We recognise that the wellbeing of our members (that’s you if you’re a current Bucks student!) and staff is paramount to our success in delivering our unique, award winning offer. This year, more than ever, positive mental health and wellbeing is at the top of our agenda and we have therefore invested in the Students Minds Mental Health Framework.
The Framework provides a set of 10 principles for good practice in achieving a whole-Union approach to mental health. For each principle there is a model of what best practice looks like.
As a starting point, we have formed a working group including staff and students from all areas of our work and together they are working through the framework to form an action plan which we will be launching during Mental Health Awareness week in May. Prior to this launch, we will be asking you, our valued members, to have your say in forming our short, medium and long term objectives for our approach to positive mental health and wellbeing by taking part in a focus group in April.
Already we have implemented new policies and procedures, reviewed our current activities and scheduled some clear timelines to ensure the framework is not only a series of actions to be taken now, but embedded into our day to day operations as a Union for many years to come. Initial feedback from Student Minds is that we are well ahead on this framework compared to the rest of the sector so you can be safe in the knowledge that you’re in good hands with lots of exciting new initiatives on the horizon.
Your Vice President Education and Welfare, Tash Neal had this to say “The Mental Health Framework is a fantastic opportunity for us to carry out a ‘self-check’ on what we do as a Students' Union already to support mental health and wellbeing as well as areas to focus on going forwards. We know that the majority of our activity is really proactive and supports our members and staff to a high standard. By using the framework we are able to identify any gaps in our offer to ensure that we are doing our absolute best for our staff and students to promote and encourage positive mental health and wellbeing”
If you would like to be involved in the work towards the Mental Health Framework or participate in the focus group in April, please contact us at sutraining@bucks.ac.uk