School’s mental health first aid signs point to help

A mental health first aid training drive in one of our Schools has allowed colleagues there to put mental health support on a par with that for physical health.

A group of colleagues in the School of Mathematical, Physical and Computational Sciences (SMPCS) recently undertook mental health first aid training, booked through our HR People Development team.

Armed with a newly trained support network, the School has since displayed signs in its buildings, directing any colleague or student to the nearest mental health first aider, who can provide a listening ear and signpost them to professional support. These are now displayed alongside the existing first aid signs near the building entrances and stairs, and on the School’s website.

It means anyone experiencing a mental wellbeing crisis can locate immediate help in these buildings the same way they would seek first aid if they suffered a physical injury.

The SMPCS Mental Health First Aiders team are now welcoming feedback on the service to make improvements, while the School is also taking other positive action on this issue. This includes publishing blogs and holding a mental health awareness panel event later this term, to encourage colleagues and PhD students in the School to share experiences and to normalise seeking mental health support.

Our mental health first aid training courses are fully booked for the rest of the academic year. Colleagues interested in signing up can join the waiting list on UoR Learn.

Meet some of the SMPCS mental health first aider team

Imogen Salt

“I think it’s so important that we make these things more visible and remove some of that stigma around mental health.

"The signs show that you can come to us if you have a cut finger or if you just need someone to talk to.”

Dr Claire Bulgin

“Mental health is just as important as physical health, but we often find it harder to talk about. In the same way that we would do our best to support someone experiencing a physical health crisis, mental health is no different.

"As mental health first aiders we are trained to provide that help in a mental health crisis, providing a safe space to listen and signposting people to where they can find longer term support.”

Jessica Gardner

“Life is a roller coaster and it comes with great highs and lows. The ride can get too bumpy, too slow or too fast at times, and that’s okay.

"There are people who are trained to listen and sign post towards a whole suite of support systems. Do reach out with us if you want to give a try, there’s nothing to lose and we’re happy to help.”

University Mental Health Day

Today is University Mental Health Day – an annual day to get the nation talking about student mental health and working together to make mental wellbeing a university-wide priority.

You can mark the day by:

• Getting advice on how to start a conversation about mental health and taking time to find out how your colleagues or loved ones are really feeling.
• Reading stories of mental health battles by Reading colleagues, told in their own words, on our website.
• Take time to look after your own mental wellbeing, using the resources shared on this page.

Mental wellbeing support

Support resources are available for all colleagues at the University on our Health and Wellbeing webpages.

These include our Employee Assistance Programme, offering round-the-clock independent, free and confidential help, including a counselling service.

The Wellbeing Peer Support Network is also on hand, allowing you to talk to a trained staff volunteer as a first point of contact if you are experiencing poor mental health or emotional stress.

There are also a host of mental health and wellbeing courses on UoRLearn as an easy way of getting advice and support for both the short and long term.