{"id":35,"date":"2025-05-12T11:07:28","date_gmt":"2025-05-12T10:07:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/student-news\/?p=35"},"modified":"2025-09-25T09:28:38","modified_gmt":"2025-09-25T08:28:38","slug":"revolutionising-student-mental-health-how-kent-is-setting-a-new-standard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/student-news\/2025\/05\/12\/revolutionising-student-mental-health-how-kent-is-setting-a-new-standard\/","title":{"rendered":"Revolutionising student mental health: how Kent is setting a new standard"},"content":{"rendered":"

Wellbeing Student Advisory Board (WSAB)\u00a0board member Ryan Wong recently wrote an Op-Ed published in the Times Higher Education publication about the pioneering initiative that is revolutionising our mental health and wellbeing offering here at Kent.<\/p>\n

Through the WSAB, Kent is actively reshaping how students\u2019 access and interact with services, ensuring support reaches those who need it most. With over 4,177 students registered with Student Support and Wellbeing (SSW) \u2014 a significant 22% of the student population \u2014 Kent is proving that its approach is making an impact.<\/p>\n

So, what\u2019s different about WSAB? Unlike traditional mental health services that rely on students making the first move, WSAB acts as a bridge, ensuring students feel heard and supported before they even realise they need it. WSAB is implementing peer-led discussions, targeted awareness campaigns, and proactive outreach efforts to ensure students don\u2019t slip through the cracks.<\/p>\n

Ask students what mental health support they need<\/b><\/h3>\n

By Ryan Wong<\/p>\n

When Alex*, a third-year politics and international relations student, found that financial stress, academic pressure and anxiety were building up last year, he didn\u2019t immediately turn to student services for help.\u00a0\u201cI was really struggling, but I didn\u2019t think services were for me.\u201d His response shows that the problem in student support isn\u2019t always the absence of support, but how it\u2019s perceived and accessed.<\/p>\n

And right now robust, accessible mental health and wellbeing support for students across the sector is critical. Between 2016\/17 and 2022\/23, the proportion of undergraduate students in the UK reporting mental health difficulties rose from 6 to 16 per cent, according to a 2023 report from King\u2019s College London. A 2021 survey by the Office for National Statistics found that 37 per cent of first-year students reported symptoms of depression and anxiety, only reinforced the situation.<\/p>\n

As a student, I recognise that in challenging times,\u00a0finding the right wellbeing support at university can often feel overwhelming. Whether due to stigma, lack of awareness or simply feeling lost in the moment, too many who need help don\u2019t seek it out.<\/p>\n

Another reason\u00a0students don\u2019t engage\u00a0is that\u00a0they\u00a0are rarely involved in shaping the support services designed for them. Without meaningful student input, services can miss the nuances of student life, leading to well-intentioned support that\u2019s functional but underused.<\/p>\n

I wanted to make a difference to this situation, so I joined the university\u2019s Wellbeing Student Advisory Board (WSAB). From a student\u2019s perspective, here are actions that may help wellbeing offices increase student engagement with their services.<\/p>\n

Give students a seat at the table<\/b><\/h3>\n

To support student mental health, universities need to go beyond funding. Students should be actively involved in designing the systems meant for them. The issue isn\u2019t just having services; it\u2019s ensuring that students engage with them.<\/p>\n

One way to do this is to bring student representatives into decision-making. At the University of Kent, our advisory board includes 20 students from diverse backgrounds and life experiences, working to make wellbeing support more accessible and less intimidating. It\u2019s chaired by the vice-president for welfare and community and run through the students\u2019 union, ensuring it remains student-led while\u00a0being\u00a0closely supported by the University. We meet at least twice a term, with each meeting attended by the Head of Student Support and Wellbeing (SSW), Lee Fellows. We then share key insights and action points with student support.<\/p>\n

Application-based recruitment means every member joins with a genuine interest in mental health or lived experience of using support services.\u00a0The two-way communication also helps the university manage services and spending.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Wellbeing Student Advisory Board provides\u00a0a direct communication line to students,\u201d according to Fellows, which helps the University \u2018to understand what students expect from support services and how we shape our priorities.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ensure the message that support is available to everyone is clear<\/b><\/h3>\n

Many students assume that support services are only for those in crisis. Despite significant investment, engagement remains a challenge. Some students fear judgement, others aren\u2019t sure how to start. For example, at Kent, more than 4,177 students are registered with SSW and 2,982 have individual learning plans, yet many others still struggle in silence.\u00a0This year so far we have seen 222 missed counselling appointments and 1104 missed DSA and Adviser appointments,\u00a0suggesting\u00a0that\u00a0accessibility and engagement still need work.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why visibility matters. We promote services through the\u00a0Students\u2019\u00a0union website, social media and campus events. We also use insight from support data, union-led surveys,\u00a0and face-to-face conversations on campus to shape responses. After positive feedback about Coco the therapy dog, for example, the board supported continuing on-campus therapy dog sessions. When students asked for alternative well\u2013being activities, we expanded the Kent Community Oasis Gardens \u2013a space for gardening, reflection, and connection.<\/p>\n

\"Students<\/a><\/p>\n

Make support accessible<\/b><\/h3>\n

An online platform can offer practical advice and mental health resources, accessible even for remote students. Online resources, such as Kent Students\u2019 Union wellbeing hub, allow students to seek help at their own pace.<\/p>\n

The board also works with the union to ensures\u00a0students know\u00a0that\u00a0support extends beyond mental health, addressing challenges\u00a0such as\u00a0the cost-of-living crisis through the campus pantry, which provides free food, and JobShop, which connects students with part-time work.<\/p>\n

For\u00a0politics student\u00a0Alex, this joined-up support made all the difference. After seeking advice from SSW, he was signposted to JobShop and student services. \u201cOnce I finally reached out, they pointed me to things on campus that really helped,\u201d he said.\u00a0\u201cI feel so much more positive now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peer-led boards like the WSAB help services feel more relatable and encourage students to take that first step\u00a0towards seeking help. They also need to know support is about more than just for crisis moments -it\u2019s about helping students to thrive in all aspects of life.<\/p>\n

From my experience, students are rarely invited to help shape the systems they rely on. That needs to change. Students shouldn\u2019t be passive recipients of wellbeing services; they should be active partners. If universities are serious about supporting students, they need to put their trust in them, too.<\/p>\n

If you are struggling please\u00a0visit the WSAB website<\/a>\u00a0attend a drop-in session or reach out to a peer advisor. The support is here, you just need to take the first step!<\/p>\n

Blog originally repurposed from\u00a0<\/b>The Times Higher Education which can be found here<\/b><\/a>.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

* Name has been changed.<\/p>\n

References\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Office for National Statistics (2021).\u00a0Coronavirus and first year higher education students, England \u2013 Office for National Statistics<\/i>. [online]\u00a0www.ons.gov.uk<\/a>. Available at:\u00a0https:\/\/www.ons.gov.uk\/peoplepopulationandcommunity\/healthandsocialcare\/healthandwellbeing\/bulletins\/coronavirusandfirstyearhighereducationstudentsengland\/4octoberto11october2021<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Sanders, M. (2023). Student Mental Health in 2023: Who is struggling and how is the situation changing.\u00a0The Policy Institute, Kings College London<\/i>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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