As Student Minds is a registered charity, we aren’t party-political, and we pride ourselves on building consensus to improve student mental health. In April, we published our Student Mental Health Manifesto (SMHM), sharing our ambitious, whole-society vision for the next government. The Manifesto lays out five key themes for change, making both urgent and long-term recommendations. Now the general election has been called, political candidates and parties are campaigning for your vote, and sharing their plans for if they get elected. Here, we explore some of the key proposals made by the Conservatives, Greens, Labour, and Liberal Democrats, under the themes covered in the Student Mental Health Manifesto. We’ve considered the parties fielding candidates across the UK for this piece, but will provide a similar look at parties in the devolved nations soon. Student Minds does not endorse any particular party or candidate. We hope students, staff, and everybody who cares about student mental health will use this information as insight into each party’s platform, but the choice of who to vote for is yours. It’s important to do your own research and check out party manifestos as well as pledges by candidates, including independent candidates, in your constituency. We note that this article is not a comprehensive nor exhaustive account of all party manifestos and shouldn’t be taken as such. Remember that your vote matters. Note: to ensure impartiality, we have used the wording and framing used within each manifesto wherever possible. This helps us ensure we describe each party’s views as they do and ensures we remain impartial. You may find some of the wording below disagreeable. Party policies do not reflect the views of Student Minds. HealthcareWhat does the Student Mental Health Manifesto say?
“All students should have access to quality and timely mental health support. We’re calling for an urgent commitment to increase funding for the NHS and improve support for healthcare staff and students. We also want to see a long term commitment to ensure the sustainability and improvement of mental health services, and improved support for students and young people who experience poor mental health.” What the parties say:
Our thoughts:
We’re pleased to see a commitment to funding early support hubs for young people across so many manifestos. We’re also encouraged to see the pressures on NHS staff acknowledged, with measures to improve staffing as another common theme. We hope this will reduce workloads for individual staff, reducing burnout and waiting times for support.Support targeted at young people isn’t available to all students, so we would want to see assurances that mature students who are not eligible to use the early support hubs can access timely alternative care. Financial HardshipWhat does the Student Mental Health Manifesto say?
“All students should have enough money to support them through their studies. This requires a review of existing student funding systems nationwide, reversing real-terms cuts due to inflation, increasing entitlement thresholds based on household income, restructuring Postgraduate Taught finance, and introducing maintenance funding for part time students. We identify immediate changes to alleviate cost-of-living pressures such as a winter fuel allowance, increasing the minimum wage for all 18 year-olds to the Real Living Wage, further subsidising public transport, and introducing payments for healthcare students on placement. Students’ specific experiences must be accounted for when policies designed to tackle the cost-of-living crisis are developed.” What the parties say:
Our thoughts:
We’re delighted that multiple parties have taken up our recommendation to reinstate maintenance grants for university students. Equally, policies to raise the minimum wage are welcome - though we continue to support calls for the minimum wage to be in line with the Real Living Wage. We will continue to advocate for further support for healthcare students during their studies. We also would’ve liked to have seen more on tackling the costs of basic necessities, raising student maintenance allowances retrospectively to account for almost a decade of real-time cuts, and a student winter fuel allowance. More needs to be done to ensure students have enough money to support them through their studies. Higher educationWhat does the Student Mental Health Manifesto say?
“Our higher education institutions need improved support and investment. The funding model for higher education must be reviewed to ensure the long-term sustainability of the sector without compromising on staff or student wellbeing. Clarity on the roles and responsibilities of universities and statutory health services must be provided to ensure mental health support is delivered appropriately. Continued political and financial support for the University Mental Health Charter should be given to enable these improvements through a whole-university approach. Higher education should be given greater esteem in recognition of its positive contribution to our economy and society rather than being undermined by “culture war” narratives.” What the parties say:
Our thoughts:
These manifestos offer a variety of perspectives around what needs to be done for higher education, but seem to be in consensus that the sector is not in good shape. We’re pleased to see some parties highlight the need for a strong higher education sector which is fully enabled to succeed, which we believe entails adequate funding, an end to the culture wars, and a refocus on quality over “value for money.” e are keen to see more detail as to how the sector can be sustainably funded and how quality higher education will be accessible to all students, without breaking the bank or sacrificing staff welfare. Inclusive healthcare and educationWhat does the Student Mental Health Manifesto say?
