Supporting Students Through Transitions to Enhance Mental Wellbeing
Mental health is becoming an increasing concern across the higher education sector: a 2022 report by Randstad found that 7 in 10 students have either been diagnosed with a long-term mental health condition, are experiencing a short-term mental health condition, or think they may have an undiagnosed condition. Universities are under pressure to do more to support students but with limited resources and growing demand, delivering impactful, evidence-based interventions can be challenging.
Yet promoting positive student mental health is more than simply providing reactionary assistance and crisis management for students in critical conditions; it also involves enhancing the general wellbeing of the student body through a range of universal interventions. To do this, it’s necessary to identify areas in which students are likely to experience poor or worsened mental health.
A study by the Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR) found that the various transitions in the student lifecycle can have significant outcomes for an individual’s sense of belonging and wellbeing. These transitions include:
Transition from school to university
Transition between academic levels, courses or modes of study
Transition into placement or taking a break from studies
Transition into graduate life
Transition between support services, such as those provided by the university and by healthcare providers
Supporting students through these transitions can help to build resilience and ensure they have the skills, knowledge and resources to maintain their wellbeing. In this article, we explore several interventions being carried out successfully across the sector. These examples highlight innovative ways in which practitioners are adapting to meet the needs of a diverse student population.
Providing Enhanced Academic Support
Research has shown that attainment and mental wellbeing are intimately linked; students experiencing poor mental health are less likely to achieve academically, whereas those struggling with academic work are more likely to suffer negative impacts to their mental health.
So, supporting students in their academic work can enhance their mental wellbeing. Universities can do this by allocating resources to training opportunities that will provide students with the necessary skillsets to confidently undertake their studies.
The transition into university has been a key focus for practitioners and many institutions have adopted interventions to support students through this. However, this is not the only transition that can be academically challenging for students; changes in academic level, course or mode of study can also be significant.
There are many institutions successfully delivering this kind of support. Some approaches might include:
Running residential programmes to support incoming students from disadvantaged backgrounds, such as the The Brilliant Club x Trinity College Transition Project
Providing training and resources on relevant skills, such as digital literacy, essay writing and managing workload
Ensuring students are offered sufficient re-induction sessions when transitioning between levels of study
Using data from online learning tools to monitor student engagement and identify those who might be at risk of poor mental health. The University of East Anglia’s Student Academic Engagement Process is a great example of how this can be implemented effectively.
Offering additional academic support beyond the curriculum, like the University of Oxford’s Fridays@2 programme – a series of maths seminars aimed undergraduate and masters’ students, which supports them to build their subject knowledge and explore career options
Offering a variety of assessment options that meet the needs and skills of a diverse student body to reduce stress and anxiety around exams. The University of Warwick worked with students to co-design alternative end-of-course projects that allowed students to explore creativity, which has been shown to have positive outcomes for mental wellbeing.
Projects such as these take a holistic approach to mental health and educational outcomes. This can improve attainment while also having beneficial outcomes for mental wellbeing by bolstering academic confidence and equipping students with a sense of autonomy, independence and competence.
Maintaining Contact with Off-Campus Students
Serious concerns have been raised about the mental health of students undertaking placements or spending time away from university. Being separated from the institution and having to navigate new scenarios and social situations, such as places of work, can trigger distress and have negative impacts on wellbeing.
One way universities can mitigate these impacts is by maintaining contact with these students while they are away from the institution. Speaking to students to understand what kind of support would work best for them is crucial.
De Montfort University implemented a pre-departure panel session for outgoing placement students on their Audiology programme. The panels include representatives from academic staff and alumni, as well as mental health practitioners. Students reported feeling able to form connections with other students as a result of the panels, which facilitated peer support.
The University of Greenwich took an alternative approach to supporting their nursing students on placement. In addition to the mentors assigned to students in the university and place of work, they introduced a designated year lead. The lead would send weekly emails with announcements and reminders, which celebrated the personal achievements and milestones of individual students. The initiative worked to foster a sense of community and connection to the institution, thereby nurturing student wellbeing.
A similar approach could be adapted for students who are taking a break from their studies due to personal reasons or to distance learners. These students would also benefit from being signposted to digital mental health resources, be that guidance or counselling sessions online.
You may also consider ways of supporting graduating students. Navigating working life can be a difficult transition for students and very few manage to secure their dream role immediately after leaving university.
You might consider:
Extending careers guidance to graduating students and allowing them to use university careers platforms to explore opportunities and connect with alumni.
Running networking events for alumni to empower them to build a sense of community, feel connected to their institution and explore career opportunities.
Offering Transition Support Resources
In addition to targeted initiatives, it is also important to have a bank of resources that students can rely on to help them navigate transitions. These resources should address mental health directly, in addition to being well signposted and easily accessible.
You might:
Direct students to resources before arrival, such as Student Minds' ‘Know Before You Go’ handbook
Publish a Transition Toolkit on your website. The University of Bath has a dedicated webpage, which invites incoming students to take a quiz and receive personalised guidance based on the results. Similarly, the Oxford has a Transition Support hub which offers resources such as guides, podcasts and videos covering all kinds of transitions and contains direct links to wellbeing services and support.
Create resources for teachers to help them support students through transitions and identify students at risk of suffering poor mental health, like Imperial College London’s guidance for personal tutors or Oxford’s resource hub, which includes tips for teaching staff based on the outcomes of a student internship scheme.
Provide dedicated sessions to help students build resilience and improve their mental health, which should be flexible and accessible. London South Bank University’s “Navigating Challenging Times” initiative saw sessions offered across an extended period of times. Academics were also encouraged to embed the sessions into student timetables.
Ensuring Fluidity and Communication between Service Providers
A commonly cited pitfall in mental health support provision in higher education is ineffective communication with key external organisations, such as the NHS. Ensuring fluidity can be difficult, especially given the limited resources of mental health services across the country.
However, students who are suffering with mental illness may have to undergo a significant transition: the transition from accessing university support to NHS services and vice versa.
The Office for Students recently funded a number of initiatives at institutions which could provide a solid evidence base for future approaches.
The University of Liverpool worked with regional partners to develop an integrated model of support for student mental health, with the aim of streamlining referral pathways and developing shared protocols for risk management. To do this, they offered two services: a series of therapeutic interventions for students who self-harm and the development of a Student Liaison Service. The latter developed essential links between the university and NHS services, allowing for more consistent and effective feedback.
Alternatively, the University of West England attempted to build local partnerships between universities, the NHS and student unions. Their Bristol Hub brought together professionals from universities and NHS primary and secondary mental health services to address solving structural and operational issues and co-create more effective referral pathways.
Research has also shown that having an NHS-qualified mental health practitioner on campus can be beneficial for liaison between the institution and the healthcare provider.
Next Steps for Practitioners
The examples in this blog article highlight some of the innovative work professionals are doing to enhance student mental health in creative and effective ways. By focusing on transitions, practitioners can provide support to students when they need it most and equip them with the skills to navigate challenging times.
Practitioners might consider 4 key questions as the main takeaway from this article:
How can we increase academic support to enhance mental wellbeing?
How can we foster connections between the institution, its students, its staff and alumni?
What kind of wellbeing resources are most useful to individuals at different stages in the student journey?
How can we improve our collaboration with external organisations to support students suffering poor mental health?
