Transforming student mental health support

Even before the pandemic, our research found that student mental health was in crisis. Financial pressures and course workloads were having a negative impact on mental health. And when students did seek support, they faced long waits to access it.  

 

Since then, the Thriving Learners survey confirmed that these problems have been made worse by the pandemic with almost three-quarters of university students reporting low wellbeing and more than one-third (36%) reporting moderately severe or severe symptoms of depression. For college students, almost two thirds (64%) of college students report having low wellbeing and more than half (54%) reporting moderate, moderately severe or severe symptoms of depression.  

 

We're working to improve student mental health now but we need urgent action from the Scottish Government to tackle this crisis at a national level.

 

NUS Scotland’s Think Positive project is funded by the Scottish Government to support improvements to student mental health support in Scotland. In 2021-22 it worked with 77% of all colleges, universities, and students’ associations in Scotland, meaning the project has the potential to benefit 417,600+ students during 2021-2022. You can find out more about the project and access the Think Positive Hub, here.  

 

NUS Scotland has been lobbying decision-makers in institutions and in the Scottish Government to do more. In 2019 we successfully made the case to government for £20 million to recruit 80 new mental health counsellors in colleges and universities and over the pandemic we won £5 million to support the mental health of students.  

 

Last year we won a commitment from the Scottish Government to a Student Mental Health Plan, sign this petition to show your support for that plan to include:

 

  1. Funding: We need long-term, adequate and additional funding for colleges and universities to enhance mental health and wellbeing services, including increasing professional staff employed. Funding should also be maintained for the Think Positive project and provided directly to students’ associations. 
  2. Staff training: All teaching and student-facing staff, including money advisors and staff in purpose-built student accommodation, should be enabled to proactively embed consideration of mental health and wellbeing in their work through the provision of trauma-informed training and professional development opportunities
  3. Equity of access: The Scottish Government and the SFC should ensure equity of access to mental health services amongst students, such that no student is disadvantaged because of the institution they attend.  
  4. Reductions in waiting times: The Scottish Government should take action on the long waits for and difficulties in accessing NHS mental health services amongst students. This should include more coordinated referral pathways between institution services and NHS services.  
  5. Tackling financial insecurity: Given the strong link between mental health and financial insecurity, the government should prioritise the provision of year-round financial support for all students in both further and higher education that meets the cost of living, based on grants not loans. 

 

33 signed so far. Help us get to 1000!

Will you sign?