There are lots of different ways you can get involved this University Mental Health Day. We’ve got some tips to help get you started:
1) Join the online movement
We want to get the nation talking about student mental health. Social media is a great tool to reach lots of people across the country. Join thousands of people online using #UniMentalHealthDay and craft your own campaign by sharing how and why you want to improve the future of student mental health.
2) Run virtual or in person events
There are lots of ways to get creative and bring people together to shape the future of student mental health. Here are a few to get you started:
Share what you have planned on our map so people can attend your amazing activities!
- Run a photo campaign: photo campaigns are great for getting conversation flowing. Give people a prompt or question to answer and get them to take photos and upload them on social media.
- Run a speaker event: speakers can share their knowledge and mental health experiences. This can also be done online via a video, webinar or virtual event. This can be very powerful providing attendees/ listeners with the opportunity to learn about mental health difficulties in an engaging way.
- Run storytelling activity: get students or staff on campus to share their experiences in a storytelling event, blog or video. Hearing people's experiences can be a great way to raise awareness and decrease stigma.
- And lots more... encourage students and staff to utilise their talents and think creatively, see our photos from last year for inspiration.
Share what you have planned on our map so people can attend your amazing activities!
3) Download, print and share our resources
Download our Comms Pack to help you with your activities, including social media posts and images to use to make your plans a success.
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Download our social media sharers or the University Mental Health Day logo in a variety of colours (white, yellow, coral, green, grey, red) to create your own images.
You can also explore Student Minds resources from posters to postcards and Student Space digital assets - videos, social media images and posters. |
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4) Fundraise for Student Minds or UMHAN
We always love seeing the creative ways people fundraise to support student mental health on University Mental Health Day. If you’re interested in putting on an event, why not try one of the below:
Fundraise for Student Minds
It’s easy to set up a Student Minds page linked to our University Mental Health Day event on JustGiving. Please get in touch with fundraising@studentminds.org.uk if you have any questions or would like to discuss your plans with us.
If you're looking for a more substantial challenge, you might be interested in taking on our Step into Spring for Student Mental Health challenge. You can take on the challenge on your own or as part of a team. All you need to do is pick a distance and travel it by any means of your choice between 1st and 31st March. As the days get warmer and the evenings get brighter, let’s move for our minds together.
- Sponsored walk: Bring students and staff together to get outside over lunch hour. Have a catch up, spot the plants slowly beginning to emerge and take a break.
- Bake sale: Very few things taste better than a home-made cake. Why not set up a bake sale in a communal area and encourage people to stay and chat whilst they eat your creations.
- Quiz: Whether online or in person, quizzes bring people together, in (mostly) friendly competition. You could even include a round themed around University Mental Health Day.
Fundraise for Student Minds
It’s easy to set up a Student Minds page linked to our University Mental Health Day event on JustGiving. Please get in touch with fundraising@studentminds.org.uk if you have any questions or would like to discuss your plans with us.
If you're looking for a more substantial challenge, you might be interested in taking on our Step into Spring for Student Mental Health challenge. You can take on the challenge on your own or as part of a team. All you need to do is pick a distance and travel it by any means of your choice between 1st and 31st March. As the days get warmer and the evenings get brighter, let’s move for our minds together.
Donate to UMHAN
Support the amazing work the University Mental Health Advisors Network by donating to support our work.
Support the amazing work the University Mental Health Advisors Network by donating to support our work.
5) Share Student Space
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Student Space is here to help you with expert support and wellbeing advice. Whether you're stressed about your studies, relationships, or if you have concerns about university life, you don't have to struggle on your own.
Explore resources, student stories, direct support in a way that is right for you and our university search directory to help you navigate student life during the pandemic. If you are in need of support text ‘STUDENT’ to 85258 to start a conversation, 24 hours a day. |
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6) Create positive change at your university
We know it can sometimes be difficult to know where to begin to improve mental health on your campus, you might feel like you don't have the tools and resources to work with your university to create positive change.
This is why at Student Minds, we worked with students to create the Student-Led Improvement Tool. This University Mental Health Day work through the Charter's principles of good practice and use the guide to help you:
This is why at Student Minds, we worked with students to create the Student-Led Improvement Tool. This University Mental Health Day work through the Charter's principles of good practice and use the guide to help you:
- identify what your university already does
- identity what they need to work on
- work out what your university does
- be able to monitor and measure ongoing progress towards a whole-university approach to mental health
However you do it, make sure you get involved this University Mental Health Day. Together we can inspire conversations, take action and create change!
