Category: Campus Developments

Campus Developments, General, Mental Health, Mental Health Awareness Week, Offload, Student Life, Tackling the Blues

Edge Hill marks Mental Health Awareness Week

To mark this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week, 10th-16th May, we’re placing a spotlight on the milestones and achievements marked by the Edge Hill community in the field of mental health over the past 12 months. 

From hosting unique and engaging events, to conducting leading research and delivering mental health training to the next generation, the University is continually innovating to raise awareness and increase knowledge at a time when mental health has never been more important. 

Mental Health Awareness Week 2021 

The University hosted its flagship mental health event on Monday 10th May with a special online event starring TV and radio star Roman Kemp, who gave a first-hand account of his emotional BBC documentary Our Silent Emergency, which explores the mental health and suicide crisis gripping young men across the UK. 

Roman joined a line-up of experts for an open and honest conversation about mental health. 

Rugby League Carers’ Offload programme 

Researchers at Edge Hill University published the first study of its kind into the benefits of Rugby League Cares’s Offload programme and concluded it is saving lives and providing those involved in the game a safe space for men to discuss mental health. 

The research was conducted by Professor Andy Smith, Dr David Haycock and Rachel Wilcock has been published in the international journal, Mental Health and Physical Activity, and is currently free to access online.  

 
Tackling the Blues launches bitesize programme 

Tackling the Blues, an award-winning sport and arts-based education programme, launched a series of online bitesize lessons to help teachers support children and young people’s mental health during lockdown. 

Developed in partnership by Edge Hill University, Everton in the Community and Tate Liverpool, the five-week programme BLUES responded to the pupil mental health and wellbeing concerns faced by schools in the partnership. 

Mentor wants mental health to take centre stage in schools 

A performer who is training as a psychotherapist at Edge Hill is using her creative talents to encourage children and young people to open up about their mental health through the arts. 

Olivia Izzo, 26, is studying an MSc in Psychotherapy and Counselling at Edge Hill following a career as a performer and actor. Since joining the University, Olivia has been appointed as a mentor for Tackling the Blues, Edge Hill’s mental health literacy programme for schools in partnership with Everton in the Community and Tate Liverpool. 

Tackling the Blues is a sport, physical activity, arts and education-based mental health literacy programme supporting children and young people aged 6 to 16 years who are experiencing, or at risk of developing, mental illness. 

Study reveals the benefits of sleep and physical activity on mental health

Researchers at Edge Hill University have investigated how sleep and physical activity could influence the mental health of children and young people living in Lancashire.

Dr Richard Tyler and Professor Stuart Fairclough have completed a new study on how daily activity behaviours such as physical activity, sleep, and being sedentary relate to children’s mental health and wellbeing. The study was recently published in the Journal of Sports Sciences.

Trailblazing programme supports mental health in schools and colleges

In March 2020, students attended a launch event for the new Education Mental Health Practitioner PGDip course. Edge Hill University is trailblazing a new programme to train people for new roles to support mental health in schools and colleges.

The Education Mental Health Practitioner PGDip course will see students work across education and healthcare settings to provide early intervention mental health support for children and young people in schools and colleges. These new roles will support the Government’s priority of increasing access to mental health and wellbeing support for children and young people with a focus on early intervention. 

Edge Hill University’s Wellbeing Team is available to support students with their health and wellbeing needs throughout their time at Edge Hill. Members of staff are encouraged to contact the Wellbeing Support Service, who are available to provide wellbeing support during the pandemic, at [email protected]. 

Campus Support are always available out of hours to provide help while on campus and can be reached on 01695 584227. 

The Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 (free from any phone) or you can email [email protected]. They are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Campus Developments, Event, Mental Health, mental health awareness, Sport and Physical Activity, Student Life, Tackling the Blues

TV and radio star Roman Kemp to front Edge Hill mental health event

Television and radio presenter Roman Kemp will pay a virtual visit to Edge Hill next month to give a first-hand account of his emotional BBC documentary Our Silent Emergency, which explores the mental health and suicide crisis gripping young men across the UK. 

The recent airing of his documentary moved viewers to tears when Roman reflected on his own mental health journey and the devastating loss of his radio producer best friend Joe Lyons to suicide in August last year. 

Roman is now a patron of the mental health charity Joe’s Buddy Line, which was set up in legacy of his friend Joe. The charity aims to provide emotional and mental health support for school children across England and Wales. 

During a special Edge Hill event to mark Mental Health Awareness Week, Roman will join a line-up of Edge Hill experts for an open and honest conversation about mental health. 

The free event Stepping Up the Fight for Mental Health will take place on Monday 10th May 5pm-6pm and tickets can be booked online. 

Joining Roman on the panel will be Andy Smith, a Professor of Sport and Physical Activity at Edge Hill, who has been at the forefront of ground-breaking research in sport, education and mental health. Prof Smith’s work has helped to inform community and professional sport and health organisations across the country, including influencing the UK Select Committee’s Suicide Prevention report. 

Prof Andy Smith

He will spotlight recent interventions he and other Edge Hill colleagues have worked on, including Rugby League Cares Offload programme, which resulted in 78% of men reporting feeling more aware of how to look after their health and wellbeing, and award-winning mental health programme Tackling the Blues delivered in partnership between Edge Hill University, Everton in the Community and Tate Liverpool to promote young people’s mental health in education through sports, physical activity and the arts.

Other panellists include Olivia Izzo, an Edge Hill student mentor on the Tackling the Blues programme who is encouraging children and young people to open up about their mental health through the arts and sport; and an Offload participant.

Chairing the event will be Mike Salla, Director of Health and Sport at Everton in the Community, the official charity of Everton Football Club. Mike oversees a broad range of mental health specific projects and is leading on the development of The People’s Place; a purpose-built mental health hub adjacent to Goodison Park.

Edge Hill University’s Wellbeing Team is available to support students with their health and wellbeing needs throughout their time at Edge Hill. Members of staff are encouraged to contact the Wellbeing Support Service, who are available to provide wellbeing support during the pandemic, at [email protected].

Campus Support are always available out of hours to provide help while on campus and can be reached on 01695 584227.

The Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 (free from any phone) or you can email [email protected]. They are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.