Students at Bristol University will receive greater mental health support following the launch of a new scheme.
The institution is one of 10 universities across the UK signed up to a £1.5 million programme being rolled out by mental health charity Mind and investment bank Goldman Sachs.
Bristol University’s pro vice-chancellor for student experience Sarah Purdy hailed the “exciting” scheme.
She said: “We hope that by equipping students and staff with the tools and knowledge needed to support their mental health we’ll be helping them to have the best university experience possible, as well as giving them vital skills for after they graduate.”
The charity Mind will provide support and training to students allowing them to take care of their own mental health and help others.
Final-year students will receive ‘resilience training’ and ‘workplace wellbeing workshops’ in preparation for the start of their careers.
According to the Higher Education Statistics Agency, the number of students who disclosed a mental health condition almost doubled between 2012 and 2015 to nearly 45,000.
Professor Purdy said the new initiative is part of the university’s aim to provide the “best possible” mental health support for students and staff.
Director of Bristol Mind Tom Hore said: “While going to university can be an exciting adventure it also brings its challenges which can affect the mental health of young people.
“The university are already dedicating significant resources towards student mental health, and we hope that this new partnership will enhance the available support.”
Goldman Sachs International chief executive Richard Gnodde said: “We look forward to supporting Mind and these universities in launching this critical programme.”
The other universities taking part in the programme are Bath, Cambridge, Greenwich, Teesside University, LSE, Leeds Beckett, Sheffield, Central Lancashire and Oxford Brookes.
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