“All students should have access to inclusive education and healthcare without facing barriers. The government must urgently improve support for marginalised communities, including trans, international, and disabled students; ensuring university communities are protected from discrimination and hate speech. We’re calling for a long-term commitment to building truly inclusive education and healthcare systems, free from cultural, social and physical barriers.” What the parties say:
Our thoughts:
We note that international students pay far more for their degree, and often pay out of pocket, yet face more barriers to mental health support and academic success. We’re pleased to see some parties begin to recognise this area but would like to see them go further. We would not support a decision to remove the student discount on the Immigration Health Surcharge, and instead believe the surcharge should be removed or reduced further for international students. We are pleased to see multiple parties confirm their pledge to protect the rights of LGBT+ people but note that many LGBT+ students don’t feel safe in their university communities (or society). We want to see more specific measures to tackle discrimination and particularly transphobia across our country. We welcome initiatives to commence ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting, but are also keen to hear what more the parties propose to do to tackle barriers to success faced by racialised and disabled students in healthcare and education. A mentally healthier nationWhat does the Student Mental Health Manifesto say?
“We must move towards a holistic approach to the mental health and wellbeing of the nation, improving support, prevention, and equality. This includes, but is not limited to, early intervention and preventative policies for healthcare, suicide prevention, and embedding mental health and wellbeing into curriculums, to support transitions into and out of higher education. We are calling for the government to improve the state of housing in the country, particularly tenants’ rights in the rental sector, commit to protecting green space and invest in mental health research.” What the parties say:
Our thoughts:
We cannot stress enough the importance of keeping students in mind when designing policy interventions in that sector, so we would like to see more on this pressing topic. However, reforms like the abolition of no-fault evictions and improving energy efficiency in private sector housing will also be accessible to students. We are concerned that students are often disempowered to negotiate with landlords, have lesser financial resources and often move addresses annually, so we would be keen to see what specific housing protections can be afforded them in the next government. We are also encouraged to see multiple mentions of net zero but would urge parties to be ambitious and deliberate in their approach to the climate crisis. Sources and further reading
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Like many, we have watched the unfolding violence in Palestine with great sadness, frustration, and an overwhelming sense of helplessness. In December, we committed to continuing to support students and challenging injustice where we see it. We also expressed our sincere hopes for peace, and are therefore upset and disappointed to be sharing a similar statement six months later.
It is impossible to comprehend the images, videos, and personal testimonies being shared on social media. The extent of the loss and destruction being experienced is devastating, and our thoughts remain with everybody impacted by the events that have taken place on, and since, the 7th October, as well as all who this longstanding conflict has impacted. Many students across the UK care deeply about peace in the Middle East and have chosen to exercise their right to protest. For decades, student movements have truly changed the world and remind us how powerful and influential the student population can be. We support everybody’s right to express their views safely and peacefully. As we reflected in our previous statement, we remain deeply concerned by the sustained increase in antisemitism and Islamophobia being reported on campuses and within student communities. This is unacceptable. Universities should be safe spaces for students to exercise free speech and their right to protest, whilst ensuring no student feels unsafe on campus. Students and staff also have a responsibility to ensure that peaceful protests do not act as an excuse for discrimination and hate speech. During such a difficult and upsetting period, it’s important that we look after ourselves and each other. Social media and the news can feel overwhelming, and it’s ok to switch off sometimes to protect your own wellbeing. If you want to talk, try reaching out to your friends, family, or your university for support. The most important thing is doing what works for you. Along with many students, we stand with the humanitarian community and colleagues across the higher education and charity sectors in supporting calls for an immediate ceasefire and immediate release of all hostages. Support and Community
Reporting incidents of antisemitism or Islamophobia More information
As Nicola Byrom steps down from her role this month as the pioneering force behind Student Minds, it’s with the sincerest respect and gratitude that we reflect on her remarkable journey advocating for student mental health over the last couple of decades.
