For University Mental Health Day on 14 March, the University of Westminster invited student to take part in a variety of events that held wellbeing at their core, including clay-making, yoga and boxing.
University Mental Health Day is a chance to raise awareness of student mental health and encourage students to work together to make mental health a priority across their campus. To bring students together, Westminster hosted inclusive events to provide a space to chat about struggles, share experiences and just simply take the time to relax. With this year’s theme being movement, the University encouraged their students to get involved in wellbeing activities that got the body moving.
The day began with the Hopeful Horizons: Mental Health Support Fair which took place at the Marylebone Foyer and Harrow Forum. During the fair students had the chance to take part in activities that promoted positive wellbeing and were offered mental health strategies and resources as well as interactive activities that helped them learn how to manage stress and enhance their mental wellbeing. There were also smoothie bikes where students could make their own healthy smoothies.
The Westminster also put on yoga, boxing and clay-making sessions during the day to give students the chance to destress in a way that best suited them. The Mindful Clay-Making Worshop, hosted by the University of Westminster Students’ Union, provided a space for students to come together and share in a passion for creativity and mental wellbeing. Students with or without experience were welcome to the non-judgement and inclusive event and they were able to take home their creations at the end.
Through partnering with Strides, Coves, Westminster Talking Therapies and other local mental health organisations, students at Westminster have access to a wide range of valuable wellbeing-related information.
Rosette Jaeminki, Advice Caseworker at the University of Westminster Students’ Union and one of the organisers of the day, said: “For University Mental Health Day, we wanted to focus on an important element of wellbeing - being creative. We saw over 20 students take part in our mindful clay-making workshops and during them we saw students make new friends, experiment with air-dry clay (with variety of creations from a clay-burger to a clay-heart) and take purposeful time off their busy study-days to unwind.”
The day directly contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3: Good Health and Wellbeing. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.
Find out more about support on offer for student wellbeing at the University of Westminster.
