Prioritising mental health

The pandemic has highlighted the importance of looking after our health; not only our physical health, but our mental health too. And over the course of the pandemic, the importance of this has been highlighted to us across society. This doesn’t mean that the issues surrounding the subject have disappeared though, which is why it is increasingly important that mental health remains a priority.

Previously, mental health was seen as a taboo subject. The associated stigma made it hard for people to communicate openly about the subject and their own personal experiences.

But in recent years, the time has come to talk about mental health.

The subject has become more prominent in our everyday lives. People are now talking about their mental health, making it a priority, and being more proactive in taking care of it.

We’ve been making it a priority here at the University too. And with the help of donors, we’ve been able to keep strengthening the support and environment we offer year on year, to ensure that the welfare of our community is always protected.

The impact of the pandemic

Student mental health was already a significant issue across the country prior to the pandemic.

A previous study showed that 1 in 5 students had suffered from a mental health issue, with depression and anxiety topping the list. Around 1 in 3 students also said they had experienced an issue, for which they felt the need for professional help.

Unfortunately, the pandemic has only emphasised the issue. A National Union of Students survey in November 2020, showed that 52% of those surveyed felt that their mental health had deteriorated or been affected negatively during the pandemic.

Another survey, published by the Sutton Trust at the end of February 2021, showed that 70 per cent of students surveyed were concerned about their mental health and wellbeing and gave some insight into what some of the contributory factors could be.

Almost half of the students surveyed had taken part in no wider enrichment activities during the term.

A third said it was difficult for them to cover their basic living and course expenses.

Over 75% of students were worried about being able to gain the skills and experience needed for employment.

The unique challenges and concerns students face now means the responsibility of universities to support them as they make the transition to higher education has arguably never been greater.

At Loughborough we are working to build a culture that is inclusive when it comes to mental health and wellbeing. We are building a safe and respectful community for all at the University to be a part of and an environment that encourages healthy lifestyle choices, independence and personal resilience.

Making progress

The University’s Student Wellbeing and Inclusivity Strategy is the product of several years of work and is now benefitting current students and will also for future cohorts. Below are some examples of the progress we have made so far.

A smoother experience: Student feedback showed that our services were effective and of high quality but could be difficult to access. We now offer a single primary route of entry that is able to carry out complex screening and holistic assessments. This ensures that students have a more ‘joined up’ experience when they present for support and that they can be referred quicker to the best available service to meet their needs.

A more collaborative approach: We have built on our partnerships to work across specialisms within Student Wellbeing and Inclusivity and beyond.

Online incident reporting tool: The new feature allows students and staff to report incidents such as sexual violence, hate incidents or bullying, as well as request support or other outcomes from the University.

More opportunities for support: The ever-increasing demand on the service means that the traditional model of only offering 1-to-1 support is outdated and stops us from reacting as quickly as we would like to support students. While 1-to-1 services are still available, the University has also introduced more opportunities for support through groups, workshops and self-help resources.

Partnership and support: We have partnered with The Samaritans to offer ‘fast track’ online/telephone support specifically for Loughborough students.

Bespoke services for those in need: We have introduced a process of reasonable adjustments to study for disabled students, ‘off the shelf' and ‘bespoke’, that is facilitated by an online tool that students can use to declare disability. The reasonable adjustment process is reviewed each year and approved via Learning and Teaching Committee.

Relevant support: We have introduced online support groups specifically for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic students.

Improved support for care leavers: We have streamlined the processes for accessing funding for students who are leaving the care system or are estranged from their parents. We are also providing improved levels of support at key transitionary stages.

New app: We have collaborated with Health and Safety and Occupational Health to introduce the Loughborough University Wellbeing App, which helps individuals to develop small habits over time, that will make a beneficial change to their lifestyle in the long run and ultimately lead to a healthy and happier lifestyle.

Making progress in a year of change

In addition to the changes above, the University has also responded to the demands that arose from the COVID-19 pandemic, and support from donors has enabled us to provide an additional layer of support to our students and strengthen our existing services.

All services were adapted to be offered entirely remotely, while also retaining the ability to safely see students in person when in crisis or when remote access is a barrier to receiving an equitable level of support.
In collaboration with professional and academic colleagues, a user friendly online process was created that enabled our most vulnerable students to apply to study remotely, without detriment.
The capacity for students to access us as quickly as possible was increased, including online group support to address issues such as loneliness and isolation.

