The Listening Map

Early-stage mental health intervention

for International students Project Document

Crystal

Background Statistics from the Office for Students in the UK show that students are more likely to self-report mental health problems. In a 2025 survey conducted

by Student Minds,

57% of respondents said they had experienced mental health problems

27% said they had a clear diagnosis.

International students face

Language barriers, cultural stigma, emotional isolation Source 1 - Lewis, J. and Stiebahl, S., （2025）. Student mental health in England: Statistics, policy, and guidance

Research Topic

SPECIFIC TIME

Early signs of mental illness include social withdrawal、disorganised thinking/speech、impaired reality perception、functional decline.

Early-stage

mental health intervention for international students

SPECIFIC RESEARCH TOPIC

SPECIFIC Group

Mental health is a state of mental well‑being that enables

Easier to receive education, Face greater challenges

people to cope with the stresses of life, realise their abilities, learn well, work well, and contribute to their community.

such as language barriers, cultural stigma, and emotional isolation.

Why The Listening Map?

During my research, I found that students often face barriers when trying to express their real experiences of mental health and campus adaptation Cultural and language barriers – many international students remain silent for fear of being misunderstood Overly formal institutional processes – interviews and surveys often feel intimidating and fail to create a safe space for genuine sharing Lack of peer support mechanisms – students prefer more casual ways to share and connect.

This is why I designed The Listening Map. By using a playful, game-based format, it lowers the threshold for expression, allowing students to share their feelings and experiences more naturally. The process not only helps capture more authentic voices but also fosters empathy and connection among students, ultimately providing institutions with more inclusive and supportive insights.

The Listening Map Ask to Uncover, Play to Discover.

A participatory board game that transforms questions into a chain of discoveries, encouraging players to uncover diverse experiences while collaboratively building a dataset that imagines fairer and more inclusive futures.

How to use the design kit

information Record Form

Borad Game For student

A printed example of the event

flow of activities

For staff

Listening Mapping Form

T e Listening

Board Game Process

The number of students：

Emotion Expression Record emotions using the “Emotion Wheel.”

h

Mapping B

Emotion Introduction

Mapping

Experience Story Cards

ackground

：

i

Internat ona

l

students often face emotional challenges

such as isolation, lonely, language barrier and cultural disconnection when studying in a new country.

Highlighting

students do not feel

“

especially during the early, in

Timeline Note where the student placed their character (e.g., time or place).

T

j

his pro ect e

x

W

hile support ser

unwell enough

v

”

v

ices e

x

ist, many

to seek professional help

isible stages of distress

.

plores how and when international students e

x

—

perience

moments of emotional disconnection, and what kinds of support

Introduce the background to a group of 5–6 students.

formal or informal

—

actually make a di

ff

—

erence.

Suggested timing: 2–6 weeks after the start of school, in spaces such

+

1

as the library, dining hall, before or after class, or in dorm common areas.

Story Card Chosen Record the card number or theme chosen by the student.

2

Specific Experience Highlighted Capture any particular experience the student emphasized.

3

Other Record observations of group atmosphere, tone, or body language.

4

Place the character on the timeline/map, and use the wheel to express the emotion, depending on what you feel about the mood in that moment.

Character

Pic a that re ects their inner world and share their stories by answering the uestions. k

card

Character

fl

q

2.Choose one card that reflect inner world, Answer the card question and share your own story and experience.

s the student whether there are speci c experiences they want to .

A

1.Pick up the character in the timeline/map, and use the wheel to express the emotion, depending on what you feel about the mood in that moment.

k

fi

highlight and share

3.Whether there are specific experiences they want to highlight and shared.

Board Game Activity Toolkit

sed o

U

t

ide

gu

th

e cti it a

v

y p

rocess

oster t

a p

a

th

e

ent en e

ev

The design it combines the Board Game, Information Record Form, and Activity Flow to guide both the process and data collection. Facilitators use it to run the game with students, capture their emotions, experiences, and display a poster as a reference during the event. k

v

u

Board Game Process

Introduce the background to a group of 5–6 students.

Suggested timing: 2–6 weeks after the start of school, In the space such as the library, dining hall, before or after class, or in dorm common areas.

Place the character on the timeline/map, and use the wheel to express the emotion, depending on what you feel about the mood in that moment.

Character

Pick a card that reflects their inner world and share their stories by answering the questions.

Ask the student whether there are specific experiences they want to highlight.

THE Impact Build long-term, evolving systems are more influence and more effective.

Effective

Insitution

Student

Capture Opinions

Reflection

Participate in

Enhance

The project creates a feedback loop where students’ voices are captured and reflected, enabling institutions to respond more effectively and enhance participation and support.

FINAL THOUGHTS The tool should not end at dialogue but feed into visible institutional action, so students see that their input drives meaningful conversation and change.

01

WHERE WILL THE DECISIONMAKING LEAD?

BASED ON REFLECTION

The game mechanism can

reduce the pressure of formal institutional settings, address inequalities in resource allocation,

strengthen the power of peer support, and amplify diverse voices.

02

HOW DO WE PREVENT BIAS OR INFLUENCE?

While designed for international student wellbeing, the framework can be adapted to workplaces, communities, or policy dialogues where hidden experiences need visibility.

It can function as an entry point for reflection, a midway checkpoint for dialogue, or an end-stage decision aid, depending on the institutional context.

03

04

HOW CAN WE USE IT IN OTHER CONTEXTS?

IN WHAT PART OF THE PROCESS WILL IT SIT?

HOW CAN WE INTERVENE BEFORE CRISIS ARISES? Join the conversation on early-stage mental health intervention. Discover hidden gaps, share your story, and help shape a more supportive and inclusive university experience

Let’s act before crisis. Let’s co-create wellbeing.