7 Summary of Week 1

Over this week you have been introduced to the concept of ‘mental health’ and some of the language used to describe how people feel and what their health status is. You have also been introduced to some of the considerations within a learning environment towards supporting good mental health, what behaviours to look out for and what you can do when you have concerns about a learner.

The main learning points of this week are:

• There are different definitions and understanding of the terms mental health and wellbeing.
• Common mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety and low self-esteem, can profoundly impact on learning.
• Learners struggling with their mental health may display certain types of behaviour such as lateness, withdrawal and presenteeism.
• You can use various strategies and approaches, such as listening, asking twice, and creating safe spaces to support learners’ mental health.
• Taking care of your own wellbeing, such as by identifying and utilising support services and using strategies to promote personal happiness is also important.

In Week 2 you will go on to look at the relationship between mental health and adult learning and how optimal mental health can be supported.

You can now go to Week 2.