The Student Wellbeing Advisory Groups is a cross university advisory group for the continuous enhancement and delivery of a whole university approach to student mental health and wellbeing, incorporating all aspects of the student experience.

This means that the group:

1. Co-ordinate GCU’s engagement with sector guidance for the development of policy, practice and governance, relating to student mental health and wellbeing, including the: UUK StepChange: mentally healthy universities, Student Minds University Mental Health Charter, UUK Suicide Safer Universities, NUS Student Mental Health Agreement  and EmilyTest.
2. Advise the Executive Board on the development of policy, resources and support in terms of both academic and pastoral aspects of student mental health and wellbeing
3. Oversee the on-going development and monitoring of progress against the Student Mental Health Action Plan and ongoing engagement with the Student Minds Mental Health Charter Programme
4. Oversee the production of regular monitoring reports to LESC and People Committee on progress against the objectives and activities set out in the Student Mental Health Action Plan
5. Co-ordinate the areas of work and receive recommendations from Student Expert Panel to deliver the ongoing enhancement of student mental health and wellbeing services and support
6. Co-ordinate the work of the Gender Based Violence and Induction Planning Steering Group and work with other projects and working groups as required
7. The Student Wellbeing Advisory Group advises Executive Board on the development of policy and resources in areas related to student mental health and wellbeing and formally reports to the Learning Enhancement Sub-Committee (LESC), who report to the Education Committee (EC) which is a sub-committee of Senate.
8. Promote a university-wide approach to staff and student wellbeing through close partnership working and cross representation with the People Advisory Group
9. Support effective communication and awareness raising within the student body on student mental health and wellbeing support and services, including campaigns
10. Encourage the development of and sharing of good practice and contribute to the informal Community of Practice in Health and Wellbeing
11. Continue partnership working with GCU Students’ Association to co-create initiatives to enhance student mental health and wellbeing

The Student Wellbeing Advisory group also ensure coordination between student and staff action on mental health and wellbeing by cross representation between groups exploring student and staff wellbeing, and by joint reporting to Executive Board via VP People and Student Wellbeing.

The Gender Based Violence Steering Group and the Induction Planning Steering Group reporting to the Student Wellbeing Advisory Group.

The Student Wellbeing Advisory Group has also established a Student Expert Panel on Student Wellbeing.

The Student Wellbeing Advisory Group and the Student Expert Panel on Student Wellbeing

The work of the Student Wellbeing Advisory group is supported by the Student Expert Panel on Mental Health and Wellbeing. This panel is co-chaired between the University and GCU Students’ Association and is constructed otherwise entirely of students.

The group aims to enhance support for and the experience of student mental health and wellbeing at GCU and empowers the embedding of student voice. The group reports directly to the Student Wellbeing Advisory Group, and the GCU Students’ Association SAGE Committee as appropriate.

You can find out more about the Student Expert Panel at the GCU Webpage.

Who are the Student Wellbeing Advisory Group?

The membership of the Student Wellbeing Advisory Group for 2024/25 is:

Membership	Current Members	Expertise
Director of Student Life (Chair)	Jackie Main	Student wellbeing and wider student experience
Head of Student Wellbeing	Avril Williams	Student wellbeing and wider student experience
Mental Health and Wellbeing Manager	Katie Miller-Cole	Student wellbeing and wider student experience
Disability Manager	Danny Gallacher	Student wellbeing, disability, and wider student experience
The ADLTQs for SHLS, SCEBE and GSBS	Dr Kerri McPherson   Dr Mary MacLachlan  Dr Samantha McLean	Academic student experiences
Student Mental Health Project Officer (Clerk for SWAG, Co-chair of Student Expert Panel)	Rachel Simpson	Student wellbeing and wider student experience
Student Association Representatives Full Time Officer (Co-chair of Student Expert Panel) Senior Student Adviser, Advice Centre	Oluwatomisin (Tom Tom) Osinubi Kirsty McGregor	Student voice
Student Enquiries, Advice and Events	Kirsty MacInnes	Student Enquiries Advice and Events; Student Induction
GCU London	Stefan Hollins	GCU London student experiences
Library	Gary Steele	Library Services
People Services	Dr Lizzie Reather	Staff Wellbeing
Residential Accommodation and Campus Services	Therese Fraser	Campus Services and student experience
Graduate School	Dr Amy Cartwright	Postgraduate research student experience
External Representative GCU/SAMH; Mentally Healthy University Co-Ordinator	Peter Copeland	Staff wellbeing and sector experience
Other members to be co-opted as required to ensure appropriate input from all areas involved in the delivery of the wider student experience as required

If you have any questions or would like to get in touch with the Student Wellbeing Advisory Group please contact UMHC@GCU.ac.uk