WELLBEING
Wellbeing report Student wellbeing has remained a top priority at UC this semester in light of the ongoing COVID restrictions in Melbourne. The UC community has demonstrated high levels of resilience in the face of these ongoing challenges. A fundamental part of building resilience is utilisation of active coping strategies. To support students in developing tools for improving wellbeing and building resilience, this semester we promoted ‘Self Care September.’ During the month of September, this daily activity guide encouraged students to try new selfcare strategies, with the goal of finding a few new micro habits that could be incorporated into their daily lives. Meditation, exercise, rest, practising gratitude, and using affirmations were just a few of the strategies students were able to trial during the challenge. Social contact and relationships proved to be significant protective factors for students when managing increases in stress, anxiety, fear, and loneliness – all of which were commonly reported feelings associated with university students during the COVID-19 lockdowns. In recognition of how important relationships are
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to student satisfaction and feelings of connectedness, we brought in Relationships Australia to provide training on healthy relationships. This training brought awareness to foundations for building healthy relationships, setting boundaries, having difficult conversations, and consent. Students were able to leave this training with tangible knowledge and skills to help maintain and improve their relationships. Students showed such a strong level of engagement in the Healthy Relationships training that we decided to keep the conversation going in an episode of the UC Wellbeing Podcast. Harry MacLeod, UC’s Wellbeing Representative, hosted the podcast and together we answered anonymously submitted student questions related to interpersonal relationships. The Wellbeing eNews for students continues to be sent out monthly,
providing information and useful tips relating to a variety of wellbeing issues. This included topics such as mental health, grief and bereavement, body image and eating disorders, and managing transitions (such as life after college). While we had to be a bit creative and adapt to program delivery through online experiences due to lockdowns, student engagement, desire for learning, and need for support has only increased as we brought more awareness to student wellbeing. I hope that the experience of this year helps students to continue prioritising their needs, knowing that they are deserving of support, and believing that they can do hard things – and they never have to do them alone. Katie Saya Student Wellbeing Coordinator
