Other Services
Mental Health Mentoring
Catalyst East Anglia provides a student mental health mentoring service to higher education students.
What does a Mental Health Mentor do?
The mentor works with you to identify how your mental health impacts on your ability to study and the way in which it might get in the way of you making the most of the student experience. Together you will work on reducing the effects and any barriers you face, to help you to reach your potential.
This may include help with issues such as:
- Time management and creating a healthy work-life balance
- Problem solving and goal setting
- Motivation and organisation
- Coping with anxiety, stress and emotions
- Developing social networks and support
- Liaising with tutors and student service staff
- Coping with transition and change
If you have an assessment, and the DSA needs assessor recommends a mental health mentor, many Universities offer to find one for you, but you can actually find your own if you wish, paid for through the DSA.
Beckie worked at the University of East Anglia as Mental Health Coordinator within Student Services (2005-10). She set up and provided a mental health service to students and a consultation service for staff. This included establishing a Mental Health Mentoring scheme and supervising the mentors. She also organised mental health promotion events and delivered mental health training to staff, including Mental Health First Aid (“click here” to find out more about Mental Health First Aid 2-day courses).
She is an experienced, inspiring and warm mentor who draws on her experience as an occupational therapist and uses solution focussed, cognitive behavioural and cognitive analytic therapy techniques to empower students.
Initial Meeting
It is important that you find a mentor that you feel comfortable talking to and working with. This can be done initially either over the phone or face to face. This is an opportunity to ask Beckie any questions and discuss any concerns you might have. If you decide at any time you do not want Beckie to continue to be your mentor, you can change your mind.
Confidentiality
As part of the mentoring support might be liaising with tutors and student support services, ways in which information can be shared appropriately will be discussed with you at the initial meeting. Most of the time however, the information you share can be treated in confidence. The only time that there would be a professional obligation to share information, is if there is a serious concern that you are at risk to yourself or others. This would be discussed with you wherever possible if the need arose. Please note that you will be asked for the contact details of your GP and student support advisor at your initial meeting.
Please contact
If you are a student or prospective student to discuss the services provided
If you are an institution looking for mental health mentors
If you are a DSA needs assessor looking for mental health mentors
Professional Supervision
Catalyst East Anglia provides professional supervision to people working in mental health and related fields.
What is Professional Supervision?
Professional supervision can be defined as a worker meeting with an independent person who has greater experience, knowledge or skills to reflect on their work practice so that they can improve the way they help others. It is different to the supervision you might receive from your line manager or boss.
Why have Professional Supervision?
Receiving supervision shows you are committed to delivering high quality services, enables you to reflect on your achievements and gain recognition for the valuable work that you do and can help to prevent burnout and provide you with support in your role that you deserve.
Working with people who experience mental health and emotional difficulties can be incredibly rewarding but it can also be challenging and emotionally draining. Having a regular confidential “space” where you can discuss your feelings and how you are coping with work place, client and colleague demands can be beneficial for your own health and wellbeing.
Attending the first Supervision meeting
It is important that you find someone who you feel comfortable with and who has the approach and skills to suit your needs. Therefore at the first meeting it is good to ask Beckie any questions you have and discuss any concerns that may help you to decide if you want to take it further. You will also be asked what you have found helpful and unhelpful with previous supervision experiences and to give an outline of your current work role and responsibilities and what you would like to learn, improve, reflect on and achieve. This will also help Beckie to ensure that she feels she would be a suitable supervisor for you. If it is agreed that you will continue, this information can also help to generate a number of goals for you to work towards.
Frequency and length of supervision will be discussed at the initial meeting and may be dependent upon your current needs, your organisation’s resources and supervision policy. Good practice would be once or twice a month.
Confidentiality
All information is treated in the strictest confidence. The only time there would be a professional obligation to share information with your line manager or boss is if there is a serious concern that you are at risk to yourself or others or a child protection issue needs addressing. This would be discussed with you if the need arose, but please note that you will be asked for the contact details of your line manager before your initial consultation.
Please contact
If you are an employee and would like to arrange an initial meeting
If you are a line manager looking for a supervisor for a member/s of your team
