Chief Executive and Acting Principal Rich Harris was delighted to sign the Mental Health and Wellbeing Charter on 12 April, and pledge City of Bristol College’s commitment to the mental health agenda.
Signing the Charter, Rich reflected on the work being done in College and the plans we have for the future. Mental Health First Aiders are available for students and staff in each centre and provide support to staff and students, while the Safeguarding Team are always available to help anyone experiencing challenges. Our Access to Higher Education courses also have their very own support dog, Clemmy!
Students and staff at City of Bristol College have 24/7 access to Togetherall and events such as Mental Health Week and Stress Awareness get significant attention to ensure we all take time to recognise the importance of looking after our mental health.
The Association of Colleges (AoC) launched the charter in May 2019 to give colleges the chance to publicly state their commitment, with over 200 colleges having signed to date. The Mental Health and Wellbeing Charter has supported raising awareness of the importance of supporting the mental health and wellbeing of students and staff, which has become an increasing challenge for many and a major issue for colleges around the country with the need for support increasing post-pandemic.
The charter reaffirms our organisation’s commitment to staff and students by:
• Promoting equality of opportunity and challenging mental health stigma
• Providing appropriate mental health training for staff
• Providing targeted individual mental health support where appropriate
Rich Harris commented “We work hard to ensure that our students and staff have the support that they need when they experience mental health challenges, and are keen to continue doing all we can to support everyone’s wellbeing. We know that the last two years have been especially tough for many, and it is critical that we value the mental health and wellbeing of our staff and students just as much as the quality teaching and learning that we provide. We will continue to work with students and staff to understand their needs and how we can best help them.”
You can find out more about the mental health support we offer.