From our inception, students have been at the centre of everything we have achieved at Student Minds. When we began peer support was viewed with much caution in the sector, but through Nicola’s visionary and authentic leadership we were able to provide safe spaces for people to receive peer support and talk about their experience of eating difficulties at university. Nicola’s leadership with SMaRteN also then allowed us to be more innovative and research-led, driving us to find the best solutions for students and moving us towards the de-stigmatisation and empowerment of students grappling with mental health challenges at university. In 2009, the charity started with just a handful of staff and students. Nicola’s passion and drive has inspired countless individuals to join the cause to a point where we are now at over 30 staff and just under 100 volunteers, and our reach has grown exponentially. Through her tireless work to champion and challenge us at Student Minds and within the health and education sector, we now stand in a position as a sector where we have a much greater understanding of our role in supporting students, as well as university staff mental health. It is safe to say that without Nicola, the sector would not be where it is today, and Student Minds would not be the force for positive and sustainable change that it has become. Beyond Nicola’s professional accomplishments, she has touched the lives of countless individuals during her career providing support and mentorship to many. We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Nicola as founder of this charity; congratulate her for the incredible achievement of Student Minds; and wish her the best as she continues to work on innovative student mental health research, lead SMaRteN as well as various other initiatives. We know you will continue to touch many and be a strong supporter of Student Minds for many more decades. We will endeavour to uphold your legacy by ensuring that no student is held back by their mental health. ![]() The Student Minds Board and Team are delighted to share an update on the appointment of our Interim CEO with all of our supporters. Following our recent recruitment process, we have appointed Yeme Onoabhagbe, who will take on the Interim role from mid January 2024, whilst our CEO Rosie Tressler is on maternity leave. Yeme (she/they) brings a range of relevant experience in both the Higher Education and charity sector. Most recently employed as Associate Director for the Student Transition & Outcomes team at Kings College London, Yeme previously led on events and programmes at Stonewall and she is also a trustee for MindOut, the LGBTQ Mental Health Service. Yeme’s experience with co-production and antiracism work, in developing fundraising partnerships and encouraging digital innovation will be incredibly important at Student Minds in the year ahead. About her appointment, Yeme said “Thank you to the entire Student Minds team for such a positive and warm welcome. I feel incredibly privileged to get the opportunity to support Student Minds in the coming year, at a time of exciting growth and potential for the organisation alongside consolidating a number of important strategic areas. My experience and passion within this sector has made me truly motivated to step into this leadership role and ensure the work of Student Minds continues to support our diverse student communities at a time when mental health and wellbeing support is more important than ever. I look forward to representing the organisation through authentic leadership and compassionate decision-making. To Rosie and the Board, thank you so much for putting your faith in me, I look forward to exceeding your expectations!” About the appointment, Rosie added “I am so pleased to have handed over to Yeme, a values-led leader with real commitment to our cause. Working alongside our talented senior leadership team, wider team and board, I know that Yeme and the charity has a really positive year ahead. I’d also like to thank everyone involved with supporting our search process. Following our Q&A sessions, we received well over a hundred applications, a real credit to the talent available across our sectors and to the incredible networks we are a part of who support us to achieve our goals. I look forward to hearing about how Student Minds continues to develop supported by Yeme’s leadership!” To join us in welcoming Yeme, you can message us on LinkedIn, ‘X’, Instagram or TikTok at @StudentMindsOrg. At Student Minds, we are deeply worried by what’s happening in Israel and Palestine. Extreme acts of violence have been committed by both the proscribed terrorist organisation, Hamas, and the Israeli government. Tens of thousands of innocent lives have been lost with many others injured, sexually assaulted, remaining missing, held hostage, or displaced. The extent of this violence has been incredibly distressing, and many students may be experiencing intense personal and generational trauma. We extend our deepest sympathies to everybody who has been affected.
