University of East Anglia joins University Mental Health Charter
By: Communications
The University of East Anglia (UEA) is pleased to have joined the University Mental Health Charter.
The Charter Programme, run by UK student mental health charity Student Minds, recognises universities that are committed to making mental health and wellbeing a university-wide priority, to share best practice and create cultural change.
UEA Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Student Education and Experience Prof Emma Sutton Pavli said: “We have made a commitment to improving access, enriching learning and creating a supportive, inclusive culture for our students and staff.
“Every student deserves the opportunity to succeed and reach their goals. Our Access and Participation Plan, which outlines how we will improve opportunities for those students traditionally less likely to enter higher education, highlights our ongoing work to deliver successful outcomes for students who have declared a disability.
“The University Mental Health Charter shows that we support all in our community.”
Joining the University Mental Health Charter is one of the key objectives identified in UEA’s new Student Education and Experience Strategy and supports its wider Strategy2030 priorities.
A number of projects are already under way across UEA to support best practice under the Charter.
For staff, a network of Wellbeing Ambassadors - staff volunteers who represent and promote employee mental health and wellbeing – has been set up.
The Wellbeing Ambassadors help reduce stigma by raising the profile of good mental health and wellbeing practises amongst colleagues within their department or school, normalise the conversation around mental health, signpost colleagues to wellbeing resources and ensure that wellbeing is on the team agenda.
Students at UEA have access to a wide range of support services, and by signing up to the Student Minds University Mental Health Charter, we are committed to further enhancing this provision.
UEA’s Student Services team works closely with both students and staff to enhance the understanding of mental health and its impact on student well-being. This includes training the university community to recognize signs of distress, provide appropriate support, and refer individuals to the right resources or support.
Existing services, such as the Residential Life team offering out-of-hours support for students in university accommodation, mental health awareness workshops for all first-year students, and one-on-one sessions with specialist well-being advisers and therapists, will remain in place. By joining the charter, we reinforce our commitment to embedding mental health support throughout the UEA community.
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