Keele University Launches the 'Start to Success’ Project
The Start to Success project was officially launched at Keele University on January 28th, 2020. Staff from across Keele and Staffordshire Universities presented research on new and innovative approaches to student mental health and wellbeing.
Topics included targeting specific, vulnerable target groups such as Foundation Year students, Pharmacy students and Law students. Other talks covered innovative interventions and initiatives such as crafternoons and convivial dawdling.
Keele’s Head of Student Services, Katie Laverty, and Start to Success NHS Liaison Project Officer, Deb Boughey presented on the changes and challenges of student mental health and an overview of the Start to Success project. Psychologist Dr Julie Hulme, School Director of Education at Keele University and Co-Chair of Teaching in Higher Education Network at Keele (THiNK), presented a keynote talk on Mental health and wellbeing in higher education: A whole community issue?
Keele University’s Pro Vice-Chancellor for Health and Wellbeing and Executive Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Professor Pauline Walsh, opened the event and said: “The wellbeing of our students is paramount and mental health is a strong institutional priority for us at Keele. We are excited to be leading this project with the support of Staffordshire and to be working in partnership with regional colleges and NHS partners. This project could have a transformative impact not only on the wellbeing and mental health of our students but on the education sector nationally. We’re delighted to launch and lead this project which will complement Keele’s dedicated specialist student support services of which I’m already very proud of.”
The afternoon featured a ‘carousel’ session whereby delegates could move around a room of stalls interacting with speakers, partners and student groups about student mental health and wellbeing in more detail. One interactive stall featured a crafternoon style activity where delegates were encouraged to take a break and craft.