Drawing on the Mind Matters Week as a concrete project, this session will show how to foster a caring community in which (first-year) students can engage in the way that suits them as well as raising awareness on mental wellbeing at UAntwerp.
EFYE2024 – Copenhagen, Parallel session 4Presentation/Paper session | Personal mental health/well-being | Social integration/belonging
| Research on mental health at higher education institutions shows the importance of building a caring community for students (Van Hees et al., 2023) and on raising awareness of students’ mental health (Dopmeijer et al., 2018). At UAntwerp, we are committed to fostering a caring community, by focusing on facilitating connection between students, peer support, community building and mental wellbeing. We achieve this through various initiatives, including organizing connecting activities for students, supporting mentorship programs within the faculties, training staff in support skills and offering a diverse range of mental support services for students. To foster this caring community, we implemented a new initiative for all UAntwerp students in 2021: the Mind Matters Week. During one week of the academic year, we aim to highlight the importance of mental wellbeing in the university community: the Mind Matters Week is designed to raise awareness about mental wellbeing, both at an individual student level as within the wider student community. Throughout this week, a diverse range of activities are organised to actively involve students in promoting their own mental health and that of others. Students choose in which way to engage: whether by participating in the awareness campaign, enjoying moments of happiness on campus, actively joining sports, workshops (on topics such as support skills, stress, mindset, …), or even initiating their own activities. This open approach encourages and welcomes any form of engagement, ranging from passive to more active engagement. The wide scope of activities also underscores the university’s holistic approach to mental wellbeing, which helps create a caring community in which students can focus on their own mental health, as well as cultivating a supportive environment for their peers. Moreover, the Week’s diverse activities, ranging from sports to social engagements, provide a gateway for students to discover ongoing opportunities within the university, fostering a continuous sense of belonging and participation throughout the academic year. In conclusion, the Mind Matters Week at UAntwerp not only promotes mental wellbeing but also serves as a cornerstone for the cultivation of a caring and interconnected university community. Students are empowered to support themselves and each other, establishing lasting connections and a sense of belonging that extends far beyond the duration of the event. During this presentation session at EFYE, we elaborate on the purpose and design of the Mind Matters Week as well as the results and impact, aiming to inspire other higher education institutions to foster a caring community.
References: Van Hees, V., Bruffaerts, R., Vansteenkiste, M., Flamant, N., Bootsma, E., Jansen, L. & Voorspoels, W. (2023). Psychische gezondheid, basisbehoeften en studiemotivatie van studenten in het hoger onderwijs in Vlaanderen. Academiejaar 2022-2023 [Mental health, basic needs and study motivation of students in higher education in Flanders. Academic year 2022-2023]. In opdracht van de Vlaamse overheid: Brussel. Dopmeijer, J. M., Gubbels, N., Kappe, R., Bovens, R., de Jonge, J., van der Heijde, C., Vonk, P., & Wiers, R. W. (2018). Actieplan studentenwelzijn [Student wellbeing action plan]. |
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