Hi, am seeking advice on how educators can effectively measure and address student well-being and mental health in academic settings. What strategies can be used to assess and support students’ mental health and create a supportive environment?
I’m particularly interested in practical approaches that have been successful in real-world classrooms. Any insights or resources you can share would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Social prescribing is one approach that is often used in the education industry. Social prescribing provides pupils with a non-clinical, non-medical way to get help. Since the social prescribing approach was incorporated into the NHS Long Term Plan, its popularity has skyrocketed. In order to provide students with the chance to enhance their health and wellbeing and concentrate on their studies, social prescribing in education aids in the implementation and monitoring of successful social prescribing programs.
When I was working on improving student well-being in academic settings, I found that implementing practical strategies made a significant difference. Regularly using anonymous surveys or mental health check-ins allowed us to gauge student well-being and identify any issues early on. Creating a supportive environment involved integrating social-emotional learning into the curriculum, providing access to counseling services, and training teachers to recognize signs of mental health struggles. Establishing a peer support network and fostering open communication in the classroom also helped students feel supported and valued. These approaches, along with resources from organizations like the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), proved effective in creating a positive and supportive school environment.