Web viewSo you’re probably thinking what is wellbeing? It’s a word that gets passed...
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Wellbeing Awareness Pack 1
Transcript of Web viewSo you’re probably thinking what is wellbeing? It’s a word that gets passed...
Wellbeing Awareness Pack
Who you need to know…
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Anglia Ruskin Students’ Union staff team:
Activities Officer Cambridge:Jamie – Louise Smith
Activities Officer Chelmsford: Precious Nwanze
Welfare Officer:Kathryn Younger
Students Opportunities Manager:Alun Minifey
Student Opportunities Coordinators:Chelmsford:Katie Pether
[email protected] Cambridge:
Chelmsford Advisors:[email protected], [email protected] &
Cambridge Advisors: [email protected] & [email protected]
Why are we giving you this booklet?
As committee members you will be meeting different students and staff members throughout your year and it’s easy to become overwhelmed. Anglia
Ruskin Students’ Union takes students’ wellbeing seriously and aims to promote ways you can help yourself and others to stay well and enjoy your time at
university.
What changes can you expect by becoming a committee member? Meeting and working new people
New deadlines for grant allocation forms and society admin Balancing the demands of academic work, paid work and your voluntary
committee role
What is Wellbeing?
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So you’re probably thinking what is wellbeing? It’s a word that gets passed around freely without much clarification. Thanks to Mind, a national mental
health charity, we can give you a plain and simple answer…
‘Wellbeing describes your mental state – how you are feeling and how well you can cope with day-to-day life. Our mental wellbeing can change, from day to day,
month to month or year to year.’ – to learn more about Mind and the support they offer please go to their website: http://www.mind.org.uk/
It’s that simple, we want you to feel good… so here are some tips for your wellbeing journey…
How many of these acitivities do you do a week?
Try to
spare 30 minutes a day to do just one thing for yourself!
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Tips for helping yourself to stay well
Listen to your body: Staying up all night either studying or having fun will catch up with you. Find ways to help yourself get to sleep when you need to.
Eat well: We all love cheesy chips after a night out, or even before a night out but just remember for you to concentrate your body needs vitamins. So try and slip in some fruit and veg into your diet.
Plan ahead: Do Something Good For Someone Else: Giving back shifts your
focus outward and often helps put things into perspective. You can volunteer your time, your skills, your resources — whatever you’re comfortable with! You can find volunteering opportunities with our volunteering service http://www.angliastudent.com/volunteering/
Go Outside: Going outside and no longer being in a closed-in environment is a great mood lifter. Going for a walk gets those endorphins pumping. Try joining one of our clubs and societies who regularly have outdoor excursions, take a look at http://www.angliastudent.com/experience/socs/
Find something you love to do and share it with others: Be it gaming, cooking, sailing, drawing, or anything else in-between: make time for it. Making time for your hobby is making time for yourself – and why not check out the many sport clubs and societies to share your passion with others, or create your own!
Try out Creative Minds: The Creative Minds project is here to help students at Anglia Ruskin University to network and collaborate creatively with fellow students, academic departments and organisations. Creative Minds is all about celebrating and showcasing the creative talents of ARU students whilst also helping students to gain experience of creative industries through tailored events and volunteering opportunities. Have a browse here: http://www.angliastudent.com/creativeminds/
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Look for the Positive: If something goes wrong, try to take from the situation what you have learned and move forward.
Make a Gratitude List: Try writing down three things each day which have made you smile. This can help you focus on the positive moments of your day.
Minimise your caffeine intake: This might sound like hell for a lot of people, but don’t let your little morning boosts fool you! Those who give up caffeine often find themselves to feel more awake during the day and attentive, with fewer emotional and physical drops in energy.
Make a Specific ‘Get Happy’ Playlist: Music feeds the mind, body, and soul. Make a playlist of songs you enjoy and try to keep them uplifting.
Have pride in yourself: Wake up every morning knowing that someone is going to be proud of you.
Tips for helping your society members and others
One aspect of being a member of a society is supporting others and building a community. Sometimes, checking in with your members and making sure they’re okay can make a world of difference. Below are some handy hints and tips for tackling this.
Act sooner rather than later Be direct and honest; talk
openly Listen carefully and make
sure you understand the full story
Be aware of mental health issues and be non-judgmental about them.
Be positive; encourage them and remind them that
they can get help if they need it
Let them know that the society will be supportive of them if they choose to let others know.
Invite your friend out for walks, activities and fun, and remind them of the positive things in their life.
