University takes next step on Mental Health Charter journey

The University has received confirmation that work to protect and improve our community’s wellbeing and mental health is on the right track after receiving the outcome ‘Award in Progress’ from the awarding panel of the University Mental Health Charter.

This result comes after months of hard work by staff and students who collaborated on a rigorous self-assessment process, designed to demonstrate how we are meeting a set of evidence-informed principles, across 18 key themes, for a whole-university approach to mental health and wellbeing.

The University Mental Health Charter is a voluntary accreditation scheme run by Student Minds, and backed by the Department for Education, that recognises commitment and work to promote mental health and wellbeing of staff and students.

Launched in 2019, only 10 UK universities have been awarded the Charter to date.

Embedding welbeing

In their Outcomes Report on Reading, the assessment panel team praised the University for its green Whiteknights campus, for embedding wellbeing throughout our campuses, and for connections established between the University and healthcare providers.

They also celebrated (amongst other highlights) our Study Smart and Lifetools support for students, the Curriculum Framework, the student Inclusion Consultants initiative, the Staff Networks and the work of the Security team in creating a safe campus.

An ‘Award in Progress’ was given, meaning the University must demonstrate further good practice in measuring wellbeing support outcomes and on the safety and effectiveness of our services.

As members of the University Mental Health Charter Programme, we will continue to be supported over the next 12 months as we work to meet the conditions and with the recommendations set by the Panel and, we hope, to achieve the Award

Professor Clare Furneaux, Teaching and Learning Dean, who co-led the Mental Health Charter project group, said:

“The University sent a clear signal that it prioritises and values the mental health and wellbeing of its staff and students when it signed up to be a member of the University Mental Health Charter. We were quick to get on board and start the work that needed doing and the process of going for the Award was invaluable in highlighting all that is good and where we can improve.

“The Panel, whom we hosted for an intensive two-day assessment visit last summer, praised our approach to the process, which is welcome recognition of the enormous team effort that has got us to this point.

“There is more work to be done, and the recommendations in the report support our long-term aims to improve our services and make the University a caring and supportive place for all staff and students.”

Professor Furneaux will continue to co-lead the project team which will turn its attention to meeting the conditions set and to developing a Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy to direct the work that needs to be done to achieve a full Award.

She said: “We couldn’t have got to this point without the work of two former colleagues and I’d like to recognise the great efforts of my co-lead, Selina Patankar Owen (Director of Student Wellbeing Services), and Jess Del Rio, (Strategic Projects Officer), who were both hugely instrumental in the application.  In addition, our 2022-23 Student Union Welfare Officer, Poppy Lindsey, contributed the student evaluation document.

“I know how pleased they are that our hard work has paid off and that we have a chance of getting the Award. They would also appreciate how wonderful it is that we can announce this progress on University Mental Health Day 2024.”