Accessible Mental Health Services
What is this campaign about?
In recent years, there has been a surge in students experiencing mental health crises, with this only having risen in light of the pandemic. Students will be experiencing unique challenges, such as limited access to NHS mental health services and therefore placing even more value on University mental health services outlets being competent.
University is an important and transitional time, which brings along many if its difficulties. Student mental ill-health is at an all-time high and University must do better to support students. This is even more important for students of colour who face the effects of racial trauma and structural oppression on top of student-facing issues.
We would like to see a culturally competent mental health service, which is considerate of all students, especially those who traditionally struggle to access services such as disabled and ‘BAME’ students.
What is the purpose of the campaign?
Our student check-ins identified wellbeing as an area of concern for many students and our mental health survey last year and focus group this year showed a demand amongst BAME students for a culturally competent mental health service. All of these factors have contributed to our proposals of solutions.
The purpose of this campaign is to identify and understand the different barriers faced by ‘BAME’ students in accessing the mental health services, and to work together with University to address them and make our services more accessible for our students.
What progress has been made so far?
- Our student EDI reps have started the hard work of researching culturally competent mental health services and interviewing students. We want this campaign to be shaped by you, and therefore, your contributions are vital to this.
- This report has been complete and will be uploaded soon.