Student Minds Mental Health Charter: Spotlight on the Work Workstream
Steph Alderslade, Colleague Health & Wellbeing Lead shares an update on the Work Workstream as part of the University’s commitment to the Student Minds Mental Health Charter
9 July 2025
A culture of wellbeing
Our University Health & Wellbeing Strategic Plan integrates wellbeing into all aspects of university life. This includes promoting leadership that champions mental health, creating safe environments, and addressing the diverse needs of our community.
A whole university approach
Over the past year the Colleague Health and Wellbeing Team has been working under the leadership of Sally Ingram as Interim Head of Colleague Wellbeing. This has allowed for closer working between both Student and Colleague Health and Wellbeing Services as part of our whole university approach to wellbeing. Working more closely together has ensured that the colleague wellbeing team is better positioned to support colleagues affected by student-related issues.
Some of the key pieces of work to come from the partnership are:
- joint awareness events for students and colleagues such as University Mental Health Day and the Cultivating Collective Wellbeing Practice CPD Conference that brings together all colleagues from wellbeing services
- the new Wellbeing IT desktop – information about how to contact student and colleague wellbeing will be on 4.5k computer desktop backgrounds from mid- August 2025.
Accessible and proactive support
All colleagues can access the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), which offers free, 24/7 confidential wellbeing support provided by Spectrum Life. The EAP also has a free wellbeing platform (code: nuwell), where colleagues can access the digital gym, the wellbeing series, self-guided meditation, and many more proactive wellbeing resources.
The Colleague Health & Wellbeing newsletter provides monthly updates highlighting the support available for colleagues, as well as awareness days, workshops, and events. Subscribe to the Monthly Newsletter here.
Equipping colleagues
Giving colleagues the skills and knowledge to support both their own wellbeing and that of others is essential to fostering a healthy workplace culture. A wide range of training opportunities is available through the LMS, including Mental Health First Aid, role-specific sessions for managers, tutors, and supervisors, as well as wellbeing workshops covering topics such as sleep, burnout, and building connections.
Our commitment to Student Minds Mental Health Charter
The ‘Work’ Workstream, part of our work towards the Student Minds Mental Health Charter, brings all of these areas of work together through a whole-institution approach and a focus on how we can all contribute to a mentally healthy workplace.
Through this work, we are continuing to build a workplace culture that supports the mental health and wellbeing of all colleagues.
Just as the ‘Live’ Workstream reminds us that everyone has a role in shaping our campus environment, the ‘Work’ Workstream highlights that every colleague contributes to our workplace culture. Whether you're encouraging healthy breaks, supporting a colleague, or taking part in wellbeing initiatives, your actions help make Newcastle University a better place to work.
Who are the ‘Work’ Workstream members?
The ‘Work’ Workstream brings together colleagues from across the University to ensure that colleague wellbeing and development is embedded in our culture, policies, and everyday practices.
How to get involved
Complete MH & Wellbeing Awareness Training and Suicide Prevention Training, take a look at the Student Mind Principles of Good Practice (PoGP), and share with us how your work already meets these standards, or share any ideas as to how we can further meet them.
If you'd like to get involved or share your thoughts around the ‘Work’ workstream, please reach out to Steph Alderslade (steph.alderslade@newcastle.ac.uk).
This article forms part of a series sharing updates on workstreams that form part of the Student Minds Mental Health Charter. Previous updates include ‘Student’, ‘Support’, ‘Learn’, and ‘Live’ Workstreams.