Wellbeing Student Advisory Board (WSAB) board member Ryan Wong recently wrote an Op-Ed published in the Times Higher Education publication about the pioneering initiative that is revolutionising our mental health and wellbeing offering here at Kent.
Through the WSAB, Kent is actively reshaping how students’ access and interact with services, ensuring support reaches those who need it most. With over 4,177 students registered with Student Support and Wellbeing (SSW) — a significant 22% of the student population — Kent is proving that its approach is making an impact.
So, what’s different about WSAB? Unlike traditional mental health services that rely on students making the first move, WSAB acts as a bridge, ensuring students feel heard and supported before they even realise they need it. WSAB is implementing peer-led discussions, targeted awareness campaigns, and proactive outreach efforts to ensure students don’t slip through the cracks.
Ask students what mental health support they need
By Ryan Wong
When Alex*, a third-year politics and international relations student, found that financial stress, academic pressure and anxiety were building up last year, he didn’t immediately turn to student services for help. “I was really struggling, but I didn’t think services were for me.” His response shows that the problem in student support isn’t always the absence of support, but how it’s perceived and accessed.
And right now robust, accessible mental health and wellbeing support for students across the sector is critical. Between 2016/17 and 2022/23, the proportion of undergraduate students in the UK reporting mental health difficulties rose from 6 to 16 per cent, according to a 2023 report from King’s College London. A 2021 survey by the Office for National Statistics found that 37 per cent of first-year students reported symptoms of depression and anxiety, only reinforced the situation.
As a student, I recognise that in challenging times, finding the right wellbeing support at university can often feel overwhelming. Whether due to stigma, lack of awareness or simply feeling lost in the moment, too many who need help don’t seek it out.
Another reason students don’t engage is that they are rarely involved in shaping the support services designed for them. Without meaningful student input, services can miss the nuances of student life, leading to well-intentioned support that’s functional but underused.
I wanted to make a difference to this situation, so I joined the university’s Wellbeing Student Advisory Board (WSAB). From a student’s perspective, here are actions that may help wellbeing offices increase student engagement with their services.
Give students a seat at the table
To support student mental health, universities need to go beyond funding. Students should be actively involved in designing the systems meant for them. The issue isn’t just having services; it’s ensuring that students engage with them.
One way to do this is to bring student representatives into decision-making. At the University of Kent, our advisory board includes 20 students from diverse backgrounds and life experiences, working to make wellbeing support more accessible and less intimidating. It’s chaired by the vice-president for welfare and community and run through the students’ union, ensuring it remains student-led while being closely supported by the University. We meet at least twice a term, with each meeting attended by the Head of Student Support and Wellbeing (SSW), Lee Fellows. We then share key insights and action points with student support.
Application-based recruitment means every member joins with a genuine interest in mental health or lived experience of using support services. The two-way communication also helps the university manage services and spending.
“The Wellbeing Student Advisory Board provides a direct communication line to students,” according to Fellows, which helps the University ‘to understand what students expect from support services and how we shape our priorities.”
Ensure the message that support is available to everyone is clear
Many students assume that support services are only for those in crisis. Despite significant investment, engagement remains a challenge. Some students fear judgement, others aren’t sure how to start. For example, at Kent, more than 4,177 students are registered with SSW and 2,982 have individual learning plans, yet many others still struggle in silence. This year so far we have seen 222 missed counselling appointments and 1104 missed DSA and Adviser appointments, suggesting that accessibility and engagement still need work.
That’s why visibility matters. We promote services through the Students’ union website, social media and campus events. We also use insight from support data, union-led surveys, and face-to-face conversations on campus to shape responses. After positive feedback about Coco the therapy dog, for example, the board supported continuing on-campus therapy dog sessions. When students asked for alternative well–being activities, we expanded the Kent Community Oasis Gardens –a space for gardening, reflection, and connection.
Make support accessible
An online platform can offer practical advice and mental health resources, accessible even for remote students. Online resources, such as Kent Students’ Union wellbeing hub, allow students to seek help at their own pace.
The board also works with the union to ensures students know that support extends beyond mental health, addressing challenges such as the cost-of-living crisis through the campus pantry, which provides free food, and JobShop, which connects students with part-time work.
For politics student Alex, this joined-up support made all the difference. After seeking advice from SSW, he was signposted to JobShop and student services. “Once I finally reached out, they pointed me to things on campus that really helped,” he said. “I feel so much more positive now.”
Peer-led boards like the WSAB help services feel more relatable and encourage students to take that first step towards seeking help. They also need to know support is about more than just for crisis moments -it’s about helping students to thrive in all aspects of life.
From my experience, students are rarely invited to help shape the systems they rely on. That needs to change. Students shouldn’t be passive recipients of wellbeing services; they should be active partners. If universities are serious about supporting students, they need to put their trust in them, too.
If you are struggling please visit the WSAB website attend a drop-in session or reach out to a peer advisor. The support is here, you just need to take the first step!
Blog originally repurposed from The Times Higher Education which can be found here.
* Name has been changed.
References
Office for National Statistics (2021). Coronavirus and first year higher education students, England – Office for National Statistics. [online] www.ons.gov.uk. Available at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/healthandwellbeing/bulletins/coronavirusandfirstyearhighereducationstudentsengland/4octoberto11october2021.
Sanders, M. (2023). Student Mental Health in 2023: Who is struggling and how is the situation changing. The Policy Institute, Kings College London.