Wellbeing Report

Holistic wellbeing is key

2022 has been off to a busy and productive start, with students showing great enthusiasm after two years of lockdowns and challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. We’ve resumed in-person counselling appointments, which has helped boost student engagement around accessing wellbeing support. It has also allowed for me, as the Wellbeing Coordinator, to have a more active presence within the UC community.

We began the year with a jam-packed O-Week, putting emphasis on consent training and education for both first year students and returners. The organisation Consent Labs came all the way from Sydney and stayed with us on campus for a week to facilitate training on topics such as foundations of consent, drugs and alcohol, and how to be an active bystander. The combination of lectures and small group work allowed our students to be proactive and practise applying all of the new information and skills. Our aim is to continue empowering our students to feel confident in engaging in and promoting healthy and respectful relationships on campus and in their personal lives. The beginning of the semester reminded us all that even though we had fewer restrictions, ‘Rona’ was still very much present within UC and broader Melbourne communities. We spent the first several months of the year promoting messaging around our health and making conscious choices. We also provided students with resources and advice on how to access medical support and manage the stress of university study requirements while unwell. We successfully supported students who tested positive for COVID by providing them with practical assistance, delivering meals during their isolation period, as well as offering counselling sessions via Zoom to help manage the emotional impacts of illness and isolation.

Our Wellbeing Committee elected its new members for 2022 and got off to a fantastic start under the leadership of our Student Wellbeing Representative, Rachael Mooney. The Committee organised a very successful Wellbeing Week, during which they hosted activities to promote taking time off to relax and connection with others. Some of the many activities they offered included head and shoulder massages, corridor decorating, movie night, yoga, a picnic in the park, organising staff to bring in their pets, and hosting a Pleasant Sunday Afternoon BBQ with student musical performances. One of our committee goals for this year is to promote holistic wellbeing. While we will continue to place a strong emphasis on student mental health, our committee also recognises the need for facilitating wholesome activities that can bring the community together, providing alternatives to nights out at the pub and promoting positive ongoing relationships and change. There are a lot of great ideas planned for this year, so watch this space for more to come!

Katie Saya Student Wellbeing Coordinator