4.1 Institutional support
Some ways of supporting learners’ wellbeing are institutionally based, such as classes or online sessions on self-care, or the development of personal skills such as time-management and good organisation. Support may be offered via individuals, or personal tutors, or by dedicated teams. Some institutions and courses may also have peer-mentoring, or ‘buddy’, schemes, whereby more experienced learners help support those who are less experienced. Sometimes the smallest things can make a big difference, such as sharing past experiences, or checking in on learners with an email.
As an educator, to gain a good understanding of the needs of individual learners, you should pay close attention to any formal self-declaration of a mental health disability provided by the learner or contained in the course/module learner data. You can then be proactive and contact learners at the start of their study with you to check their circumstances and ask them about any specific support needs they may have. This approach can be particularly useful if you have distance learners being taught online. It is essential to maintain good lines of communication and to keep learners motivated, especially if they are feeling vulnerable, or are at risk of poor mental health, or you do not meet with them regularly or in person. It is also important to know what to do in a mental health crisis and who is available in your organisation to support both you and your learners. This is covered in more depth in Week 4.
Activity 3 Exploring your institution’s resources
- In Week 1 you explored your institution or organisation’s policies and procedures and support services for learners (and staff) with mental health issues and also looked at community and national support services.
- Now go back and look again but this time focus on any classes or workshops designed to support the development of coping, or study, skills for learners who may be struggling. For example, your student services may offer sessions on boosting self-esteem and confidence or reducing anxiety, or your library may offer training in time-management or study skills that can reduce anxiety and enhance confidence.
- Note down a list of courses, workshops or online programmes that you find which relate to supporting learners with mental health problems.
Discussion
It’s a good idea to keep a list of your findings, and to update it a few times a year, so that you can readily provide such information and contact details to learners in need.