Conversation starters

Suggested activity for University Students

Starting a conversation about mental health is an excellent way to challenge the stigma and get people thinking and talking about their perceptions of mental health and mental illness.

Here are a few suggested conversation points relevant to university students.

1. What are the main concerns students have about their mental health?
2. Do you think Jewish students have a different experience with their mental health on campus in comparison with the wider student community? What are these differences?
3. How does engaging with university group activities support your mental health?
4. Do you feel you have the knowledge to identify poor mental health for both yourself and others?
5. How can universities better support the mental health of their students?
6. How do you balance focusing on your self-care with other responsibilities?
7. What tips would you share with new/incoming students about looking after their mental health on campus?
8. How do you look after your mental wellbeing when preparing for the transition after finishing university?

Strength card activity

Suggested activity for University Students

University life is full of new opportunities to learn and have new experiences both in and out of the lecture theatre. This learning can help us develop and uncover strengths and transferable skills which will help us in all areas of our lives, as we move on from university life and into the workplace, further education, volunteering and with our relationships and self-development.

We know that acknowledging our strengths can help boost our confidence and self-esteem, while learning and having new experiences can boost our mental health and wellbeing. 

To help you identify the strengths you already have and the ones you’d like to develop, try out our Strength Card activity. 

Look at the list of strengths provided or cut them out and spread them across the table or floor. 

• Ask everyone to think about three strengths they have. Give people the opportunity to speak about at least one strength they choose. 
• Then, ask everyone to think about two strengths they would like to work on. Give people the opportunity to say why they would like this new strength for university life.
• Finally, ask everyone to think about one strength the person on their right has. Invite everyone to say why this person has this strength and why it is so valuable.

Wellbeing balloon debate

Suggested activity for University Students

There are many different ideas about types of wellbeing or wellness. For this activity we will be looking at the 5 steps to mental wellbeing from the NHS, which you can find here. This activity can be carried out in the workplace with colleagues or socially in a group setting.

• For the balloon debate, divide your group into five separate groups and assign each group one “way to wellbeing”.
• Let them know that their job is to advocate for why their way to  wellbeing is the most important for their mental health. To prove this, they will need to include examples of how their way to wellbeing could be achieved.
• The debate should be structured with short opening remarks, a maximum five-minute pitch and a few minutes for questions from the other side. If possible, have someone to referee the debate and keep time.
• Allow your groups at least 10 minutes to prepare for their debate. When everyone is ready, groups take it in turns to debate with each other. The winner of each debate goes on to the second round until there is one winner.

You can use some of the following ideas about the 5 steps to mental wellbeing and prompts to help your groups get started.

1. Connect with other people
We know connection and community are vital for our mental health. Good relationships can boost our mental health by fostering a sense of belonging and building confidence. It also helps us create bespoke support networks which we can rely on when we need them.

• How can we connect with others in and out of the workplace?
• What support networks are available in the Jewish community?

2. Be physically active

Physical activity is important for both our physical and our mental health. It can help us build confidence and self-esteem. It can also challenge us in a positive way and motivate us to reach our goals. We also know that it can be an important form of self-care and help boost our mood.

• Does physical activity provide us with the opportunity to socialise and interact with others? What are some examples of this?
• Are there other aspects of physical activity that can boost our wellbeing?

3. Learn new skills
Being involved in meaningful activity can provide a sense of purpose, which is vital for our mental health. Likewise, new skills can increase our problem-solving skills and encourage us to be creative. It may also boost our self-confidence when we find success at something we previously found challenging.

• What avenues for learning can be found within our workplace?
• How can we use our hobbies to support our wellbeing?

4. Give to others
Those who volunteer and give to others report higher levels of wellbeing. It can help us feel connected and foster a sense of community. It can create a sense of reward and provide us with a sense of purpose too.

• How can we support one another within our community?
• How does volunteering give us a sense of purpose?

5. Pay attention to the present
Mindfulness is all about being in the present moment. We know that for many, being more mindful can improve their wellbeing. By being more mindful we can boost our mood and enjoy the present moment more fully. It may help us understand ourselves and those around us better too. By being mindful we may be able to slow down and approach challenges in a more thoughtful way too.

• How can we encourage each other to be more mindful?
• What options for mindfulness might exist within our workplace or community?

