AUB & BU explored

Jim Andrews, Chief Operating Officer of Bournemouth University, told Buzz News earlier this year that he was 'proud to work for an organisation that places such importance on the health of its community. What’s really positive is that more people are able to talk about their mental health.'  

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In the last academic year 3,413 Bournemouth University students accessed specific mental health support: more than a fourfold increase on the 793 doing so in 2015/16. Despite that increase some students said they still weren't necessarily aware of what support was available and encouraged the university to be more proactive in highlighting such services.

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Rachele, a third year student at Bournemouth University, said she feels the increase isn't necessarily a bad thing:

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"It's a normal thing given all the deadlines, and the pandemic, there's been a lot of stress so it doesn't surprise me but I do strongly believe they should publish these statistics to their students. As a student it's very important to know what they''re doing and if it's going to help us. I want those statistics to be shown because (the University) should be proud of what they're doing so if they're not (publishing the statistics) it can feel like they're hiding something."

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Charlie, a multimedia journalism student at BU, said: "With the pandemic and various strikes, students have had a tougher time than normal and the level of support hasn't matched that. A more friendly relationship between student and university would probably be better in (helping a) student reach out if they needed to."

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Jessica, a final year student at AUB, said she felt universities weren't striking the right balance when it came to assignments and mental wellbeing: "I think it would be nicer if (mental health) was talked about more even if it's over and over again., I feel like there isn't really the support there: it's just get on with the work you've been given and just deal with it basically."

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Those thoughts were shared by Jade, in her first year at AUB, who said: "I feel as if the stress and pressure for myself came out of nowhere: the course wasn't moving and then all of a sudden we had three deadlines chucked on us."

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AUB declined to provide a representative for interview and didn't respond to further requests for a written response.

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Kerry-Ann Randle, Bournemouth University's Head of Student Support and Wellbeing, was keen to emphasise that more students accessing services demonstrated how the university was able to proactively reach out to more students.

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"We've worked really hard at raising awareness of the support available for students, not just with students but with academics, catering staff, cleaning staff, so the fact it's increased I'm secretly pleased about. Not secretly, I'm very pleased about and that's because it would indicate to me that we are getting to students earlier and we're getting the support that students need, when they need it, (so that is) only a good thing in my eyes."

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