We are also deeply concerned by the sharp rise in Islamophobia and antisemitism being reported across the UK, including on university campuses. We have heard reports of students feeling afraid to leave their accommodation, attend lectures, and speak with friends about what they are dealing with. No one should experience this. Since the 7th October, the Community Security Trust (CST) has recorded 1,890 antisemitic incidents across the UK, including 140 related to universities. For comparison, in the first six months of 2023, CST recorded just 17 incidents related to universities, and 56 in the whole of 2022. The charity TellMAMA also recorded a total of 895 anti-Muslim cases in the six weeks that followed Hamas’s terror attacks, specifically acknowledging concerns about anti-Muslim language and behaviours at places of education. All of these incidents are unacceptable. Student Minds is committed to supporting all students and challenging discrimination and hate where we see it. Below, we have provided information about where to report incidents of Islamophobia and antisemitism, as well as where you can find more support and information. We sincerely hope for peace in the Middle East and will continue to keep all those impacted in our thoughts. Support and Community
Reporting incidents of antisemitism or Islamophobia More information
ENDS Student Minds and the UPP Foundation are pleased to announce the release of their newest report, Climate Change and Student Mental Health. This report is the latest in a series of our projects supported by the UPP Foundation as part of their ongoing commitment to student mental health and wellbeing.
Uniting two of the most pressing challenges facing the higher education sector, the report explores questions of curriculum design, leadership, behaviour changes, the impact on specific student groups, the role of government and higher education institutions (HEIs), and more. The findings are based on a self-selected survey of students, and semi-structured student focus groups. Selected findings include:
In recent years, increasing attention has been given to the relationship between climate change and mental health in the general population and in young people. Despite this, there is a limited body of evidence exploring this connection for students in UK higher education. More needs to be done. Richard Brabner, Director of the UPP Foundation, said: "This fascinating report illustrates the need for universities to offer students practical and constructive ways for them to tackle climate change and wider environmental issues - not only for the good of the planet - but for their own wellbeing too." “While a lot more research is required looking at the relationship between climate change and mental health, we hope the report sparks an important debate in the sector” Rosie Tressler OBE, Chief Executive Officer at Student Minds, said: “Our vision is that this report is among the first in a growing body of research, establishing how climate change impacts students mentally and emotionally. We identified this knowledge gap in 2022 and were thrilled that the UPP Foundation backed this work. The report is testimony to our shared strategic ambition to understand how global issues affect students. While there is much more to be done, we hope the report has highlighted areas for further inquiry, as well as providing policymakers and universities alike with a starting point to understand and address this connection on a grander scale.” The report will be launched during a webinar hosted by the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) which will take place online on 18th October 2023, from 10:30am-11:30am. Find out more on their website. ENDS Editor’s Notes Student Minds Student Minds is the UK’s student mental health charity. We empower students to build their own mental health toolkit to support themselves and their peers through university life and beyond. We challenge the higher education sector, health sector, and government to make student mental health a priority. Contact: [email protected] Website: https://www.studentminds.org.uk/ The UPP Foundation The UPP Foundation was created in 2016 by University Partnerships Programme (UPP), the leading provider of on campus student accommodation infrastructure and support services in the UK. The UPP Foundation is a registered charity which helps students, graduates and universities fulfil their potential to transform lives and communities through funding pilot projects and hosting a thought leadership platform. Website: https://upp-foundation.org/ Our methodology in brief This research was conducted through a mixed-methods approach, comprising a literature review, a quantitative survey and semi-structured focus group interviews. Eligibility criteria were that participants were current students enrolled at a UK higher education institution, studying within any academic field at any level of study. We had 153 complete survey responses (taking place in February-March 2023) and twelve focus group participants (taking place in December 2022). Participation was incentivised with entry to a draw for shopping vouchers for survey participants and guaranteed voucher rewards for focus group participants. Are you affected by the issues raised in this piece? Student Space, run by Student Minds, is here to help you as you navigate the uncertainty of university life with expert support and wellbeing advice. Whether you’re stressed about your studies, personal life, or if you have concerns about what university life will look like, you don’t have to struggle on your own. Explore their dedicated resources, tips, tools and student stories to find the help you need. Today, we are excited to launch your new university mental health community - the Student Minds’ Hub. The Hub is a place where you can find community, engage with our training and resources, and find out how your university can put student mental health first. We are here to empower you to find the tools, insights and information that you need.
