The Charlie Waller Memorial Trust: Strategically Supporting Student Mental Health in Universities and Colleges

This blog was originally delivered as a short talk at The Charlie Waller Memorial Trust Information Evening 2019.

​In this blog, I aim to synthesise my different perspectives on student mental health and wellbeing in order to shine a light on some of the great work that the Charlie Waller Memorial Trust are currently delivering to support students at universities and colleges. I am 1.) A current student, with lived experience of mental health difficulties; 2.) A student mental health researcher, both through my PhD and as a member of the SMaRteN student research team; and 3.) A student involvement coordinator and student representative on the Charlie Waller Memorial Trust Universities and College Advisory Board.

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From my different perspectives, I see three key priorities for continuing to improve student mental health going forward.

• First, given the increasing number of students reporting mental distress at university, we should continue to promote a ‘whole institution approach’ that can engender long-term structural and cultural change in order to prevent the number of students experiencing mental distress at university or college.
• Second, given the increasing number of students seeking student support services, we should continue to increase the accessibility and availability of evidence-based support, particularly for high-risk groups at high-risk times. In doing so, we should also aim to support improved mental health literacy across the student population in order to help students to identify signs of mentally ill health and navigate access to appropriate support.
• Third, given the potential for inconsistency, fragmentation, or disconnect in any new and proliferating field, we must continue to commit to cross-sector collaboration that engages closely with the student voice. In a university and college context, we should aim to bring together the perspectives of students, staff, academics, researchers, practitioners and policy makers in dialogue in order to identify and pursue a fruitful way forward, as is modelled by the SMaRteN network.

Against this backdrop, I want to outline the value of the Trust’s three main dimensions of work in universities and colleges.

• First, CWMT deliver training, resources and e-learning drawing on the latest research evidence and clinical practice to support students and staff in universities and colleges with the knowledge, confidence, and skills to identify and respond to signs of distress within a whole institution approach. Moreover, CWMT resources have been strategically designed to target higher risk student groups, such as students going into construction work, and at high risk times, such as during academic transitions. It is also refreshing to see the Trust’s strategic focus on the potentially higher risk, yet under-resourced, students in FE colleges, as exemplified by the Trust’s partnership work with the Association of Colleges.
• Second, CWMT runs Students against Depression; a student-led website offering instant clinically based advice, information and self-help resources to those affected by depression and other common mental health problems. The site is aligned with the student experience by presenting content as student videos, that are both informative and de-stigmatising. This resource is particularly effective in supporting students to recognise the signs of mentally ill health in themselves and others, so that they know when and how to access both emotional and practical support, and develop strategies to mitigate the impact of depressive thought and behavioural patterns.
• Third, CWMT commits to cross-sector collaboration with key stakeholders across the field: whether it is working in partnership with organisations such as for example, the Association of Colleges and Student Minds, or investing in high quality research and practice at the Charlie Waller Institute, or striving to engage the student voice.

Ultimately, as a student with lived experience of mental health difficulties, I am delighted to have the opportunity to be involved with the Trust as it works strategically to improve student mental health and wellbeing in universities and colleges as part of a whole institution approach. My role and input with the Trust on resources, training and recruitment stands as a testament to its commitment to valuing, representing and engaging the student voice in the work that they do. Visit the Charlie Waller Memorial Trust website or follow along on twitter to find out more.

By Michael Priestley, SMaRteN Student Team member 2018/2019