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The University of Southampton
Doctoral College

World Mental Health Day and improvements to PGR wellbeing support

Published: 10 October 2016
World Mental Health Day

Today is World Mental Health Day, a global day dedicated to raising awareness of mental health issues and mobilising efforts in support of mental health.

 

In keeping with this initiative, postgraduate researchers (PGRs) now have access to a number of new resources and services at the University to support their wellbeing and mental health.

Introduced by the Doctoral College and Enabling Services in answer to the findings of the PGR Wellbeing Project, PGRs now have access to a wealth of dedicated self-help online materials, opportunities to attend tailored Mindfulness courses and also be a part of the Doctoral College welcome sessions, which are being piloted this year.

In the coming months, the Project team will be focussing on implementing a ‘PGR Conversation Group’, considering peer-to-peer support models and looking at ways to support supervisors so they can best support their doctoral researchers.

Aline Giordano, Doctoral College Manager, said:

“By tackling the issue from three different angles (self-help, peer support and institutional support) we are confident that we can develop a more effective framework to proactively support doctoral researchers.

“I feel that the PGR Wellbeing Project marked a pivotal shift in the way we approach PGR wellbeing here at the University, but also across the Higher Education sector. We have presented some results from the project at two major international conferences and the feedback has been tremendous, with universities such as the LSE asking to read our full report.”

If you would like to discuss mental health and wellbeing support in person, you can visit Enabling Services to chat with an Advisor at one of their daily Drop-Ins, located in Building 37.

If you are a new doctoral researcher, make sure you book a space at one of the upcoming Welcome sessions, running on 17 and 26 October.

 

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