, so that we can help reach other students, and staff too. In fact, as we’ve been developing the strategy and the communications campaign around it, more students and staff along the way have begun admitting to their own issues. We are promoting the campaign using the hashtag #LetsTalkNow and we have posters and post-it notes dotted around campus encouraging people to write their feelings or encouraging messages on them. It feels really positive and, quite possibly, the start of a snowball gathering momentum as more and more people feel it’s okay to talk about it.

Universities are being – and are likely to continue for some time to be – rightly challenged about things like value for money for students and successful outcomes for graduates. But I can honestly say that when I come to work in the mornings and see the real care, commitment and determination our staff and Students’ Union have to supporting our students’ mental health and wellbeing, I am proud to work where I do. And hopefully by running the Bristol 10k, myself and my merry band of runners can play just a little part in contributing to the awareness raising of this vital issue.

Marc Griffiths, Catherine Frankpitt and Jane Roscoe from UWE Bristol, who will be running the Bristol 10k to raise awareness of student mental health

You can sponsor us here: https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/uwementalwealth1st

(And by the way, I highly recommend running – it does absolute wonders for your mental health!)

Catherine Frankpitt is Director of Corporate Communications & Creative Strategy at UWE Bristol, one of Bristol24/7’s social impact key partners.