We are currently going through a process of digital transformation to ensure you receive our information in the most effective and accessible way. As part of this transformation, in October 2022 we appointed Simon Brooker as Digital Lead, overseeing the creation of the Hub and strengthening and consolidating our website platforms. Alongside Simon, we have also brought in experts to help manage content and data architecture to ensure our website content is accessible, informative and up-to-date. As a charity we have been running for just over ten years and like lots of small charities, we developed our technology on a shoestring: relying on free platforms, discounts for nonprofits and pro bono consultancy from bigger companies. This helped us to establish and maintain a core website at a low cost. But we also found that our approach to digital was sometimes driven by short-term priorities, rather than a long-term strategic direction. We are excited to be changing this and having a strategic approach to improving our digital technology including our websites. We can’t wait to take you along on the journey! Your online university mental health community At Student Minds, we create and curate resources for you. The Student Minds’ Hub is a place where you can find community, engage with our training and resources, and find out how your university can put student mental health first. Explore our training, the University Mental Health Charter, insights and research. We are here to empower you to find the tools, insights and information that you need. What’s next for the Student Minds’ Hub? We are going to be migrating all of our training support and content across to your Hub by the end of the year. Information on our Training Programmes is available on the Hub, however, we encourage our trainers and associates to please continue to use the original website until further notice. We hope to begin on boarding trainers and associates in late October 2023 and aim to have all our training networks on the Hub by the end of the year. The Hub will also begin developing our insights and reports relating to student wellbeing. Keep your eyes and ears open for this new exciting resource bank coming soon! Next steps - our new primary website We are currently working on building our new primary website, working with students, staff and university communities to user test and develop a website that works for you. We are hoping to share this at the start of next year for you to use. We’re committed to positioning students at the core of our work and have commissioned an industry leader in user research William Joseph - who have also helped us shape our Student Space website to ensure this commitment continues. William Joseph will support us in audience and branding development to ensure our website is structured in a way that provides the best possible user experience for you. We hope to begin building the new website at the start of 2024 with the launch in early spring. We can’t wait to share it with you all. Access your Hub today Explore the Hub by signing up today and discover community, engage with training and resources and find out how your university can put student mental health first. If you have any difficulties registering, make sure to get in touch and we will be happy to help. Let’s improve university communities so that every student gets the mental health support they need to reach their goals. Together, we can ensure no student is held back by their mental health. Today is an exciting day - the day we launch our new 10-year strategy, vision and mission. Working with you, we’ve brought together our supporters, students and higher education professionals to put our new bold strategy in place and we can’t wait to work together to achieve it.
Over the past year we've been developing our new messaging and presenting our new vision and 10-year strategy to you. We recognised that after 10 years our messaging had become inconsistent and we have been working hard to articulate our ambition in a clearer way for you. We have a clear vision: No student should be held back by their mental health. Our mission is to improve university communities so that every student gets the mental health support they need to reach their goals. Academic pressure, money worries, loneliness. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed at university. Around one in four students report having a diagnosed mental health issue while at university. Navigating identity, discrimination and global concerns can all make student life even tougher. We want every student to have the mental health support they need to reach their goals. We know this is a bold ambition, and that’s why we’ve put a bold strategy in place to achieve it. At Student Minds, we commit to:
We’ll do this by focusing on:
You can read more about our ten-year strategy to improve university communities, how we are going to do it and the change that we want to see on our website here. You can also sign up for our newsletter or follow us on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook and TikTok for regular updates on how we are working towards our bold ambitions. We’ve already made great strides in improving university communities over the past 10 years and we’re immensely proud of our team and achievements to date. But there’s more to do and we’re energised to do it. Thank you for your ongoing support, we hope you’ll support us on this journey. And if you can, please do consider donating or asking your organisation to support us, to help us get there together. Together we can ensure no student is held back by their mental health. At Student Minds, we are delighted to celebrate the second wave of institutions who put themselves forward for the University Mental Health Charter Award assessments. Pursuing the Award is a statement of a university's commitment to improvement and development of better practice in university mental health.
