Mental Health Roundtable

ANUSA, PARSA and the ANU are excited to invite the student community to the inaugural Mental Health in Higher Education Symposium. This new direction for the ANU Community is an evolution of the Mental Health Roundtables run in previous years as part of the ANU Mental Health Advisory Group.

Mental Health & Wellbeing are integral parts of life at University. With 1 in four 4 students likely to experience a mental health issue within a 12 month period, it is evident that there is more to be done in this space. As such, this symposium aims to bring together students and staff to workshop solutions on areas of key importance.

The format of the symposium will include an opening plenary to provide an overview of status quo at ANU and nationally as well as a keynote from Dr Benjamin Veness, author of “The wicked problem of university student mental health [1]. Following this, the symposium will focus on producing tangible outcomes by way of interactive and engaging workshops on key issues.

For 2016, this will include:

• The impact of online harassment on mental health: when online exchanges byte!
• Healthy universities: what does a healthy university look like?
• Cultural diversity and mental health: different is the new normal
• The role of peer support for student mental health issues in Universities

Draft Agenda

9:30 Opening Address and Keynote by Dr Ben Veness

10:30 Morning Tea

10:50 Concurrent 1
A - The impact of online harassment on mental health: when online exchanges byte
B - Healthy universities: what does a healthy university look like?

12:20 Lunch & Stall Exhibition

1:00 Concurrent 2
C - Cultural diversity and mental health: different is the new normal
D - Peer support for mental health issues

2:40 Afternoon Tea

3:00 Wrap up plenary and panel discussion

3:30 Close

More information will be coming out over the coming week as the Steering Committee finalises details, registration process and speakers.

For any questions, please email Benjamin Gill at sa.president@anu.edu.au.