University of Lincoln

Transitioning Students Effectively;

A student led approach to mental health support

​

Zoë Mills – Project Manager

Project overview

​

• An Office for Students funded project, part of a national OfS Mental Health Challenge Competition, which aims to support the wellbeing of students as they transition from school or college into university.

​

• Challenges recognised during the work undertaken by the Student Wellbeing team when supporting prospective students prior to starting university.

​

• Alongside a disclosed diagnosis, additional concerns often emerge around new social situations and friendships, managing and regulating emotions and knowing when to seek support.

​

• Taking a city-wide approach, the project partners with other institutions, support services and student representatives to form a cross-disciplinary team, to develop processes, procedures and tools to enable students to support each other and themselves.

​

Project work

• Since the start of the project in July 2019, a range of interventions have been successfully implemented by the project team.

​

• Project activities generally fall into two distinct categories – those led by the team based in Student Wellbeing and those led by the project team based in Student Life.

​

• Alongside project partners, the team work collaboratively with University of Lincoln’s Education Liaison team and other local projects, such as LincHigher, part of the UniConnect programme.

​

• Natural crossover between projects such as this, enables work to be shared more broadly with schools and crucially, have introduced our project team to more colleges, which had initially proved challenging.

​

​

Wellbeing Led Activities

• Transitional Wellbeing activities include face to face and virtual presentations to schools and colleges, virtual events for students, parents and guardians and teachers, collaborative work, dissemination of digital resource packs, Fresh Start workshops, the Wellbeing Orientation Welcome (WOW) Summer School as well as pre-arrival and transitional student support.

​

• Three Wellbeing Orientation Welcome (WOW) summer schools during the project in July 2019, September 2020 and July 2021, supporting 157 transitional students with declared mental health concerns.

​

• Fresh Start workshops support transitional students with information and advice around homesickness and managing change at flashpoints throughout the year.

​

• Transitional outreach sessions on varying topics around mental wellbeing and managing change. Information also shared on importance of early disclosure in advance of enrolment at their University of choice and liaising with specialist teams to discuss, for example - Disabled Students Allowance, specialist one to one support, etc.

Wellbeing resources

• Z-Cards to hand out to students during face to face sessions.

​

• Digital Resource packs, offering a suite of resources and links to pre-recorded or generic presentations for any school or college to utilise, all available on line –
• Schools & Colleges – Student Services (lincoln.ac.uk)

​

• Parent Resource Pack – 
• https://www.flipsnack.com/UOLSWC/a-guide-for-parents-guardians.html

​

• Teacher Resource Pack –
• https://www.flipsnack.com/UOLSWC/a-guide-for-teachers.html

​

WOW Summer School

• Wellbeing Orientation Welcome or WOW Transitional Summer School. Free 3 day, 2 night stay on campus, following a full programme of events, giving a flavour of University life.
• Offered to prospective students in contact with the Student Wellbeing team, those with concerns around transition and also now offered to care experienced students.
• Mix of students of varying backgrounds and ages, giving WOW attendees a true insight into University life and shared living.
• Information provided during outreach work as support to consider or seek out, wherever the students destination may be after compulsory or further education.
• WOW students report better ability to manage change and attend University higher than the University average. 2019 attendees had an average attendance rate of 74.54% in their first year, against the University average of 72.31% and University Disability Average of 68.62%.
• WOW Summer School – Student Services (lincoln.ac.uk)

​

​

Highlights

• Available evaluation data shows that transitional outreach sessions are valued by schools and colleges and are positively viewed by many of the student participants.
• 64% of students stated that they felt more confident in their ability to manage stress and emotions (n=239 students across 3 settings).
• 53% of students stated that they felt better prepared to manage change and be independent (n=239 students across 3 settings).
• 75% of free text responses gathered across all transitional outreach sessions stated that the sessions were ‘good’, ‘helpful’ or ‘informative’ in some way.
• An Internal Evaluation Report, from January – June 2021 showed that during that period, virtual outreach sessions reached an audience of 1,206 across schools and colleges. Digitally produced outreach resources by the team received good feedback from those engaging with them.

