INVADERS POST VIDEOGAME

Look After Your Mate!

University of Salford and Student Minds

This Guide

Aim

Whilst there are many challanges and barriers to overcome, student mental health has developed a higher profile and focus on a national, regional and local level. For universities, this aknowledgement of the scale of the challenge is developing a support structure that will begin to address these issues in tandem with the NHS, Councils and the wider society

Increasing the skills and confidence required to support a friend who is experiencing difficulties

Visions

University of Salford:

"To have students at the centre of all interventions to improve student mental health"

Student Minds:

"An institution in which we are confident in supporting our own mental wellbeing and each other, accessing services when needed"

Four

The Facts

Female first year students are more likley than males first year students to disclose a mental health condition (2.5% compared to 1.4%)

One

75% of mental health problems are establised by the age of 25

What We Will Cover?

Two

3.7% of all UK UCAS applicants declared a mental health condition in their application to study in 2020 - up from 0.7% in 2011

The Signs How to Empathies How to Talk to Your Mate Where to Signpost Understanding Boundaries

Three

75% of student respondents with experience of mental health difficulties had disclosed to a fellow student

Significant Changes

The Signs

Have there been significant changes in their eating habits? (eating more or less than usual) if you're living with your mates have their eating habits changed?

Withdrawn

Have they become more withdrawn then usual? Have mates started to be quiet and are not concentrating on work etc?

Not Taking Care of Themselves

Have they not been taking care of themselves recently? Are they a little unkempt? Not looking after themselves

Avoiding Social Interactions

Lethargic or Preoccupied

Have they been avoiding social interactions or events? Do your mates not get involved in WhatsApp group chats, do they text less then they did, have they had minimal presence on social media than usual?

Do they seem lethargic or preoccupied? If you're living with your mates do they seem lethargic and preoccupied

Change in How they Speak

Cried A lot

Have they cried a lot recently? Have you heard mates/housemates cry recently?

Have you noticed a change in how they speak (rapidly, incoherently or slowly) or what they are saying ("I can't go on like this")? This can be during WhatsApp chats, phone/video calls and on socials

Empathise

Empathy vs Sympathy Video

Empathy - The ability to understand and share feelings of another. To be able to understand how someone else feels

Practical Tips

What if they say no?

Starting a Conversation

• Don't push it, keep the door open
• Reaching out and offering a friendship can really help someone feel valued and supported
• Do they know how to contact you in the future?

• Go somewhere quiet, without interruptions
• Try find enough time
• Find a neutral space
• Do something relaxing
• If you're a rep, consider what relationship with that individual allows you to do

Ways to Talk to Your Mate

OARS

Open Questions

• These are questions that gives your mate the opportunity to give more then a yes or no answer.
• When talking to a friend about a sensative subject, how you say things make a huge difference:

Why say, "Why are you worried about talking to your SPA" Think about alternartives, "What is it that is worrying you about talking to your SPA"

Affirmations

• These are statements that recognise your friends strengths

"Hey, it's good to see you! I know yesterday you weren't sure you would make it in, so it's shown a lot of strength that you're here."

• Be encouraging and honest!

Ways to Talk to Your Mate

OARS

Reflections

• Restate and clarify what the other person has said to better understand their point of view. Use phrases such as:

"It sounds as if..." "What I am hearing is that..."

"So it's almost as if..." "It seems that..."

Summarising

• At the end of the conversation run over the key points
• Let your friend know that this is what you are going to do. Briefly list the main topics you've covered and let your friend add or correct anything

"You're not sure that you want to stay at university but you haven't spoken to anyone about this becasue you are concerend about the reactuion you will get. At the same time, you feel that keeping this to yourself is putting you under pressure." "Did i miss anything?"

Next Step

If you have managed to talk and help your mate then that is brilliant. Somethimes it can be difficult to talk to them and if you seem to struggle you can always sign post them onto your SPA (Student Progression Advisors), Wellbeing and Counselling team and/or other organisations Do not feel bad that you have not been able to help them as you intended, even a short conversation would have supported your friend more than you would have thought. To know that you are there for them gives your friend some hope The following slide will look at Internal Signposting (Within the Univesity of Salford) and External Signposting

Internal Signposting

ASK US

AskUs is at the core of our student support service, offering information and advice on matters such as finance, wellbeing and counselling, accommodation and more

AskUs askus@salford.ac.uk Wellbeing and Counselling wellbeing@salford.ac.uk Disability and Inclusion disability@salford.ac.uk Report and Support report-it@salford.ac.uk

SPA (Student Progression Advisors)

Student Progression Advisors (SPA's) are your first port of contact in schools for questions around progression, offering advice and guidance for all non-module based issues and queries

School of The Arts, Media and Creative Technology (SAMCT) SPA Team - am-spa@salford.ac.uk

External Signposting

Local GP

They can refer to specialist support and services. You can always sign up to the university doctors

University of Salford Health Care

Samaritans

"We give people ways to cope and the skills to be there for others. And we encourage, promote and celebrate those moments of connection between people that can save lives"

Call 116 123 Email - jo@samaritans.org

Shout 85258

Shout is the UK's first and only free confidential, 24/7 text messaging support service for anyone struggling to cope

Text 'SHOUT' to 85258

Student Minds

Student Minds works with students, service users, professionals and academics to develop new and innovative ways to improve the mental health of students

Student Minds Website

Barriers to Boundaries and the Benefits

Looking after yourself is incredibly important, make sure that you are safe too. Try not to feel guilty and think that something bad is going to happen. You can say no, even though its hard to

Putting Boundaries in Place

• Have specific time for you
• Encourage your friend to build a wider support network
• Encourange your friend to seek more support
• Put your own priorities first, with alternative option
• Make sure you are getting support too
• It is ok if there are some things you aren't comfortable talking about
• You're not supposed to help with everything

Barriers to Boundaries and the Benefits

Cost and Benefits of Having Boundaries

Cost to YOU not having boundaries establised:

• Falling behind on studies; worrying, struggling with own wellbeing; becoming isolated from other friends, stretching yourself too thin to look after you

Benefits for YOU having boundaries:

• Looking after yourself

Benefits for YOUR FRIEND of having boundaries:

• Good modelling of wellbeing; helps to establish trust

FINALLY

LOOK AFTER YOURSELF TOO

KEEP UP WITH YOUR USUAL INTERESTS AND RELATIONSHIPS REMEMBER THAT YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO HELP WITH EVERYTHING MAKE SURE YOU ARE GETTING SUPPORT TOO