University Mental Health Day with Student Minds (Student Advisory Commitee)

In this week's episode of the Behind the Stigma Podcast, I speak with members of the Student Advisory Committee from Student Minds, including Aglaya Freccero, Dom Smithies, and Mahbub Alom Shuhag, in light of  University Mental Health Day. We delve into the challenges and lived experiences of students, emphasizing the significance of inclusivity and diversity in mental health policies. We also explore the role of peer support networks, digital interventions, recent initiatives by Student Minds, and personal self-care practices. The aim of the episode was to raise awareness and foster positive change within university communities.

About Guests (in alphabetical order)
Aglaya Freccero
Aglaia is a PhD candidate in the Department of Brain Sciences at Imperial College London and her research focuses on developing novel digital interventions to improve mental health in young people. She is an experienced science communicator and a passionate mental health activist where she uses her lived experience to spread awareness around mental health. Aglaia volunteers at Student Minds as part of the Student Advisory Committee.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aglaia-freccero-b14781155/?originalSubdomain=uk

Dom Smithies
Dom is the Head of Influencing & Communications at Student Minds. He has interest and experience in higher education, mental health, youth engagement and equality & diversity. As the Influencing & Advocacy Lead he is strategically responsible for the organizations' influencing, policy, insights, communication and student engagement work. He’s worked with Student Minds for over 6 years focusing on various projects such as the LGBTQ+ students’ mental health, Men’s Mental Health Project and is now part of the Senior Leadership Team.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dom-smithies/?originalSubdomain=uk

Mahbub Alom Shuhag.
Mahbub currently serves as a Campus Officer at Coventry University London, and he completed his undergraduate degree in Global Business and Management at Coventry. He has established a noteworthy reputation for effectively representing and advocating for students at all levels and has held this responsibility for the past two consecutive years. He also volunteers at Student Minds, along with Aglaia, and myself, as part of the Student Advisory Committee.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mahbubalomshuhag/?originalSubdomain=uk

Student Minds Website: https://www.studentminds.org.uk/
Student Space: https://studentspace.org.uk/

Chapters

• 3:18 What is University Mental Health Day and what's its purpose (Dom)
• 7:05 Misconceptions about mental health & Aglaia's personal experience
• 12:30 Positive response about speaking up
• 14:00 Mahbub's role as a campus offer and challenges he observed/tackled
• 21:41 Moving in the right direction & experience in Imperial (Aglaia)
• 23:36 What is inclusivity and diversity, and how do we ensure initiatives meet diverse student needs? (Dom)
• 26:50 Cultural Competence (what does that mean in practice)?
• 37:00 Relationship between learning and mental health (Aglaia)
• 39:20 What is the importance of peer support in students' mental health journey
• 49:25 The University Mental Health Charter (Dom)
• 59:14 Digital Interventions & Aglaia's PHD research
• 1:09:17 Importance of student communities as an international student (Mahbub)
• 1:15:54 Self-care practices
• 1:24:21 How to seek help