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Be patient - accept that they may not feel better straight away, it may take time.
Trust your instincts – if you think they need professional help then point them to the services in the back of this booklet.
Take talk of suicide very seriously
Remind your friend there is hope and that they are not alone!
Just wait to see if your friend feels better
Act shocked Be critical, sceptical or
dismissive Avoid the concern or issue
Agree to keep secrets for them
Be patronizing or overpowering
Force them to talk in front of others
Take over your friend’s life Judge your friend Give up or get discouraged Get defensive or angry Tell your friend to ‘snap out
of it’ or ‘get over it’ Ignore your friend’s
concerns Suggest you have all the
answers Joke about the situation Ask “why” Try to diagnose your friend Manage the situation alone
It’s important to remember you are not expected to help or care for anyone yourself. Feel free to help and support your society or friends but remember there are details of different people you can contact to ask for help in the back of this booklet and use them if you need to. All of the services are here to help.
Societies and Sports Clubs To Check Out
Engaging in extracurricular activities has been proven to help students relieve stress and help to enjoy their time at university to a greater extent. Our clubs and societies are full of wonderful and diverse students so joining one can also help you to make friends with similar interests to you. This is a great and easy way to get a group of secure people around you who will be there at the same time and place often each week.
Anglia Ruskin Students’ Union offer over 100 sports clubs and societies spilt across three campuses. You can see all our sports clubs and societies via the link below. Just sign in, pop a membership in your basket, register and you’re ready to go: http://www.angliastudent.com/experience/socs/
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Chelmsford has over 25 clubs and societies to offer including:
Yoga
‘Yoga is a great way to exercise, improve flexibility, and tone muscles. It also is a wonderful way to destress and slow down the mind (which all of us students need!). Any and every body can participate. Some people might say "well I’m not flexible" but that is the EXACT reason why you should participate. ’
Mental Health Awareness
‘It’s to meet new people around the campus, and together challenge the stigma that people with Mental Health issues face. But its not just about the stigma, the society also aims to be there for fellow students who may be struggling with their own mental health and want advice.’
Alpine Society
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‘Alpine Society hope to get ARU students out all over the UK hiking, climbing and generally having an amazing time out in the countryside. ‘
Society of Anime, Socialising and Gaming
‘The Society of Anime, Socialising and Gaming (SASG) is a society which allows you to meet new people who are interested in gaming and anime. If you like playing PC, console or mobile games, watching anime, movies and TV shows or like reading comics and manga, then SASG is the place for you! We are one of the most active and laidback societies at Anglia Ruskin’Cambridge has over 80 clubs and societies on offer including…
Harry Potter Society
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‘“Whether you come back by page or by the big screen, Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home.” – J. K. Rowling The Harry Potter Society: Order of the Ruskin aims to spread the magic of Harry Potter, and provide an environment of enthusiastic, likeminded Potterheads to share your university experience with. Whether you're looking for some friendly rivalry between houses, stock up on the latest Potter news, or start a campaign for house elves, The Order should be your first stop.’
Mindfulness and meditation Society
‘The aim of our society is to provide an opportunity for everyone to learn and practice mindfulness and meditation along with open discussion and participation. We will explore different ways in which to start and/or build a meditation practice and how to integrate the practice into your daily life. Mindfulness and meditation practices can enrich all aspects of your life, from your studies to your relationships.’
Theatre Society
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‘Here at ARTS our members are extremely important to us and we want your input into the kind of things we'll be putting on; that includes shows, workshops, and socials to name but a few. Whether you’re a lifelong thespian or only just finding your dramatic flair, we look forward to having you join us. It doesn't matter if you prefer the shadows of backstage or love the spotlight, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved.’
Internal Services
Anglia Ruskin Students’ Union Chelmsford advisors:Website: http://www.angliastudent.com/advice/Telephone: 01245 258 178Opening hours: 9:30 – 16:30Late Mitigation and Academic Appeals, module or course problems, assessment offences, placement issues, finance worries, disciplinary issues, fitness to practise issues, complaints about the University, complaints about students’ experience, student to student complaints, accommodation issues and disability issues
Anglia Ruskin Students’ Union Cambridge advisors:Website: http://www.angliastudent.com/advice/Telephone: 01223 460 008Opening hours: 9:30 – 16:30Our Advice Service specialises in late mitigation and academic appeals, module or course problems, assessment offences, placement issues, finance worries, disciplinary issues, fitness to practise issues, complaints about the University, complaints about students’ experience, student to student complaints, accommodation issues and disability issues
Student ServicesWebsite: http://web.anglia.ac.uk/anet/student_services/Telephone: 01245 686 700Opening hours: Mon – Thurs 8:30 – 16:30 Friday 8:30 – 16:00Student Services offer help in a multitude of areas including health, study support, counselling and wellbeing and the Anglia Access Centre.