2020 also saw a pivotal shift in the world’s understanding of institutional barriers for marginalised groups. Global events and campaigns raised awareness of the issues faced by these groups and made many reassess their own actions.

The University responded to these global changes by widening its remit and partnering with others to promote greater inclusion for all students. Some specific examples of the work that has been done includes:

Support groups specifically for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic students.
Working with staff and student groups and societies to advocate for anti-discriminatory practice.
Contributing to the University’s aspiration to achieve the bronze Race Equality Charter (REC) award.
Continuing to work in collaboration with Para Athletics, the Student Accommodation Centre and Facilities Management to improve access and accommodation for disabled students.
Working with an external partner to offer support for LGBTQ students.
Partnering with HR to offer culturally specific counselling for BAME staff.
Targeted campaign work, such as ‘16 days of action’, which during the winter 2020 term promoted the collaborative work between the Student Wellbeing and Inclusivity team and security colleagues, to support students who have been subjected to gender-based violence (including domestic, sexual and honour-based crime).

A positive outcome

Leah graduated from Loughborough with a BSc in Sport and Exercise Psychology earlier this year. During her time at the University, she has inspired many with her passion and positive attitude towards university life.

As the first member of her family to go to university, the milestone felt both exciting and daunting. At the time though, Leah was also fighting anxiety, an eating disorder and self-harm.

During her first year of studies her wellbeing became progressively worse, to a point where she attempted to take her own life. Leah and the University agreed it was right for her to take a leave of absence to help her recover without the pressures of studying a degree.

Leah returned to Loughborough in 2019. But it still wasn’t easy; she experienced depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, more life attempts and alcoholism. But supporting her throughout were several university services and networks that all became part of her Loughborough family.

Leah was given a dedicated mental health support worker, who would meet with her on a weekly basis to discuss how she was managing both her studies and life in general. The direct support also meant that Leah could have reasonable adjustments put in place for exams and coursework, so she was never at a disadvantage.

Leah also found comfort joining the Loughborough Students’ Union’s (LSU) volunteering group Action as well as LSU Media, both of which she signed up to in her first week at university.

Being part of Action helped Leah make friends and she was able to positively impact the lives of others through her volunteer work over the years.

“I was supported by the Action committee to push myself out of my comfort zone and I went from a shy and timid fresher to someone leading their own events and teams in a range of roles. The skills I gained also supported my learning as I had more confidence and was a better advocate for myself.”

During the pandemic, Leah was determined to continue inspiring others by taking up a role as a Student Ambassador and during the Christmas holidays became a student buddy to support students on campus who didn’t or weren’t able to go home for the holidays last year.

“I was scared that I would be judged and misunderstood and I was also ashamed to admit that I needed help, but once I did everything changed. I was given all the support I could ever possibly need and I realised that I wasn’t alone.”

Leah, Sport and Exercise Psychology graduate

Our next steps

As a university, we intend to build on the progress we have made and have already set out a range of actions we intend to work towards next. These include:

Develop plans for a Wellbeing Café on campus, working with local organisation the Loughborough Wellbeing Café and Loughborough Arts.
Improve physical access to spaces and student facilities, including access to appropriate study, social and quiet spaces.
Collaborate with the Careers Network to produce best practice guidelines for placement providers to ensure an inclusive experience for students who may experience barriers or who are marginalised, such as BAME students, disabled students and LGBTQ students.
Develop a process to support the identification of students who are vulnerable at the start of each academic year and put support plans in place to mitigate against risk.
Collaborate with Loughborough Students’ Union to provide lanyards for students with hidden disabilities and work on raising awareness across the university community.
Produce an integrated plan for supporting estranged students, carers and care leavers, both emotional and practical.
Develop new service webpages to improve access to support and self-help information.
Collaborate with colleagues in the Doctoral College office to further support doctoral research with issues they face.
Develop and promote online financial capability resources for all students.

Another positive outcome

In March 2021, Loughborough alumni, staff, students and friends raised more than £30,000 to support student mental health at Loughborough, as they took part in the £10k Challenge.

The aim of the event was to raise £10,000 to provide extra resources to support students during the pandemic. The challenge was flexible, just as long as the number 10 was involved (running 10k; doing 10,000 steps every day; or running 10 minutes every day).

Over 160 members of the Loughborough family got involved and trebled the original fundraising target set. The outpouring of support was truly inspirational, with over 1,250 supporters choosing to make a gift to support the Challenge and those that took part.

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