AMOSSHE Midlands non-leads meeting

Group meeting for AMOSSHE non-lead members in the Midlands of England. 

AMOSSHE Winter Conference: mental health and wellbeing

The AMOSSHE Winter Conference 2020 explores challenges and opportunities around mental health and wellbeing for Student Services leaders in higher education.

With mental health and wellbeing services on everyone's agenda across the sector, and demand for services at an all-time high, Student Services are facing unprecedented challenges and calls for change. This conference is your opportunity to ask: how do we respond to this 'new normal' effectively and proactively? How can we innovate? What are our opportunities for collaboration and influence? How can we think radically and do things differently?

This conference focuses on what Student Services can do going forward to ensure that students with mental health challenges are able to access and experience university life without barriers, and that all students and staff can fulfil their potential and enjoy a fulfilling and empowering experience in higher education. In the context of Student Minds' University Mental Health Charter and Universities UK's #StepChange framework refresh, this conference draws on inspirational practice and innovative thinking to help you explore how to facilitate student success in this changing world.

Location and prices

This conference takes place at the Apex City of Bath Hotel, James Street West, Bath BA1 2DA.

AMOSSHE is currently working on discounted accommodation rates for delegates staying at the conference venue. Watch this space for more information coming soon.

Here are the delegate prices (which include lunch):

• AMOSSHE named member - £199 (log in to access this rate)
  
• Member colleague (non-member, but an employee of an AMOSSHE member organisation) - £215
  
• Non-member (individuals, not-for-profit organisations and higher education providers not associated with AMOSSHE) - £255
  
• Corporate non-member - £285
  

You don’t need to pay VAT for AMOSSHE events. Before booking, please read our booking terms and conditions.

Accommodation discount

If you're staying overnight at the conference venue before or after the event, the Apex City of Bath Hotel is offering discounted rates for AMOSSHE delegates. These rates are for a single person per room per night, with breakfast:

• Wednesday 12 February: £119
• Thursday 13 February: £119
• Friday 14 February: £159
• Saturday 15 February: £179

To secure your discounted rate, please use this direct booking link.

There are only limited rooms available at these rates, on a first-come first-served basis. The discount is available until the close of Sunday 2 February.

Travel discount

If you're travelling to Bath by train, GWR is offering discounts of up to 80% for our conference delegates:

• Book a fixed outbound GWR journey to Bath with a reserved seat on the train, with a fully flexible open return.
• Discounted fares for travel to the conference are available from most stations on the GWR network.
• You can book up to nine discounted train tickets per person to attend the AMOSSHE Winter Conference.
• Discounted rates are subject to availability on the train, but the rate is available on all GWR train services.
• When travelling, make sure you have your AMOSSHE conference booking confirmation to verify your discount.

Find out more and book your discounted travel here: GWR Conferences and Events.

Pre-conference programme

Delegates are welcome to join us for a complimentary drinks reception and networking sessions the night before the conference, from 18:30 to 20:00 on Thursday 13 February 2020. This is an opportunity to meet your fellow delegates and start discussing hot topics in advance of the main event. Confirmed sessions for the pre-conference networking include:

• Cathy Gallagher (Chair of the Senior Managers’ Executive Group, BUCS - British Universities & Colleges Sport, and Director of Sport, University of Stirling) discusses the role of sport in enhancing mental health for students and staff.
• Great expectations: what should universities do - and where are the boundaries - in addressing major societal issues?
  Universities are under increasing pressure to respond to (and arguably solve) major societal issues such as mental ill health, gender-based violence and inequality. While there's no doubt that universities have a responsibility and a unique opportunity to help address these issues, the expectations of students, parents, funders, the media and lobby groups are continually increasing. This networking discussion led by Jill Stevenson (AMOSSHE Executive Member and  Head of Student Support Services and Dean for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at University of Stirling) is an opportunity to explore these issues and talk freely with other Student Services leaders about the challenges posed by these growing and changing expectations. What should universities legitimately be expected to do, and what should be the limits and boundaries of our involvement? How can we make the greatest impact? How should we, as a Student Services movement, approach this complex issue? How could / should we respond to increasing media pressure? And how can AMOSSHE help?
• Mental health vs wellbeing: what’s the difference?
  This networking discussion led by Rotimi Akinsete (AMOSSHE Executive Member and Associate Dean of Students, Wellbeing & Inclusion at University of the Arts, London) is an opportunity to explore the difference between student wellbeing and student mental health, and how Student Services leaders might (re)name our support-related services.
  

