Our Learners health and wellbeing are extremely important to us here at Burnley College, which is why we regularly host a range of fun and interesting activities to promote positive mental health.
World Mental Health Day took place on Tuesday 10 October and is a day to share the importance of mental health and to make people aware of the individualised support services available to them as a member of the Burnley College Family.
There were five zones in our Atrium with sessions relating to the five ways to improve positive health and wellbeing; Connect, Be Active, Take Notice, Keep Learning and Give.
As part of the Connect zone, Learners shared positive affirmations on our Gratitude Wall and enjoyed the company of Henry and Teddy – two four-legged friends from our Doggy Day Care centre.
To promote the benefits of fitness and participating in sport, we had a Be Active zone which included free yoga sessions for Learners and freshly prepared fruit.
Learners tested their strategic abilities competing against their peers at chess whilst others relaxed to watch a ‘feel-good’ film.
We also welcomed the charitable organisation, Samaritans, whose passion is to provide emotional support to people in distress. They were also encouraging Learners to volunteer as part of our Give and Keep Learning zone.
At Burnley College we make it our number one priority to raise awareness of mental health and encourage positive discussions through the wide range of support services we provide, particularly our incredible Health and Wellbeing Team.
We spoke to Head of Safeguarding and Wellbeing at Burnley College, Tracy Kennedy, who highlights the importance of raising awareness of mental health:
Raising awareness around mental health is important as it helps to create a supportive and empathetic culture. It also helps to reduce stigma around mental health.
– Tracy Kennedy, Head of Safeguarding and Wellbeing
“I feel that this is especially important in College, as this time in life can represent a period of significant personal growth. Furthermore, students may face various stressors during this time, from academic pressures to social challenges.
“The Safeguarding and Wellbeing team at Burnley College are dedicated to helping and supporting Students and promoting a compassionate learning environment focused on overall wellbeing as well as academic success.”
If you are a Student and are experiencing any problems that are affecting your mental health – you can access our wealth of support services within College.
Talk to our approachable and friendly Student Services Team in the Atrium or contact the Health and Wellbeing team at [email protected]
You can also access the support services from the Samaritans here – https://www.samaritans.org/
