1. 12S: Promoting Mental Health and Well Being with Colleges and Universities in Lothian
Lothian Mental Health and Well Being Team
Rachel King

2. Who are we working with?
Working in 12 Settings- 6 Colleges, 6 Universities (now 9)
Students plus staff= 75,000 people in Lothian (full time; part-time; access)= 9% Lothian’s population, and rising
Differences in population in each setting
Over 70 countries are represented- much higher than BME for Scotland
Ages 14 to 90+

3. Project Aims
Raise awareness of mental health and well being within college/ university settings
Increase partnership working and understanding
Develop expertise to deliver and facilitate training and education
Extend and develop networks within and across agency boundaries
Share learning within and beyond Lothian

4. Small Grant Scheme Round 1
Easter Bush Veterinary Centre: Counselling Services for veterinary students
Offer access to the student counselling service for the veterinary students at UoE
Oatridge College, Physical Activity Supporting Mental Health and Wellbeing Programme
Implement programme of activities that will improve the mental and physical health and well-being of both Oatridge’s residential and non-residential student body and staff.

5. Small Grant Scheme Round 1
University of Edinburgh : Development of web based resource for staff around mental health and wellbeing
Provide a comprehensive and easily accessible health promotion web portal for UoE staff-
Raise the profile of health promotion in UoE. The website is user focussed and provides information in a user friendly format.
Heriot Watt University Information on Self-Harm
Resource about self-harm targeted specifically at students.
Produced a new resource that is accessible, informative and helpful to students in Edinburgh who are concerned about self harm
Improved students’ knowledge about how to access further advice, information and support services about self harm.
Improved staff understanding of how to support students

6. Small Grant Scheme Round 1
Heriot Watt University International Students Mental Health Needs and Services
Improve routes into support services for international students at Heriot-Watt University and Edinburgh College of Art
Identify the barriers for international students in accessing information and support around mental health
Developed and implemented an information resource (and appropriate method of dissemination) to help to address these barriers
Edinburgh College: Settings Approach to Mental Health and Wellbeing
Create opportunities for a mentally healthy workplace- staff training (50 staff trained)
Signed see me pledge and created action plan
Raise awareness-ongoing- in student population of mental health/ wellbeing

7. Small Grant Scheme Round 2
Built on the learning and outcomes from the 12S Pilot
Focused on:
building partnerships; developing networks; training and capacity building; settings approach; senior buy-in;
highlighting wellbeing
Seven Projects at six settings funded- max cost per project £3,000

8. Small Grant Scheme Round 2
Experiences of students with disabilities-development of podcasts
University of Edinburgh Disability Service created podcasts with students and staff talking about what supports their mental health
Experiences of students with disabilities- development of training and resources
Heriot-watt University implemented a programme of training, developed with SAMH to increase awareness and knowledge of the issues faced by students with disabilities.

9. Small Grant Scheme Round 2
Student Experience- one week of mental health action
Queen Margaret University Student Union delivered a week of events and workshops to raise awareness of mental health and wellbeing
Student Experience- Stories of Recovery
Edinburgh College developed events focused on hearing people’s experiences of mental health problems and the tools, resources and journeys of recovery

10. Small Grant Scheme Round 2
Resource Development- exam stress for non-traditional students
Heriot-Watt University developed a leaflet and resource to support students from a variety of backgrounds at exam time
Training and Capacity Building- training for trainers
Oatridge campus, SRUC, developed a programme of activity for residential students and had training programme delivered concurrently for staff

11. Challenges for Small Grant Projects
Changes in personnel
Changes in structure
Taking a settings approach
Timescales and deadlines
Look small on the page, loom large in the projects..!

12. Themes of Small Grant Projects
Inequalities- range and reach was different, but realisation of need was key to all projects
Use of people’s experience and own understanding
Taking a settings approach
Linked themes through all the projects-
Building capacity in-house
Building partnerships and relationships
Linking with third sector agencies, using local health care agencies

13. Our Approach for All Areas
Building networks
Strengthening partnerships and joint working
Building capacity
Sharing practice/ look at challenges
Being a resource across the settings
Small grants scheme

14. Heriot-Watt and 12 settings: five projects
Mental health of international students
Self harm: development of guidelines for frontline staff
Online tools: ‘Overcoming Bulimia Online’
The impact of disability on student mental health: increasing awareness and developing resources for academic staff
Exam stress packs

15. International students
The identification of barriers and solutions for international students in accessing information and support around mental health
To develop and implement an information resource (and appropriate method of dissemination) to help to address these barriers, and
To improve the knowledge of signs and symptoms of mental health difficulties at a university level

