Glasgow Caledonian and SAMH recommit to promoting positive mental health
Glasgow Caledonian University and Scottish Action for Mental Health (SAMH) have reconfirmed their commitment to work together to promote positive mental health and wellbeing among the University’s students, staff and wider community.
Principal and Vice-Chancellor Professor Steve Decent and SAMH Chief Executive Billy Watson met on campus to sign an updated Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), consolidating the University's 13-year association with SAMH.
Their work together includes the secondment of Mentally Healthy University Coordinator Pete Copeland from SAMH to the University’s Glasgow campus, and a series of awareness, wellbeing and training events. In addition, Glasgow Caledonian’s Department of Psychology has been appointed as SAMH’s academic partner for its Psychological Wellbeing strategy. The two partners work together on a series of mutually beneficial academic, research and service-delivery projects, including Time for You, an online wellbeing service operated by SAMH and supported by Glasgow Caledonian students. The service was initially developed to support frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and is now available to the general public.
It is hoped the MoU will lead to further opportunities for SAMH and the University to work more closely.
Principal and Vice-Chancellor Professor Stephen Decent said: "Scottish Action for Mental Health has helped guide the University's support for the mental health and wellbeing of our staff, students and local community for more than a decade. I was delighted to welcome Billy Watson to the campus to celebrate and consolidate our enduring partnership with the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding. We very much look forward to building on our relationship and further promoting positive mental health and wellbeing."
Billy Watson, Chief Executive of SAMH, said: "We are delighted to be extending our partnership with Glasgow Caledonian, which aims to improve mental health and wellbeing support for students and staff, as well as furthering our collaborative research. Supporting young people, particularly after the turmoil of recent years caused by the pandemic and cost-of-living crisis, is one of our core strategic aims and we look forward to continuing to work closely with the University to do this.”
SAMH, which last year celebrated its centenary, offers accessible, practical information about mental health and provides direct support through more than 70 community-based services. The charity’s We Won’t Wait strategy exemplifies its approach to mental health support: that people should be able to ask once and get help fast.
SAMH is Scotland's largest mental health charity, employing around 550 staff in more than 70 communities. As well as providing mental health social care support, and specialist addiction and employment services, it has a long history of campaigning for the changes – big and small – that make a difference in life. Pioneering mental health support for 100 years, it pre-dates the NHS and was founded thanks to the pioneering work of Paisley's Dr Kate Fraser CBE, who dedicated her life to improving the conditions and treatment of people with mental health problems. Learn more about a century of SAMH on their website.
Glasgow Caledonian is committed to a culture of positive mental health, which enables students and staff to thrive and achieve their full potential. A range of resources and tailored support is available as part of the University’s commitment to providing a healthy learning and working environment.