Mental Health and Wellbeing strategy

Monash University is committed to advancing the mental health and wellbeing of our students and staff in support of a healthy University community that strives to achieve excellence and foster inclusion.

The Monash approach is ‘whole of university’, recognising the role of multiple factors and influences in achieving good mental health. This involves providing an array of avenues through which students and staff can be educated on signs and symptoms of mental illness and in developing strategies to enhance their individual and collective wellbeing.

Developing resilience is central to the experience of students and in building their lifelong capabilities for success. For staff, creating supportive environments is key to enabling their satisfaction and indeed performance. Taken together the University community is able to thrive and flourish.

The many initiatives delivered by the University are underpinned by clear policies that are in support of a healthy community. Wherever possible, Monash seeks to learn from others, to deliver the best possible experience for students and staff.

Building on decades of practice, our Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy outlines our goals over the coming years.

Strategic goals

The specialist support of the Counselling and Mental Health Programs area occupies a critical position within the overall strategy

The success of these efforts will be measured in a number of ways, including the quality of our student experience, student retention measures and staff engagement surveys.

The Mental Health and Wellbeing strategy is underpinned by data, evidence, and evaluation. Multiple stakeholders across the University play a part.

Action plan

Responding to mental health crises

Engaging external mental health partnerships and services

Providing quality psychological counselling services

Delivering mental health literacy training

Creating an environment that builds resilience and facilitates social connection

Through our programs, we aim to help develop resilience, improve performance, and facilitate social connections. Annually, the University enables a wide range of student engagement programs to build community, including TeamMonash, Non-Residential Colleges and English Connect (the latter offering a number of co-curricular programs focusing on developing communication skills and academic and conversational language in cultural contexts.)

Offering a dedicated, comprehensive pastoral care model, Monash Residential services provides a 'community within a community' for students living on-campus.

Monash is a world leader in the practice of Mindfulness, with well-embedded programs in the curriculum of specific faculties. Monash HR facilitates dedicated programs to strengthen the capability of staff to manage their workload and navigate difficult conversations, while Wellbeing at Monash cultivates positive mental health strengthening for staff through initiatives such as the Staff Wellbeing and Activity program.

More broadly, Respectful Relationships training and faculty-based mentoring promote a culture of inclusion within staff and student cohorts. The University welcomes the passion of students wanting to contribute to the promotion of mental health, through peer-to-peer programs such as Mental Health Champions.

Initiatives 2021-2025

Reviewing faculty-based mentoring support
Piloting faculty-based student peer mentoring program
Introducing Respect. Now. Always. initiatives, including Respect. Now. Always. day, Respectful Relationships training, first responder training, and bystander intervention training
Expanding staff mindfulness and wellbeing programs
Expanding curricular content in faculties focused on mental health outcomes for students
Reviewing Staff Wellbeing Activity program offerings and implementing recommendations
Refreshing Alcohol and Drugs program for students living on-campus
Introducing Orientation support app for international students
Strengthening creation of on-campus student engagement events in partnership with Monash Student Organisations.

Promoting a culture that produces positive mental health outcomes

Key Performance Indicators

Students:

We wish to positively contribute the following measures of success:

Overall student experience via the annual Student Experience Survey
Overall retention and attrition rates

Our work will be measured by:

Results of the University Counselling Services survey
Year-on-year usage data of the University Counselling Service
Impact of various Campus Community initiatives
Education-focussed research measuring student wellbeing and study engagement.

Staff:

Our work will be measured by overall staff satisfaction, as measured by the VOICES Staff Engagement Survey.

Governance

The Standing Committee on Mental Health meets twice a year and oversees the implementation of the University’s Mental Health policy and Mental Health and Wellbeing strategy. The Committee is chaired by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Major Campuses and Student Engagement) and its membership reflects central divisions, faculties and students.

The Standing Committee reports to the Vice-Chancellor’s Executive Committee, to which it provides an annual report on mental health outcomes.