About the Project
Mental health and well-being of students in higher education is an increasing concern, especially in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic which had a considerable impact on them. Anxiety and depression are the two most common reasons that students seek mental health services. However, professionals who interact with students the most, such as Higher Education institutions’ staff, are not trained to recognize or work with anxiety among students.
How will we support student mental health and wellbeing?
As HEi have become a central point in providing students with safety and wellness, it is imperative that educators and administrators are equipped to help students process their anxiety and provide them with necessary support.
The AWARE project aims to increase anxiety/mental health awareness among Higher Education Institutions’ staff and students. More specifically, the project aims to:
Equip staff with the needed tools, resources and knowledge to recognize, manage, and support students with anxiety.
Develop and improve anxiety management skills among students, while expanding emotional competence and positive attitudes.
Accommodate the anxious students in HE Institutions by increasing knowledge and skills among the rest of their surroundings.
To achieve this, we will:
- develop Good Practice Guidelines to identify and explore good practices of mental health/anxiety awareness in Higher Education institutions;
- develop an awareness raising handbook, including a guide on recognizing anxiety among students, and a guide on developing skills of managing anxiety;
- develop training (seminars at e-training platform) of relevant staff in order to improve their anxiety management skills and successfully transfer them to the students;
- raise awareness among relevant stakeholders and the wider public on the importance of mental wellbeing in HEi.