What the students say...

Charlotte P, University of Portsmouth

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Charlotte was a student at the University of Portsmouth between 2018 and 2021, having graduated this summer. Whilst Charlotte never accessed mental health support herself, she spoke to the documentary about the experiences her friends had and more generally around signposting to services. 

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"It was hard to know how to access student support because it wasn't really signposted to us throughout the year. We got the odd bit of information in an email but, to be honest, (the University) would spam us with all sorts of emails so it was often skimmed over. I don't remember ever being told, by our lecturers, how to access help unless you really went out of your way."

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Dr Denise Meyer, Director of Wellbeing at the University of Portsmouth, said: "We definitely are much more proactive than we used to when staff (raise concerns). We are encouraging staff to tell us that and then we proactively reach out so where's there's hesitancy we are trying to find way to overcome those barriers of people's hesitancy around coming forward (for support)."

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Rachele, Bournemouth University

Bournemouth University recorded the third largest five-year increase in students accessing mental health services , with 3,413 students engaging in support in 2020/21. Rachele, into her third year at the University, said those figures were 'not a surprise' but said she didn't think it was altogether a bad thing that more students were accessing support.

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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 are 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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Callum, University of Reading

 

Into his third year at the University of Reading, Callum has accessed support services since becoming a student in September 2018. Callum, who we hear from in the documentary, has struggled with depression since secondary school: he tried to take his own life on a number of occasions but highlighted Reading's proactive approach to mental health support as providing him with a level of stability and reassurance throughout his studies.

 

Outside of university Callum has volunteered with the Samaritans and so offers a unique perspective on support having been engaged with both sides of the services.

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"I think overall I've had good experiences with the support systems and the support coordinators. The welfare team have been absolutely fantastic with me. (I've had) a welfare officer for a couple of years and the regular check-ins, just seeing how I'm doing, have been really beneficial."

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However Callum added a note of caution around the wider accessibility of services:

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"There's that bit of doubt in my mind that says there are many, many more students out there that don't know they can access the services or are too scared to and they're going through it alone."

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Lauren, Bournemouth University

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Lauren started her degree at Bournemouth University in September 2021: she has previously accessed external support services in her home town. Talking about her experiences within the first term at BU, Lauren said:

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"It's not as inclusive as college or sixth form. The university wouldn’t be the first place I would go to access help mentally. It would be a professional or through the NHS because I feel like they’ll take me more seriously, rather than a figure or a number to add to their performance statistics. At the moment (December 2021) I'm not even sure how to access the support or where on the campus it is."

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Kerry-Ann Randle, Bournemouth University's Head of Student Support and Wellbeing said: "The approach we've taken over the past couple of years is helping students in how to access services. We have adopted four pillars of wellbeing... and the idea of that is that students get to the right area of support in the most efficient way possible. All of our webpages and all of our services come under those four areas of wellbeing. I think that's helped students know where to look, it has helped academics in how to signpost and all that has probably led to an increase in numbers."

 

Maddie, Arts University Bournemouth

 

Maddie is one of 6.3% of University students to leave their studies prior to graduation (equivalent to 159,540 students in 2019/20, the last year for which data is available). Maddie started studying at AUB having previously completed a foundation year, and had brief interactions with the uni support and engagement team.

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Reflecting on the data that showed AUB had recorded the second largest proportion of students accessing mental health support, in 2020/21, Maddie said:

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"I think knowing that, would have made a difference as to whether I chose to go to that uni. I also do think they should publish those statistics as university is already a mentally challenging place to be: to no longer be with your family and your friends, to live alone for the first time and the stress of the financial aspect are already challenging enough let alone if you’re going to uni already feeling mentally not very well. Considering we pay £9,250 a year I think it’s inhumane how little money is put into mental health services for students."

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AUB declined to comment but declared expenditure of £169,872 on 'student mental health services' in 2020/21. 

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