Insights

• Often required a different approach.
• Mix of students within FEC settings meant that content, delivery and language were often changed as appropriate.
• Feedback from early sessions shaped content where necessary.
• College students more open to ask questions for specific advice from the team. Those students were offered information (included on literature) of useful and supportive websites to support themselves. Always recommended to speak to colleagues as appropriate. (College staff always in sessions with the team).

​

Insights

​

• Students were grateful of the support, which they found relevant.

​

• Students welcomed Emotional Fitness support in particular.

​

• Feedback positive, example comment from Emotional Fitness workshop –

- “I noticed that I can increase my confidence if wellbeing techniques are reminded. Therefore after today realised how effective I act when I am under pressure and stress”.

Digital Led Activities

• A diverse range of digital content produced for the project. Digital outputs include videos, vlogs, articles, the Fresher Take podcast and the Student life app.

​

• The podcast series Fresher Take has been produced, hosted by students, with 23 episodes released so far including The Social Side of University, Mastering Time Management and Staying Positive.

​

• Student co-production is facilitated by the project team and all content is co-produced. Co-production workshops have also been delivered to other universities to share ‘best practice’.

​

Digital Led Activities

• The ‘Student Life’ app was launched in August 2020 and well received. Students are sent details of the app ahead of arrival and enrolment, with content and resources available to support their transition.

​

• Trials are underway on usage with the Lincoln Medical School for their first year students, with focus groups at flash points during the first semester to check content is relevant, relatable and supportive.

​

• Specific content created for differing cohorts, recognising that transition into University is very different for all.

​

• Videos, podcasts and informative ‘lived experience’ articles, from a diverse range of students, such as MA Journalism student Yasmina, who also works in mental health crisis support –
• Looking after your mental health – Student Life (lincoln.ac.uk)

​

Digital Led Activities

​

• The project team put together ‘Student Stories’, students shared their experiences including Hannah, who joined from college and talked honestly about the challenges she faced, particularly around her diagnosed conditions.

​

• A range of Student Content Creators ensures that content is relatable and engaging for incoming students, produced by those on a variety of courses, of different ages and from backgrounds.

​

Digital resources

• Resources produced and created by the Digital Student life team and content creators can be found online here –

​

Mental Health & Wellbeing – Student Life (lincoln.ac.uk)

Student Co-Production

• Focus groups - keeping content relevant and relatable.
• Sharing lived experiences - student vlogs produced by students, student reps speaking during outreach sessions.
• Using students as creators in co-production as they are more relatable - pupils and students are more likely to engage and trust the information that is given to them.
• Student Ambassadors used during WOW are previous WOW attendees, again, sharing lived experiences and offering support.

​

Differences

Schools Colleges

​

Same age Mixed

Life Changes Academic Changes

Independence Grants and funding

Less confidence Greater confidence

‘Softer’ topics Harder hitting topics

‘Assembly’ / Workshop style HE Fair / Workshop style

Socialising content Time management

Future plans

• Work with the University Education Liaison team ensures sustainability of project work and resources, through their existing contacts and continued engagement within their schools and colleges outreach work.
• Resources and links available for all to use how they wish, from the project website -

​

OFS Mental Health Project – Just another University of Lincoln WordPress Service site

​

• Whilst access to colleges had been initially challenging, work is now continuing with partners and stakeholders, giving more options for a broader delivery of sessions.

Future plans

• Resources shared with partners and stakeholders, such as LincHigher, to ensure these continue to be provided to a wider reach of schools and colleges.

​

• Supporting student transition is a huge area, this project is short term, with the aim to provide mental health and wellbeing support, student-led resources and content suitable for all, to last after the project ends.

​

• Some initiatives will remain and continue within UoL – WOW Summer School, Fresh Start, Fresher Take podcast and student content creators.

​

​

• Queries –

​

Zoë Mills

zmills@lincoln.ac.uk

​