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We’re aware of the challenges a university environment can bring to staff and student mental health alike. Moving away from support networks for the first time, academic pressure, financial worries, rising debt and the uncertainty of the graduate job market can all trigger mental ill health or worsen existing mental health issues in students. Long working hours, a culture of overwork, isolation, and increasing pressures from league tables means that stress and burnout is common from PhD students to vice-chancellors.
78% of students reported experiencing mental health issues in a given year – but less than half had sought support
66% of academics with mental health issues say their ill health is directly related to work
Our Higher Education Mental Health First Aid (MHFA®) courses are for everyone who works or studies in a university environment. You will gain the skills and confidence to spot the signs of mental health issues, offer first aid and guide someone towards the support they need. In doing so, you can speed up recovery and stop a mental health issue from getting worse.
Our courses won’t teach you to be a therapist, but we will teach you to listen, reassure and respond, even in a crisis - and even potentially stop a crisis from happening.
But more than that, our courses aim to give you the information and skills to look after your own mental health, promote positive wellbeing and raise awareness in the people around you. By giving you the tools to have these conversations, we hope to empower you to create a mentally healthy, supportive environment in your university.
Let’s create a future where we all know how to look after our own mental wellbeing, so preventable issues don’t arise in the first place. A future where everyone has access to support if they need it.
*Please note that the Mental Health First Aiders and Mental Health Aware courses are not bespoke to a university environment. They have been designed for everyone in the general adult population.
We strive to create courses and resources that everyone can access. When you book onto a course through the MHFA England website, please fill in the ‘Accessibility requirements’ section of the booking form and tell us what you need to access the course venue and materials.
Visit our accessibility page for more information.
Take a look at our free downloadable resources for a mentally healthy university including the facts on student and staff mental health and a ready-to-use framework to support wellbeing. See resources for universities.