Signposting at University

•  Have a look at the university website for any welfare services. These sometimes sit with the Student Union, so it’s worth enquiring with them as well. The various services which are available on campus will be different.
• Speak to a personal tutor or named welfare person for your course or your area of study. Ask them about options for support on campus.
•  Nightline is a dedicated helpline run by student volunteers, for students offering emotional support. You can find out more here: Nightline Association – We’ll Listen, Not Lecture 
• Some campuses have a mental health society or similar. They will have more information about support options on campus.
• Student Minds is the UK’s student mental health charity. They share lots of resources for students on their website, covering the breadth of experience students find at university. They also raise awareness of student mental health and lobby for change. They coordinate the University Mental Health Charter Program, awarding and recognising the work of universities to support student mental health. Check out if your university has won an award

Top tips for supporting a friend

• If you have concerns about a friend, find a time where you won’t be interrupted and you have the time to check in with them. If talking directly feels uncomfortable, invite them for a walk or suggest doing something creative or playing a game while you chat.
• Start the conversation by asking how they are. You can contextualise by asking about their day or weekend. If there’s something specific concerning you, use “I” statements to share them and explain that you’re mentioning them because you care and are worried about them e.g. “I noticed you weren’t at JSoc the past few weeks. I’m worried about you and wanted to check everything is OK.”
• We usually can’t fix someone else’s problem, and it’s not our job to do so. But we can listen with empathy and non-judgement. Think about support, not solutions. Being understood when someone listens is incredibly valuable.
• If you have ideas about something that might help, or you think they might need further support, ask to share some ideas or resources with them.
• Sometimes people don’t want to speak. We may not be the right person or it might not be the right time. It’s important to respect this. We can accept this and encourage them to speak to someone else, either in their personal network or by sharing some signposting to other organisations.

Finding time for self care

• Think about self-care as not me first, but me too. It’s important we find time in our busy lives to meet our own needs. Book time for self-care into your diary. Consider it as important as a meeting with a professor, a friend or going to the dentist or doctor.
• Finding what works for you is vital – from which self-care activities really give you a boost, to the best times to do them. If we can embed them into our routine, we’re more likely to do them.
• Get friends on board with self-care and hold each other accountable. Perhaps engage in self-care together, for example, booking an exercise class or going for a walk together, or share your self-care goal with each other and check in to see how you get on.
• Commit to self-care every day or week. Our brains are neuroplastic. The more we do something, the easier it becomes to do. By committing to self-care and embedding it into our routine, it will become second
  nature. It will no longer be something to find time for, but something we do naturally.
• Pick a few different forms of self-care to engage in throughout the week. Selfcare encompasses everything from ensuring we stay hydrated, eat well and get enough sleep to engaging in pursuits
  to fuel our creativity, spending time with people we care about, doing activities we enjoy, participating in exercise, having opportunities to be mindful and stay in the present, and finding time to talk when we
  need to share with someone we trust.

Preparing for and after university

• Think about mental health support options at universities before you apply and especially before you arrive on campus. It’s important to know what there is, should you ever need it.
• UCAS has guidance about sharing any mental ill health with universities before arriving on campus. This can help universities put a plan in place for you if you do have any additional needs or adjustments which would be helpful to you.
• Think about what forms of self-care you enjoy and how you might be able to make time or enjoy these as a student. There are plenty of opportunities to engage in self-care on campus – from sports and societies to volunteering.
• Think about the relationships which are important to you. How will you keep in contact with these people, especially if they’re moving away from home and living on different campuses or in different cities? You may wish to discuss how often you will be in contact with parents or
  carers, so there’s an agreed expectation.
• Having a plan after leaving university can be helpful. We won’t all have a job or another opportunity, but having a routine or rhythm to your day can be helpful to your mental health.
• Think about the friends and connections you’ve made on campus. How will you stay in touch with these people? It may be good to have at least one catch up arranged.
• University life has lots of opportunities for excitement and to try new things. Think about what else life outside university has to offer and plan what you might like to try next.
• Consider how you’ve looked after your mental health as a student. Will you be able to continue this after university? Think about whether you may need to sign up to a new gym, find a class elsewhere, or look for alternative opportunities to do the things you love.
• If you’re heading home after living with friends, have a conversation with your parent/carers. Being an adult in your childhood home can be difficult. You’ve had life experiences and had independence on a whole new level. Open up discussion about expectations around any curfews, attendance at mealtimes, household chores, finances etc