Student Survives Counselling and Wellbeing Service Website: http://web.anglia.ac.uk/anet/student_services/Telephone: 01245 686 700Opening hours: Mon – Thurs 8:30 – 16:30 Friday 8:30 – 16:00
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At the Counselling and Wellbeing You can talk in confidence to a professional counsellor about any personal or university-related issues that are worrying you. These might range from minor concerns to major issues including grief, relationship difficulties, panic attacks, exam anxieties, stress and more.
External Services
Anxiety UKWebsite: https://www.anxietyuk.org.uk/Telephone: 08444 775 774Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 09:30-17:30Anxiety UK works to relieve and support those living with anxiety disorders by providing information, support and understanding via various resources and services.
B-EatWebsite: https://www.b-eat.co.uk/Telephone: 0345 634 1414Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 14:00-16:00Beat is the UK's leading charity supporting anyone who is affected by eating disorders or struggling with food, weight and body shape. B-eat provide information, support and encouragement to seek treatment and recovery for people of all ages in a range of ways including over the phone or online.
Get ConnectedWebsite: http://www.getconnected.org.uk/Telephone: 0808 808 4994Opening Hours: 11:00-23:00 every dayGet Connected is the UK's free, confidential helpline service for young people under 25 who need help, but don't know where to turn. They offer support around many areas from abuse and violence to employment and gender identity.
MindWebsite: http://www.mind.org.uk/Telephone: 0300 123 3393Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 09:00-18:00 (except for bank holidays)Mind is a mental health charity dedicated to providing supportive and reliable information to those experiencing mental health problems. Mind aim to empower you to understand your own condition and the choices available to you.
NHS 111Website: http://www.nhs.uk/
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Telephone: 111Opening Hours: 24/7NHS 111 is the 24 hour NHS non-emergency number run by a team of advisors, supported by experienced nurses and paramedics. It is fast and free and should be used when you need medical help quickly, but it is not a life-threatening situation.
PAPYRUS-UKWebsite: https://www.papyrus-uk.org/Telephone: 0800 068 41 41Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 10:00-22:00, Saturday and Sunday 14:00-22:00, Bank Holidays 14:00-17:00.PAPYRUS is the national charity dedicated to the prevention of young suicide. It operates HOPELineUK, a confidential helpline for young people with thoughts of suicide or those concerned about a young person who may have thoughts of suicide. HOPELineUK is staffed by trained professionals and offers a phone, text and email service. PAPYRUS also offers training, including Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) for anyone over the age of 16 and delivers regional outreach and community programmes with young people.
RethinkWebsite: https://www.rethink.org/homeTelephone: Advice and Information Line: 0300 5000 927Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 10:00-14:00 (excluding bank holidays)Rethink is dedicated to helping those diagnosed with mental health problems understand and manage their illness. It provides information around symptoms, medication and your rights. Rethink has a dedicated helpline with trained staff to talk you through any issues surrounding mental health. They also have a specific section of their web page about supporting a loved one with a mental illness.
SamaritansWebsite: http://www.samaritans.org/ Telephone: 08457 90 90 90 Opening Hours: 24/7Samaritans provide confidential emotional support for anyone in need, no matter what you are experiencing. They can help you explore your options, understand your problems, or just be there to listen.
SaneWebsite: http://www.sane.org.uk/what_we_do/support/Telephone: 0300 304 7000Opening Hours: 18:00-23:00 every daySANE is a UK wide charity that works to improve the quality of life of those affected by mental illness and the people who support them. As well as a helpline, SANE runs various web-based forums for people to support each other. They also run Textcare; a service allowing users to sign up to texts to help them if they want a little more motivation at a specific point in time.
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Support LineWebsite: http://www.supportline.org.uk/problems/a-z.phpTelephone: 01708 765200Opening Hours: Hours vary so ring for details.Support Line provides a confidential telephone helpline and website offering emotional support information and advice to any individual on any issue, from mental health problems and abuse to volunteering and internet safety . The Helpline is primarily a preventative service and also provides support by email and post.
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