Main conference programme

Registration opens at 09:00 on Friday 14 February 2020, and the first session starts at 09:30. The conference finishes at 16:30. Confirmed sessions for the main conference include:

• What does the University Mental Health Charter mean for Student Services?
  This practical workshop explores the implications of the University Mental Health Charter for Student Services leaders. The charter, developed by mental health charity Student Minds in consultation with the sector, is a tool for higher education providers to assess and articulate their student mental health provision. Rosie Tressler (Chief Executive Officer, Student Minds) and Gareth Hughes (Psychotherapist and Research Lead for Student Wellbeing, University of Derby) give an overview of the charter and then lead practical exercises to help you assess its impact on your work.
• Taking a whole-university approach to student and staff mental health
  Amy Dicks (Policy Researcher, Universities UK) introduces Mentally Healthy Universities, a strategic framework to help higher education providers embed mental health awareness, support, research, information sharing and collaborative working across the institution, at all levels. The framework focuses on developing mental health for academic and professional staff as well as student support.
• Working together for better student wellbeing
  The New Realists report, published in September 2019 by Unite Students and HEPI (Higher Education Policy Institute) showed that while 17% of first year students consider themselves to have a specific mental health condition, only about half of them have disclosed it to their university. Moreover, 26% of all students were often or always lonely towards the end of their first year. Jenny Shaw (Head of Student Services & Insight, Unite Students) explores how university Student Services teams and accommodation providers (both in-house and third party) have a real opportunity to work together to address these issues, following guidelines from the student wellbeing good practice guidelines published by the British Property Federation (BPF) Student Accommodation Committee in June 2019.
  
• Key elements of an effective delivery of mental health and wellbeing support
  The dramatically increased number of students with mental health issues presents challenges at strategic, operational and personal levels for professional staff in the sector. In this session Iliyan Stefanov (Head of Student Support and Wellbeing, University of Wolverhampton) provides an insight to an integrated, proactive and effective approach to delivering support to students who need it and - crucially - at the time when they need it, called the Stay-on-Course Programme. The session explores the key elements of student support provision (service user, service provider, organisational structure, and support process with its aims), and discusses the pros and cons of the available approaches in each of these.
  
• International students' mental health and wellbeing: sector research and projects
  This session explores a range of projects undertaken by higher education providers across the UK, focusing on the mental health and wellbeing of international students. Julie Allen (Director of Policy and Services, UK Council for International Student Affairs) discusses the outcomes and progress of projects including a mindfulness course for international students, approaches to help Chinese students navigate life in the UK, increasing access for international students to wellbeing services, making counselling and wellbeing services accessible and inclusive, and supporting international doctoral students.
  
• Driving a change in staff mental health and wellbeing: it starts with you
  Recent figures show that the level of stress, anxiety and depression for those who work in the higher education sector is 40% higher than the all-industry average. The reality is that unless we care for ourselves and our colleagues, everyone suffers – students, colleagues, families. This practical session, led by Professor Neil Budworth (Chair, USHA - Universities Safety and Health Association and Head of Health and Safety at Loughborough University) is an opportunity to consider the mental health and wellbeing needs and risks of those who surround you.
  
