Investing in training to support mental health and wellbeing

St Catharine’s has invested in a bespoke programme of mental health training so that more staff are equipped to support colleagues, students and Fellows, thanks to the generous philanthropy of Christina (2016; Honorary Fellow 2019) and Peter (1974, Natural Sciences; Honorary Fellow 2019) Dawson. A range of training has been completed by different groups of staff since November 2021, as part of an ongoing commitment to enhancing support for the College community.

Mary Simuyandi, Head of Wellbeing at St Catharine’s, explains:

“Our training programme takes us a step closer to realising our ambition to provide outstanding mental health and wellbeing support to our students, staff and Fellows. Access to high-quality training is essential if we want to equip key individuals and groups at Catz to provide empathetic and professional wellbeing support – and this need has become even more pressing given the significant impact of the pandemic on our wellbeing as a community.

“The programme is testament to Christina and Peter’s long-standing role as champions for wellbeing and mental health at Catz. Their ongoing generosity continues to enrich the lives of everyone in the College community, and their recognition that investing in training for our community will enable us to remain at the forefront of welfare provision in Cambridge. I also want to thank our staff who have embraced these new training opportunities.”

The training programme was devised by Mary and Maxine Flynn, HR Manager, alongside other colleagues, to ensure more staff had the skills and confidence to support the mental health of the whole College community, responding safely, sensitively and appropriately when people present in distress or with a mental health problem. The College is currently reviewing feedback from participants and will plan further training opportunities as required and in line with best practice.

Additional funding has been allocated so that mental health training can be offered to JCR and MCR committee members who represent the College’s undergraduate and postgraduate communities, respectively. This will be organised during the summer vacation to avoid disrupting the examination period.

Porters

St Catharine’s team of 11 porters are a frontline team who interact with students, staff, Fellows and visitors on a regular basis. Having already received Mental Health First Aid training, the College appointed a highly-qualified mental health nurse to deliver two tailored sessions for the whole team, with an emphasis on responding to students experiencing a mental health crisis and safeguarding both the student and the porter’s own wellbeing during and after a crisis.

Housekeeping Team

The Housekeeping Team are well-placed to help identify early warning signs of poor mental health. The team expressed an interest in developing their awareness and understanding around how poor mental health is often presented, how to respond in a supportive manner and how to manage concerns and disclosures. In total, 33 members of the team participated in training that provided a mix of theory and practical skills.

Clare Butler, Deputy Manager for the Housekeeping Team, said:

“I definitely took a lot away from the training, including realising how important all of our mental health is and that we should take the time to check in with each other. I think after the training the whole team has taken more notice of how people are feeling and would not hesitate to come to myself, the Housekeeping Manager or one of the Health & Wellbeing team if they were concerned about anyone’s welfare at Catz.”

Heads of Departments, Line Managers and Supervisors

Employees with management responsibilities are often the first point of contact if staff in their team struggle with their mental health or seek out support. Training for 24 employees was delivered that not only covered general mental health awareness and the skills to navigate supportive conversations, but also empowered this group to promote a culture at St Catharine’s that reduces stigma around mental health problems and creates an open and supportive working environment.

Further intensive training

Three further employees across different departments recently completed an intensive two-day Mental Health First Aider training and are now registered with Mental Health First Aid England. Our core Health & Wellbeing team were also able to pursue Continuing Professional Development opportunities to update their skills and expertise.