Students offer a lifeline to those in mental health need
University students are providing a vital lifeline for those in need of support during the pandemic.
Occupational therapy students at the University of Sunderland must complete 1,000 hours of clinical placements as part of their degree, with first year students currently preparing for their first placement.
Now, due to a demand for services in the mental health sector, students are working with North East-based charity Mental Health Concern (MHC).
Two students spend every Friday in a dedicated room on campus, speaking to clients via telephone, supporting them through difficult situations in a bid to prevent a mental health crisis.
Emma Taylor and Courtney Pratt work with the same patients each week and can tap intoMHC policies, procedures and systems, and benefit from the charity' s training programme sat the same time as being fully supported by the team from MHC.
Emma, 45, from Sunderland, said: “I have a genuine interest in mental health.
“This is an amazing opportunity to work with people to support their mental health in a professional capacity. This will further support me with my future work placements within the course.
“I have enjoyed the experience and the highlights have been developing relationships with clients in which they openly share details of their life events and difficulties.
"Being able to listen to my clients and find out what is important to them in order to support them to make positive changes has been a particular highlight.”
Occupational therapy senior lecturer, Nina Bedding said :“This is a fantastic opportunity for students to develop their skills in a supported environment, getting that crucial real-world experience.
“Instead of learning in a simulated situation, or through role play, they are dealing with the public and real-life referrals that come in.
"It is preparing them for the kind of challenges they would face once they begin work; this is an important experience that they are getting very early in their training.”
Emma Chambers, team lead for Together in a Crisis at MHC, said: “It has been an honour to be able to support University of Sunderland students at a time of such uncertainty.”