In January we launched our societies and sports mental health accreditation. This idea was born after we had Kate and Helen Richardson-Walsh speaking at The Students’ Union last year about mental health in sport. We know that sports clubs and societies provide amazing support to our students, and wanted to give them the tools to run their own mental health campaigns.

Each club or society had to do at least 3 of the following criteria:

• The sports club or societies’ committee should attend The Students’ Union Mental Health Awareness training*
• The sports club or society should post on their societies’ social media about their commitment to breaking the mental health stigma, and encourage an open culture about mental health in their club or society
• The sports club or society should run a non-alcohol focused social, such as a coffee afternoon, allowing members who may not be able to drink to socialise
• The sports club or society should either engage with a mental health campaign run by The Students’ Union, or run their own. This could include supporting University Mental Health Day, or running campaigns within their club to show ‘It’s OK not to be OK’
• Fundraise at least £50 for a mental health charity of your choice

*This is a compulsory criteria

So far the following societies have completed the accreditation:

• Adult Nursing Society 
• LGBT+
• Video gaming
• Psychology 

We were able to present some of the societies with their accreditation at The Students’ Union Welfare Awards.

I am very proud of the work and dedication to improve our students’ mental health shown by these different groups – well done everyone!

Interetsed?

If your club or society are interested in getting accredited, please contact your Vice President Community and Welfare, Sian Hampson on VPcommwelfare@uwe.ac.uk or Vice President Sport and Health, Erin Mills on VPsports@uwe.ac.uk.