Mental Health and Wellbeing Special Interest Group

The Mental Health and Wellbeing Special Interest Group (SIG) is a new SIG (2024) which aims to advocate for and enhance the mental health and wellbeing of both students and staff within higher education in line with UKAT’s strategic development goals 2022-5. This SIG is dedicated to addressing the unique challenges faced by the academic community, promoting a culture of mental health awareness, and providing support through collaborative initiatives and Continuing Professional Development (CPD). By fostering a supportive network, sharing best practices, enhancing professionalism and driving policy improvements, our SIG seeks to create a healthier and more productive academic environment. This aligns with higher education institutions' broader goals of supporting student success, staff welfare, and overall institutional excellence; whilst encouraging community through partnerships and ensuring sustainability through supporting future growth.

• Collaborating with a network of professionals dedicated to mental health and wellbeing in higher education.
• Opportunities to share and learn about best practice and successful initiatives.
• Co-creation of and access to resources such as research, toolkits, exploration of case studies and participation in discussion groups e.g through a journal club.
• Participation in events, workshops, and webinars focused on mental health and wellbeing.
• Opportunities to contribute to influential advocacy and policy development.
• Enhanced professional growth through collaboration and shared learning experiences.
• Support for developing and implementing mental health  and wellbeing strategies within members own institutions.
• Recognition and visibility within the higher education community for contributions to mental health initiatives.

Audience

Aims

• Promote awareness and understanding of mental health and wellbeing issues within higher education institutions.
• Co -create research and disseminate findings in the field of mental health and wellbeing for personal tutoring in higher education.
• Share and develop best practices for supporting mental health and wellbeing among students and staff.
• Advocate for policy changes to better support mental health initiatives in higher education institutions and evaluate impact.
• Facilitate continued professional development and training opportunities related to mental health and wellbeing.
• Foster a supportive community for discussing challenges and solutions related to mental health and opportunities for sharing good practice and resources.
• Collaborate with external mental health organisations to bring expert insights and resources to our members.

Forthcoming Events and Activities

• Hosting webinars and workshops on topics such as stress management, mental health first aid, tutor wellbeing.
• Contributing to conferences to bring together experts and practitioners in the field of mental health  and wellbeing in higher education.
• Facilitating peer support groups for sharing experiences and strategies.

• Publishing newsletters and reports on recent developments, research findings, and best practices.
• Engaging in advocacy efforts to influence mental health policies at institutional and national levels.
• Developing and distributing toolkits and resources for mental health promotion and support.
• Creating an online forum for continuous discussion, resource sharing, and support among members.