Student Mental Health Awareness Training

New

This 4-hour mental health awareness training is intended for frontline staff at Colleges and Academic Faculties/Departments whose roles are pastoral or include responsibilities for responding to student welfare.

The session offers:

• A brief overview of student mental health in Higher Education.
• Best practice guidance on identifying and responding to students who may be experiencing mental health difficulties.
• Context-specific case vignettes and scenarios to improve staff confidence in intervening and applying skills in discussions with students, including those who may be experiencing poor wellbeing, mental ill-health and thoughts of suicide.
• Evidence-based and practical strategies for promoting student and staff wellbeing, including self-care for staff.
• Key resources and services in place to support mental health locally and nationally.

Please note these are stand-alone training sessions and participants should only attend one session.

This training is provided free of charge to College and University staff thanks to a philanthropic donation. The cost of providing the course is £25 per participant.

*College Tutors, Porters, and student-facing staff who regularly engage with students on pastoral or welfare issues (e.g. may include Directors of Studies, Tutorial Staff).

*Academic Faculty or Department staff whose roles can involve supporting students or responding to wellbeing concerns, for example: frontline administrators or secretaries, Postgraduate Research Supervisors.

Trainees must hold a current pastoral or student-facing role at a Cambridge College, or Academic Faculty or Department at the University.

Number of sessions: 1

• Enhanced or consolidated awareness of key mental health contexts within the UK Higher Education sector and relevant to Cambridge.
• Improved confidence in responding to mental health and wellbeing issues that often arise for staff in pastoral or student-facing roles.
• Opportunities to apply knowledge of best practice with peers in discussion of case studies.

Sarah Ashworth (Charlie Waller Trust)

Prior to joining the Charlie Waller Trust, Sarah Ashworth worked in higher education for 12 years, leading a multidisciplinary team supporting students experiencing enduring mental health conditions, including students presenting in crisis. Sarah has extensive experience of developing and delivering mental health training and Mental Health First Aid courses to staff and students. Sarah is a Fellow the Higher Education Academy and continues to teach accredited modules to the University of Oxford and the University of Warwick.