Interview with the CEO of Student Minds

What is 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 advocate across the higher education sector, health sector, and government to make student mental health a priority.   The charities aim is to improve university communities so that every student gets the mental health support they need to reach their goals. To find out more information please visit student minds. Scape are proud to work with Student Minds.

What is Student Minds focus?

Student Minds is uniquely focussed on helping to develop health university communities. I think our values say a lot about how we do this. We endeavour to be empowering, innovative, collaborative and courageous! We're applying this to the three levels we work at: student led approaches, strategic support to organisations to achieve a whole university approach and tackling some of the greatest national challenges. It is a group of wonderful people who make this come to life though - we're made up of a staff team and hundreds of students and professionals across the UK that want to be part of a community effort for our university communities to thrive.

How can students ensure they stay positive during their time at university?

I see it as trying to become an expert in my own mind - we all have off days, but I know that when I pro-actively go out for a walk, catch up with a friend and build in time to see a play or concert I feel better equipped for what life throws at me. There are things we can all do to look after our mental health, some of the key fundamentals:

1.  Spending time with people

2. Having a good sleep routine

3. Regular exercise

4. Eating well

5. Doing things you enjoy

  Discover some of Scape top tips to improve your mental health & ways to stay healthy physically and mentally. 

What advice would you give to students struggling with their mental health?

Firstly I would say you're not alone. Lots of people at some stage during their life struggle with their mental health, it is more common than you think. Speak to someone else. Sometimes a chat with a friend can help muster up the courage to pick up the phone to services and see your GP or put other support such as tacking therapies or peer support in place. Also think about the basics and making small steps - sleeping, eating, exercise, seeing friends, keeping up with things you enjoy as much as you can. Seeking help is a sign of strength. It will get better. In universities there is a lot of different support on offer from counselling, to mentoring and study skills support so it's important to remember that if the first thing you try isn't quite right for you, that's OK - you can try something else.