University Mental Health Day 2021

As today is University Mental Health Day 2021, we wanted to send you a special SU blog post which collates some exciting opportunities, offers and events as well as resources, support and information for you all.

Artists' Wellbeing Workshop | Today, 4th March, 11am - 12pm

Join Ethan, the Student Wellbeing Advisor, for this interactive session on managing stress and anxiety, incorporating mindfulness-based and solution-focused approaches to wellbeing. The session will include a demonstration of Do-In, a type of self-massage therapy that uses acupressure points and is great for an instant energy boost and stress relief. Join via Google Meet here.

University Mental Health Day Giveaway | Enter on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter

To celebrate University Mental Health Day, we’ll be doing a wellbeing giveaway of self-care goodies, The Sad Ghost Club Merch and more! To enter, head over to our Facebook, Instagram or Twitter to enter.

Online Coffee Mornings | 10th & 24th March and 7th April, 10:30am - 12pm

Wellbeing Representative (HE), Aaron Lovelock, is hosting fortnightly online coffee mornings. Each coffee morning will have a special guest; you can submit any questions the day before via email or the question sticker on the PCA SU Instagram story. You can join every other Wednesday, from 10:30-12, via this Google Meet link.

Quiet Contemplation Room | Update on Renovation

Wellbeing Representative (HE), Aaron Lovelock, pledged in his manifesto to improve the college's pre-existing quiet rooms by making them more comfortable, more appealing and create more awareness of their whereabouts. Over the Christmas break, plans for the Quiet Contemplation Room (Ground Floor, Tavistock Place, by the Refectory) took place and we were ready to get back to it on the first week of January. Unfortunately, the national lockdown meant that we haven't yet been able to get started, but we are hoping we can get onto campus ASAP to renovate it for your return. You can find a concept board to give you an idea for what we’re planning on our Instagram here.

Trigger Books | Discount from the Library

The library has been speaking to Trigger publishing house, who publish fantastic books and Ebooks on mental health and wellbeing. They already have several of their books within the library collection. In a wonderful act of generosity Trigger publishing has offered staff and students at PCA an incredible 50% discount on eBooks! For more information, please see the email from the library sent out on 25/02/21.

Student Minds | Student Space

The Student Minds Blog has got a number of articles written by students about navigating university life during the pandemic, as well as resources and support. You can also text ‘STUDENT’ to 85258 to start a conversation, 24 hours a day.

BBC Tips | Studying from Home

The BBC have released a series of articles with tips and advice for working or studying from home throughout the pandemic, including five ways to avoid lockdown back pain, five ways to avoid lockdown eye strain and five ways to stay positive through lockdown.

Mental Health Training | Free Courses and Resources We also wanted to share with you a range of free courses and resources, to help you better support yourself and others when it comes to mental health issues. Why not try this free Suicide Prevention Training from Zero Suicide Alliance, this free COVID-19 Psychological First Aid course from Public Health England via Future Learn, Further Education or Higher Education e-learning through the Charlie Waller Memorial Trust or one of the free Open Learning courses from the Open University?

Colouring Pages | The Sad Ghost Club and Anastasia Tasou

PCA Alumni Lize works with Nathan and Helen to run The Sad Ghost Club, a small creative project making comic books, apparel and merchandise to spread positive awareness of mental health. They have put together downloadable colouring pages which you can access here for free here, to help make our lives a little more colourful. Anastasia Tasou is a UK-based artist specialising in typography. She has various zines, colouring pages and activity sheets available for free here and here.

Best,

Harriet Moore - Student Union President

Aaron Lovelock - Wellbeing Representative (HE)