STUDENT OF HUMANITY
The Duchess of Cambridge on a visit to the University of Derby where she talked to first year students about how the coronavirus pandemic has affected the start of their undergraduate life, and what measures have been put in place to support their mental health.
THE DUCHESS of Cambridge has visited first- year students at the University of Derby ahead of World Mental Health Day.
Kate travelled to the city to meet students and find out how their mental health is being cared for on campus.
She arrived wearing a colourful mask in line with rules for students and staff in communal areas.
The Duchess’s visit came as Universities UK, which represents 139 institutions including the University of Derby, published a new checklist to help universities support student wellbeing during the autumn term.
During the Duchess’s visit to the university’s main Kedleston Road site she was briefed by Student Minds, the UK’s student mental health charity, on the national picture.
Her first discussion was in a socially distanced circle. Kate asked representatives of Student Minds if there had been an “increase in awareness” among students of mental health help and asked if it had been “integrated” into their education.
She then spoke to students about how they have felt during the pandemic.
Husna Hanif and Laura Oliver, both 18, told the duchess they had “kept busy” during lockdown, adding that it was “hard not seeing friends”.
She asked the pair if there was enough support at the university, to which Ms Oliver replied: “There’s so much support.”
“That’s great to hear,” Kate said.
The Duchess also heard about Student Minds’ Student Space initiative, a new resource created to support students during the pandemic, which offers information and direct help by phone and text.
The 24/ 7 text service using trained volunteers is delivered in partnership with Shout, an initiative from the Royal Foundation’s Heads Together mental health campaign.