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 events
There are lots of ways to get creative and bring people together to shape the future of student mental health. We understand that this year things will look a little different. Although we can't be together physically we can still join together to get the nation talking about student mental health. Here are a few to get you started:
- 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 virtual 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 virtual 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.
3) Download, print and share our resources
Explore Student Minds resources from posters to postcards and Student Space digital assets - videos, social media images, posters or why not get creative and make your own digital resources.
4) Fundraise
Help us on our mission to reach even more students and empower them to look after their own mental health, support others and create change by taking on our University Mental Health Day Walking Challenge. Follow our steps to get started:
If you're planning to add a fundraising element to any other event, check out our fundraising tips to help get you started. You can also get in touch with us at fundraising@studentminds.org.uk, and we will be happy to support you to make your fundraiser a reality.
- Set up an online donation page through Just Giving or Virgin Money Giving.
- Encourage your friends or society members to take a walk in their local area on University Mental Health Day, and take a selfie or a picture of something interesting they see along the way.
- Ask everyone to submit their photos, along with a small donation to the fundraising page. You can encourage friends and family that aren't able to take part to make a donation to support your challenge, too.
- Create a collage of everyone's pictures so that you can be together, apart.
- Send us your collage or tag us @studentmindsorg on social media so that we can see what you've been up to!
If you're planning to add a fundraising element to any other event, check out our fundraising tips to help get you started. You can also get in touch with us at fundraising@studentminds.org.uk, and we will be happy to support you to make your fundraiser a reality.
5) Lobby a senior leader at your university
Encourage your vice chancellor, or a senior leader of the university to share what they are doing to improve student mental health and wellbeing on your campus during the pandemic and beyond, and how they are going to involve and listen to students in this.
Share our Planning for a Sustainable Future: the importance of university mental health in uncertain times guidance to support your institution in ensuring student and staff wellbeing remains at the heart of all decision making.
Arrange a virtual meeting with a senior leader to help inform the university’s plan and develop your approach together, you can find more information on how to do this in our Co-production Guide. By students and staff working in partnership, we can create meaningful and lasting change.
Share our Planning for a Sustainable Future: the importance of university mental health in uncertain times guidance to support your institution in ensuring student and staff wellbeing remains at the heart of all decision making.
Arrange a virtual meeting with a senior leader to help inform the university’s plan and develop your approach together, you can find more information on how to do this in our Co-production Guide. By students and staff working in partnership, we can create meaningful and lasting change.
However you do it, make sure you get involved this University Mental Health Day. Together we can inspire conversations, take action and create change!