Sunmentors

Support for University Student Mental Health – Training for Teaching Staff

The SUNMENTORS project aims to develop flexible training programmes for university staff to better support students experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depression. The training focuses on setting boundaries, recognising warning signs, active listening, offering appropriate support, conversation skills and relevant signposting. The ultimate goal is to promote systemic change and ensure that all students have access to the mental health support they need to succeed in higher education. The project encourages participating European higher education institutions to engage in fundamental dialogues about designing inclusive learning environments that go beyond traditional student wellbeing services. This includes investing in supportive and inclusive environments, providing comprehensive staff training on mental health support, actively tackling stigma and expanding accessible resources.

The project partnership is composed of 4 universities: Technische Universitat Dortmund (DE), University of Hertfordshire (UK), UC Leuven (BE), Panepistimio Patron (GR) and two non-profit organisations for innovation in didactics and communities; CIAPE and Innovation Hive (GR).

Project outcomes:

Exchange of Good Practices and Needs Analysis: This phase focuses on identifying and sharing good practices in mental health support for students in European universities. Workshops with staff and students have provided insights into existing challenges and gaps in support, which informed the design of a tailored training curriculum.

Curriculum development: Creation of a detailed training programme to prepare faculty to better support students’ mental health. The curriculum covers topics such as identifying early warning signs, setting boundaries, active listening and referral techniques. It has been developed for both face-to-face and digital use and it has been piloted to test its effectiveness across different institutions.

Development of an E-Learning Platform: Creation of a digital platform to host the training curriculum. The platform offers interactive modules, including video tutorials, quizzes, self-reflection exercises and downloadable resources, designed for flexible, self-directed learning.

Policy Recommendations and Strategy Development: Development of a policy recommendation paper to guide institutions and policy makers in creating inclusive mental health strategies at the structural level. This phase aims to integrate the developed curriculum and e-learning platform into standard university practice, thereby promoting long-term institutional change.

More info:  silvana@ciape.it