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 well-being support for students across the sector is critical. Between the 2016-17 and 2022-23 academic years, 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, which found that 37 per cent of first-year students reported symptoms of depression and anxiety, only reinforced the situation.
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As a student, I recognise that in challenging times finding the right well-being 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 Well-being Student Advisory Board (WSAB). From a student’s perspective, here are actions that may help well-being 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 well-being 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 well-being (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 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 to shape their 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. Last year alone, 202 support sessions and 35 counselling appointments were missed, 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 (pictured above in the Templeman Library on campus), 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 well-being hub, allow students to seek help at their own pace.
The board also works with the union to ensure 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 crisis; it’s about helping them thrive in all aspects of student 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 well-being services; they should be active partners. If universities are serious about supporting students, they need to put their trust in them, too.
* Name has been changed.
Ryan Wong is a law student at the University of Kent.
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