• How should I invest in my mental health services? The value and impact of different approaches
  If you had an extra £100,000 a year to dedicate to student mental health in higher education, how would you spend it? This panel discussion seeks to showcase and explore different perspectives about the optimum approach to meeting students’ needs in relation to stress / distress and mental ill health. Compare and reflect on different approaches and the unique value and impact that each offers, including traditional counselling models, models focused more towards specialist mental health support, and alternative or mixed models, alternative counselling approaches, matched care models, and partnership approaches.
  
• Mental health is core business: utilising the resources we have to create a sustainable model of student mental health and wellbeing
  Resilience can help individuals to bounce back from failures and recognise and build on areas of weakness. However, there is a danger of pathologising individuals within the ‘snowflake’ stereotype. As learning support professionals we support an approach that helps to empower students for learning and life within a holistic model of student wellbeing, which integrates personal identity within a constructivist paradigm of knowledge gain and skills development. This session, led by Dr Anne Llewellyn (Deputy Director Student and Library Services, Learning Development) and Simon Lee (Deputy Director Resilience, Sport and Wellbeing) from Teesside University introduces Teesside’s journey towards being an institution increasingly at ease with the promotion and discussion of mental health. This includes utilising existing resources available as a university, and partnerships developed across the university and with external agencies, including a successful partnership with a local branch of Mind. This workshop is an opportunity to consider the resources you have across your institution to help promote positive mental health.
  

In addition, the conference features sessions led by colleagues from these organisations:

• University of Worcester
• University of Manchester
• UMHAN (University Mental Health Advisers Network)
• University of St Andrews
• University of Oxford

Sponsors

The AMOSSHE Winter Conference 2020 is kindly sponsored by these partners:

Your data

AMOSSHE handles your personal data according to our privacy policy. We won't share your personal data with speakers, session leaders or sponsors.

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AMOSSHE National Conference 2020

The AMOSSHE National Conference 2020 is the UK’s foremost opportunity for Student Services leaders to share expertise and good practice, develop strategy and skills, and build professional networks.

 Booking for this conference opens in April 2020 

The key themes for this conference are inspiration, design and excellence:

• Inspiration - inspiring colleagues to do their very best, creating open, supportive environments for both staff and students to pursue an inspirational journey, and developing narratives that inspire and influence.
• Design - creating innovative initiatives, projects and approaches to Student Services design, using evidence to identify needs or gaps, and evaluating to demonstrate real impact.
• Excellence - imagining the future we want to move to, the creative steps to get there, and identifying what excellence in Student Services really means.

Call for proposals

We want your proposals for informative and stimulating workshops or presentations that will engage delegates and contribute to everyone’s understanding and professional development. Find out more and submit a proposal here: National Conference 2020: call for session proposals.

Prices

The cost of the conference depends on whether the delegate is associated with AMOSSHE. Early bird discounts are available until 21 April 2020.

	AMOSSHE named member	AMOSSHE member colleague	Corporate	Non-member
Residential (early bird rate until 21 April 2020)	£615	£720	£893	£805
Residential (full price)	£675	£785	£1,049	£875
Three days non-residential	£465	£545	£683	£605
Wednesday only	£140	£170	£260	£202
Thursday only	£250	£295	£388	£330
Friday only	£140	£170	£260	£202

Residential places are for all three days of the conference, including accommodation for two nights at the conference venue with all meals, and all evening events.

Non-residential day places include lunch and refreshments only. You can attend the evening events on 8 and 9 July for an extra charge. If you choose not to book a residential place, AMOSSHE can't arrange accommodation for you.

Non-residential day delegates can attend the evening networking events for an extra charge as follows:

• Wednesday 8 July (networking meal) - £55
  
• Thursday 9 July (gala dinner) - £65
  

These events includes dinner, drinks and entertainment.

You don't need to pay VAT for AMOSSHE events. Before booking, please read our booking terms and conditions.

Your data

AMOSSHE handles your personal data according to our privacy policy. We won't share your personal data with speakers, session leaders or sponsors, unless you consent to this on the form when you book.

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