Social Well-Being and Mental Health

Education for a Better World

 

Mental Health Awareness

The Hearth recognises the importance and need for understanding and supporting students’ mental health, especially in today’s busy and overwhelming times. Mental health problems can affect many areas of students’ lives, reducing their quality of life, academic achievement, physical health, and satisfaction with their learning experience, and negatively impacting relationships with friends and family members. These issues can also have long-term consequences for students. Therefore, mental health awareness is especially an important issue for all educators, who are often the first line of support for their students. We seek to provide guidance and raise awareness of the concept of self-care and responsibility for mental health and well-being.

 

Well-Being of Students

Student well-being is an essential part of education and overall student success. There is a recognition that schooling is about much more than academic outcomes. Students with high levels of well-being tend to have better academic and life outcomes, in school and beyond. For these reasons, we support initiatives focussed on students’ mental health and well-being in schools and universities. We assist institutions and teachers to be aware of student well-being and gauge the extent to which students’ social and mental health is overlooked, thereby anticipating future challenges and providing curated services for the same.

 

Consent Matters

The Hearth understands the importance and significance of consent and seeks to spread awareness about the same, specifically in higher education institutions. We are developing, under the guidance of an expert panel of advisors, an online course relating to ‘Consent Matters’ including ‘Boundaries and Respect’ that is being generated to provide current, inclusive, and scalable training on sexual consent, communication and relationships, and bystander intervention. This course will draw on the latest developments in culture, law, and global best practices to encourage excellent communication, clear boundaries, and mutual respect in relationships, as well as explore ways that students can support others and make a positive impact in their community.

 

Bullying in Schools

Bullying, whether virtual or face-to-face, has negative impacts not only on the victims and survivors but also on bullies themselves. The Hearth offers courses on ‘Bullying’, which reflect the effects of bullying and cyberbullying on students and the steps that can be taken to not only stop but also prevent bullying from occurring. We also develop surveys and questionnaires that can help gauge the extent and impact of bullying.