Mental Health Awareness Month
This year, Aotearoa New Zealand’s Mental Health Awareness Week (MHAW) is from 18 to 24 September 2023. The annual campaign, initiated by the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand, has been running since 1993 to help New Zealanders understand what boosts their wellbeing.
On campus we have something special planned for our University community, as we encourage our staff and students to focus on the key role that mental health plays in wellbeing. Instead of concentrating on a single week, the UC Mental Health Awareness planning team is presenting a month of activities for students and staff throughout September, dedicated to promoting the 5 ways of wellbeing.
Driven by The Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand, The Five Ways to Wellbeing were created as a result of the New Economics Foundation's (NEF) Foresight Project on Mental Capital and Wellbeing research report.
The Five Ways to Wellbeing are: Learn, Connect, Be Active, Give and Take Notice. You can introduce any of these actions into your life, any time to give your wellbeing a boost.
Read more about The Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand here.
Each week in September there will be a range of activities happening on campus for both students and staff that will focus on a specific aspect of wellbeing:
- 4-8 September- Me ako tonu, Learn: Engage in activities that foster personal growth and expand your knowledge.
- 11-15 September - Me whakawhanaunga, Connect: Build meaningful connections with others, both within our UC community and beyond.
- 18-22 September - Me kori tonu, Be Active: Embrace physical activity and wellness to uplift your mind and body.
- 25-29 September – Tukua, Give: Practice kindness and compassion by giving back to others and the community.
- Throughout the entire month - Me aro tonu, Take Notice: Cultivate mindfulness and be present in the moment to appreciate the world around you.
Take notice of Mental Health Awareness Month on campus with a range of events supporting our diverse community to get involved, try something new and connect with others.
For more information on what is available for students, click here.
For more information on what is available for staff, click here.
Find out about what our Professor Julia Rucklidge says about Mental Health, How to help the overloaded mental health system | University of Canterbury
Ongoing research by Canterbury organisational psychology researchers highlights the need to develop workplace leaders who can relate to staff as “whole humans”. You can find out more about Professor Katharina Näswall’s work here.