In Autumn 2019, we published the University Mental Health Charter (UMHC) after a year of development alongside thousands of students and members of staff across the country. With a focus on a whole university approach, the Charter sets out a number of principles of good practice to help universities to prioritise the mental health and wellbeing of their communities. Then in 2020, we launched the University Mental Health Charter Programme, a place for university members to come together, share good practice and receive guidance in applying for the Award. Institutions are able to apply for the Award assessment process at any stage while a member of the programme. To date the majority of universities on the programme are still to start their assessment process. With over 60 Universities commiting to creating cultural change in this year’s programme, we are excited that a number of these universities have been through the Award process and we are able to announce the first group of universities to achieve Award status. Applications for the Award are assessed by a team of peer assessors with expertise and extensive experience of working and studying in the sector. Each Assessment Team contains qualified clinicians, higher education academics, professionals, and students. The UMHC award assessment is a robust process of evaluation aimed at:
Following the assessment, every university is provided with a detailed report highlighting good and excellent practice and recommending further actions each university can take to continue to improve their whole university approach. Gaining a Charter Award is a recognition of the journey universities have travelled so far, in developing their approach to mental health and wellbeing. We are pleased to announce that the following universities have received the Award this time round:
Explore the University Mental Health Charter website to see which other universities have achieved the Award. These awards are a demonstration of genuine commitment, hard work and investment on the part of these universities and the staff and students who have worked together to reach this milestone. They can be rightly proud of their achievements to date. It is important to note that achieving an Award is a symbol of progress, it does not mean that those receiving an Award are perfect, or that every student or member of staff will have good experiences within that institution yet. Those receiving their Award today, are doing so because they have made an ongoing commitment to continual improvement and have been able to demonstrate significant and genuine progress towards a whole university approach, in line with the Charter Framework. To maintain their Awards or to achieve a higher level award, all of these institutions will have to continue to build on this progress. There is work still to be done. There is also still work to be done across the sector. There are two higher levels of Award (merit and distinction), which no university has yet achieved. We look forward to the day when we announce the first universities to gain these levels of award. Congratulations to these institutions. We are proud of everything they have achieved and the hard work they will do to create change and improve the mental health and wellbeing of their student and staff communities. Thank you to everyone who made the assessment process possible. The Charter Programme is gradually ensuring we are all speaking the same shared language on mental health as a sector and building a shared vision for the future. Want to join the University Mental Health Charter Programme? Find out more on our website. We are delighted to announce that we have received a grant of £8,000 from the Charlie Watkins Foundation to support the ongoing development of Student Space.
Student Space, originally launched in August 2020, was developed to support students through the Coronavirus pandemic. Thanks to a further three years of funding from the Office for Students and Higher Education Funding Council for Wales, we have been able to continue the site and adapt it to support students through the uncertainty of university life with written advice and information, direct support and student stories. The Charlie Watkins Foundation was founded in memory of Charlie who was only 22 when he took his life in March 2017. Sadly, Charlie never recovered from the tragic loss of his mother when he was only nine years old. Charlie is one of many young people who have suffered from mental health challenges, and the Charlie Watkins Foundation, which is managed by Essex Community Foundation, aims to raise funds for partners of the Foundation to better support young people who struggle with their mental health and well-being Tim Watkins, founder of the Charlie Watkins Foundation said: “The Charlie Watkins Foundation is delighted to be supporting Student Minds in this initiative. The development of the Student Space University directory will provide vital support for students whilst continuing our work in "SMASHING THE SIGMA” surrounding mental health issues suffered by many young people today.” Developed in collaboration with students, service providers and higher education professionals, Student Space currently comprises several support elements including advice and information, student stories and direct support services. The funding provided by Charlie Watkins Foundation will be used towards further developing our university support search tool, allowing us to expand the service even further to include more institutions from across the UK, in particular institutions in Northern Ireland and Scotland,. Rosie Tressler, CEO at Student Minds said: “Through Student Space we have reached over 440,000 people to date, providing support for students in need. We welcome the support from the Charlie Watkins Foundation, alongside our other funding partners, to help us continue to ensure that no student is held back by their mental health. It’s clear that despite the end of the pandemic, students are continuing to struggle, with current worries around money, loneliness and exam stress. Together we can ensure that Student Space continues to make support for students even more accessible to those in need” To date over 75,000 students have accessed our search tool, so we are excited to be able to offer support to even more students who need it. Want to know what support is available at your university? Use our Student Space search tool to find out now. We will be updating the directory over the next few months so if your university’s information is not currently available, please direct them to [email protected] and we can support them in adding the information required. Do you need or know of someone in need of support? Student Space is here to help you through the challenges of university life. |
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June 2024
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