Changemakers

Students and members of the university community are central to shaping the future of student mental health. You can see the power that using your voice can have:

"the most powerful thing you own is your story..."

"I have used my voice in many different ways, speaking out on my blog, delivering my testimony in schools, having conversations with those around me and most recently creating a government petition and working closely with Student Minds to try to make a change in the continuity of care that students receive for their mental health. Sharing your story is hard, to this day I still get nervous, but the reception every time confirms to me that I am doing the right thing. Taking that step to discuss my mental health has encouraged others to do the same and from there I know it is a domino effect. I often say the most powerful thing you own is your story and I truly believe it, my story hasn’t been an easy one but I have seen the power of my voice and that is why I continue to share my story and continue to campaign so passionately because I can feel the change happening." 

Angela, University of Kent ​

"Your voice is an incredibly powerful tool..."

"Your voice is an incredibly powerful tool; it enables you to chat to your friends, project your emotions and share stories. My journey to utilising the power that my voice offered was slow and steady. I was confused, scared and fearful of what might happen if I used my voice to tell others what I was experiencing. The courage, strength and empowerment I felt to defy everything my illness was telling me built me up day by day and created the person that I am today. It’s those feelings that support me on my current advocacy journey, I want to use my voice to create change because there is still so much work that needs to be done in student mental health. I want to use my voice for those that have not yet found the strength to use theirs and to prevent others from feeling the same suffering and silencing as I did."

Jessica Mell, Sheffield Hallam University

"I use my voice to help other students who are still finding the confidence to use theirs..."

“In my second year of university, my mental health reached an extremely low point. When I came back to university for my third year I knew something needed to change. I set up a Student Minds group on campus. I use my voice to help other students who are still finding the confidence to use theirs, to speak up for what is great but also what needs to be improved at LJMU and how we can all work together to achieve this. At first, I found sharing my experience to be difficult and often emotional but the more I used my voice I found confidence and started to find using my voice to help others who are struggling in the same way I did. Through using my voice, I have found out so much about what goes into making a university inclusive, a sense of purpose away from the studies that were consuming me and found my place in the student community which I felt so detached from. I will continue to use my voice, to be the person I really needed when I felt like I was the only person not enjoying university, and to always remind others that for everyone university is not always the best three years of your life.”

Rosie Steele, Liverpool John Moores University

"By using our collective voices, together we can create change..."

"Over the last couple of years, I have used my voice to promote change around student mental health. By using our collective voices, I believe that together we can change the state of student mental health. For me this is change both at an individual level in terms of raising awareness and understanding, improving mental health literacy, and addressing the stigma attached to speaking up and asking for help, and at a structural level, in terms of making changes to mentally unhealthy social and education policies, practices and structures, and improving the support available to students."  

Michael Priestly, University of Durham 

"I chose to raise my voice for many people I have met who have struggled..."

"I have used my voice to raise awareness of Eating Disorders. I want to make sure that healthcare professionals never undermine anyone who may be struggling with an Eating Disorder. I actively promote petitions, working with course leaders and medical schools to improve mental health teaching and help the process by sharing both a patient's and a future doctor's perspective. I chose to raise my voice for many people I have met who have struggled with Eating Disorders but have been made to feel invalid. I want to speak up to encourage the quick and efficient detection and treatment of Eating Disorders".
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Amy

"I've used my voice, now I help and give others the opportunity to use theirs..."

"Most of my mental health problems began in my first year at university. Having no experience of the mental health system made me very anxious; I had no idea of the support services or even if it was normal to feel how I felt. Once I was in a better place, I decided to use my hard times to make a positive change to the Durham community, by raising awareness and discussing things that I knew would have helped me, to help other students going through similar situations. I started to blog about mental health during my year abroad. I got a lot of responses from a lot of different people – people who identified with my feelings and thanked me for making them feel less alone. And I felt less alone as a result. It’s these little replies and comments that keep me doing what I do. Changing – or even saving – someone’s life is the best feeling in the world. This year I am on the Student Minds blog editorial team. I took my blogging experience one step further – I’ve used my voice, and now I help and give others the opportunity to use theirs, since everyone’s experiences and recovery is different."

Carys Robins, Durham University

"it is so important to reach out to students and tell them that they are not alone..."

“I use my voice to create positive change in student mental health. From my personal experience of anxiety, I understand why this is so important to talk about. On my campus, I use my voice as President of BCU Student Minds to encourage other students to use their voices. I created a monthly event called Mindful Space, where we get together and listen to mindful tapes, this is a free event where anyone can turn up. I created a social media campaign called #selfielove, which gave students a chance to discuss what they love about themselves. I have done all of this not just because I love discussing mental health but because I think it is so important to reach out to students and tell them that they are not alone.”

Chloe Henderson, Birmingham City University

"If I could help or inspire even a single person using my voice, it would be worthwhile..."

"I use my voice to break the stigma surrounding eating disorders, depression, and anxiety. These are issues that I, myself, have struggled with. I understand their severity, but I also know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. This is something I am passionate to share. Initially, speaking up felt uncomfortable. What would people think of me? I decided to find out: I published two books and started a blog and a YouTube channel. What I received was an overwhelmingly positive response. People were relieved to hear that they were not alone in their struggles. That's when I realised that, if I could help or inspire even a single person by using my voice, it would be worthwhile."

Hanne Arts, University of Bath ​

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