Student Mental Health Project Officer (Progression and Success) (SAAS18-17)

Staffordshire University is on a journey to become the foremost modern higher education institution in the UK, with an international reputation for excellence, and we are looking for inspirational and effective people to take us to the next stage.

Staffordshire and Keele universities have been awarded £750,000 from the Office for Students (OFS) to develop an integrated community approach to mental health and wellbeing for students in further and higher education, as part of a £2.2 million project.

The universities and their Students’ Unions will be working in partnership with local colleges and authorities, police and NHS providers, to effectively support students’ transition into, through and out of higher education, especially those that may be more vulnerable to mental health issues. It is hoped this will lead to new and innovative approaches that can be applied nationally in order to positively impact on student mental health, and as such a toolkit will be produced and shared across the further and higher education sectors. The funding is part of OfS’ major new programme to find innovative ways to combat a sharp rise in student mental health issues and spark a step-change in student support across the country.

This role will lead to the enhancement of services, support and processes in relation to student progression, ensuring that students experience a smooth transition where their circumstances change, for instance when considering taking a break in their studies or leaving the University.  The role is particularly focussed on student mental health and wellbeing and ensuring that students have the appropriate information and advice available to them and that staff are effectively equipped and enabled to provide expert and caring support for their students. The role will be predominately based at Staffordshire University.

We are looking for an individual who has experience of mental health within student communities and higher education. They will have experience of and be confident in delivering training to a range of audiences  and will have experience of design and delivery of evaluation tools, i.e. surveys and focus groups. They need to have strong organisational and time management skills, with an ability to prioritise workload and meet deadlines, as well as be able to work constructively as both a member of a team, as well as under their own direction.

As part of this project we have a number of other exciting fixed term opportunities, including:

If you would like to be considered for more than role, please make this clear on your application. Please note, secondments require authorisation from your line manager. It is therefore advisable that you discuss your application with your manager before submitting it.

Closing Date: 15 Aug 2019
Type: Professional Support