16. New resources developed
Key findings: Sense of isolation and not knowing how to get help Often no previous history of mental health difficulty Pressure to succeed combined with family expectation and culture shock were key triggers Perception of being afraid to ask for help and not knowing the words to use Different health systems/ support services Documentary developed by students ‘Breaking isolation’ now integrated into student induction and web info
Z card stress help

17. Stress help
It deals with explaining the UK system, which was seen as very complicated and aims to encourage students to seek support if they are experiencing mental health difficulties

18. Development of a training and awareness programme for academic mentors on the impact of disability on students' mental health
raise awareness and understanding of the relationship between disability and mental health
provide training for academic mentors and other staff to enable improved support to disabled students, including spotting signs of distress and appropriate referral protocols
promote understanding and responsiveness to the needs of disabled students

19. Outcomes
The project and research has helped shape the key messages: You’re already doing most of this – we’re just helping you to do it a bit better and know that there is support available to you and to the students Simple needs for students: o To be understood o To be responded to o To use appropriate language o To be responsible and give the right referral advice

22. Exam stress guide
The project and research has helped shape the key messages: You’re already doing most of this – we’re just helping you to do it a bit better and know that there is support available to you and to the students Simple needs for students: o To be understood o To be responded to o To use appropriate language o To be responsible and give the right referral advice

23. The University of Edinburgh
Jacquie Nicholson,
Mental Health Advisor
Student Disability Service
University of Edinburgh

24. 12s project grant Student voices and experiences What helped
Being a student is a period of development with considerable challenges. If you have a mental health condition this can present additional difficulties.
Equality Act 2010
Support available
Where do you go?
Who do you speak to?

25. Common pressures Achievement and academic success
Don’t talk about difficulties
Project builds on the success factors identified in the 12S evaluation report 2012:
mental health ‘champions’ high profile staff and students in the University of Edinburgh, presenting opportunities to promote mental health and well-being as an important part of student life, and
to reduce stigma experienced by students with mental health conditions through the creation of openness in talking about mental health and well-being

26. aims
To develop mental health promotion and wellbeing and, build partnerships with colleagues in the University.
To raise awareness about the mental health and well-being of University of Edinburgh students
To increase disclosure from students with mental health conditions who are studying at Edinburgh

27. Reduce stigma
To reduce the stigma experienced by students with a mental health condition

28. Positive messages
To reduce the stigma experienced by students with a mental health condition
To support the promotion of a number of positive messages about mental health and well-being in practice in the University
To identify a number of academic ‘champions’ in a range of Schools in the University.

29. short films/podcasts Electronic Resource
Enhanced podcasts are a simple but effective multi-media format for creating words and pictures.
Available 24/7
Made by students for students

30. Internationally available
Available anywhere

31. by students for students
Jess
Matt
Ellie
Vlad
Lucy
Real students share experiences
Challenging stigma
Illustrating success

32. Jess

33.
The films were edited and introduced by the Rector in 2014 Peter McCall mental health champion Flyers produced for Fresher's week with link to the videos

35. Aiming to build on previous success….
Review original aims
Reflect on what has worked well and been achieved
Review most recent event

36. Aims of the event
To develop the template for a sustainable educational resource which will increase the setting’s ability to tackle mental health issues
To increase awareness across college students and staff of the impact of mental health difficulties, using lived experience
To contribute towards the creation of an inter campus Mental Health Working Group Network during the period leading up to and throughout the 3 college merger
To strengthen existing links with external agencies such as SeeMe Scotland, Scottish Recovery Network, LGBT Health and Wellbeing and explore new partnership opportunities

37. The experience – Stories of Recovery
Welcoming, relaxed ambience – positive energy
Enough space – 5 tables where volunteer participants based themselves
Managing the flow – moving round
Support for participants and attendees

38. Positive outcomes
Great feedback – evidence of attitude shift/respect for peoples’ experience and courage
Focus for cross campus relationship building
Partnership between new college and new student association
Start of a new thread to be continued…..

39. 2015 event
Widening range of participants (eg b-eat Young Ambassadors, CAPS as well as Health in Mind, Veterans First Point)
Modelled on previous successful template of using restaurant / café space
However…
Pitfall of unfamiliar campus to main organising team
Wrong time of day / academic year
Too fearful?
Undaunted and encouraged!

40. 12S: Promoting Mental Health and Well Being with Colleges and Universities in Lothian
Lothian Mental Health and Well Being Team
Rachel King

41. any questions