TWANZ Members in Action

TWANZ Executive Committee Member Liz Hosking presented at the 2nd International Health Promoting Campuses Symposium in May. Recorded sessions from the symposium are now available to view online. Find more here.

TWANZ is pleased to announce our collaboration with Australasian Mental Health in Higher Education (AMHHEC). Recently Executive Committee Member Jude West presented a webinar in the Research Experiences stream talking about research and its application in a health promotion programme in a tertiary education setting. Find more here.

New Article: Mental health issues increase the rate of university withdrawals

The Guardian has recently published an article about the concerning dropout rates due to mental distress in UK universities. It includes statistics, anecdotes, and theories as to why student mental health problems are on the rise.

To read the full article, click here.

TWANZ Report: Translating the Okanagan Charter

It is a pleasure to release a new guide for consultation: Translating the Okanagan Charter for practice in Aotearoa New Zealand tertiary education settings.
 
This guide has been developed by the TWANZ national executive to assist universities, polytechnics, institutes of technology, wānanga and other tertiary education providers in understanding and activating the 2015 Okanagan Charter for health promoting tertiary institutions.  

The guide applies wellbeing frameworks developed in Aotearoa New Zealand to the Okanagan Charter and offers a range of examples, measurement suggestions and guiding questions to assist embedding health and wellbeing on campus.
 
We encourage your feedback on this guide to improve its usefulness. Feedback can be submitted through a Survey Monkey link here. Feedback on the guide can also be submitted to TWANZ via the link here. The guide will build on feedback received and is planned to be launched at the end of 2017.

Academic Publication: Applying the Okanagan Charter in Aotearoa New Zealand

TWANZ executive members Craig Waterworth and Anna Thorpe have written a refereed article for the Journal of the Australian and New Zealand Student Services Association (JANZSSA), regarding the application of the Okanagan Charter in the Aotearoa, New Zealand context. The article discusses the background to the Charter, the principles of the Charter, and the action areas of the Charter. The article also provides useful theory and action orientated ideas for anyone who is interested in the implementation of health promotion in higher education. The article is open access via: http://bit.ly/2pvd0if

Service User Academia Symposium 2017

Monday 20th & Tuesday 21st November, Wellington

The Service Users in Academia symposium has been run annually since 2011 for the purposes of advancing the discipline of service user academia - the meaningful involvement of service users in mental health and addiction research and teaching.

The conference is relevant to service users currently holding positions as academics or educators in tertiary institutions and mental health services. It is also very relevant to those who aspire to these roles or are just interested in finding out more about them.

Please contact Sarah Gordon from the University of Otago, Wellington for more information
sarah.e.gordon@otago.ac.nz

South Island Tertiary Forum: Supporting Diverse Students

Wednesday 3rd May, 9.00 – 3.00pm, Lincoln University

South Island Tertiary Forums are focused on embedding health and wellbeing in tertiary education settings and encouraging collaboration between institutions. Forums have been held since 2010 for staff and students from tertiary institutions around the South Island, and supporting organisations.
 
On Wednesday 3rd May, Lincoln University is hosting a tertiary forum focused on supporting diverse students. Panel speakers include Māori, Pasifika, LGBTI and those with disabilities. Supporting international, post-graduate and gender diverse students are also the topic of short presentations. Discussion tables will encourage more in-depth conversations about how to create more supportive environments for diverse student groups.
 
Participation is free. Please register with Debbie Baugh
Debbie.Baugh@cdhb.health.nz.

Wellbeing Symposium

The annual Victoria of Wellington Wellbeing Symposium took place on 28 November, using the theme ‘Connect, learn, innovate and inspire’. In partnership with TWANZ, Victoria hosted 150 students, academics and health promotion staff who heard about a range of health and wellbeing initiatives that are happening across Aotearoa.

A full day of presentations, soundbites and exhibits which covered a range of topics, including art therapy, LGBTQI+  and student-led wellbeing. Main speakers for the day were:

• Inclusion in teaching practice and inclusion research - Dr Sarah Gordon
• Tertiary Wellbeing Aotearoa New Zealand: Moving forward – Anna Tonks, Craig Waterworth, Dr Anna Thorpe and Hannah Molloy
• Making Connections: the role of being with others in positive wellbeing - Associate Professor Marc Wilson

Two TWANZ executive members also presented on their own initiatives, with Tuihana Ohia (Te Wananga O Aotearoa) speaking to Tau Ora (staff wellbeing programme) and Anna Thorpe presenting results from the South Island Tertiary Health and Wellbeing Survey.

Students had a strong voice at the symposium and attendees got to hear from representatives of Victoria’s Student Wellbeing Awareness Team, The Bubble (student-led wellbeing space), Uni Q (queer representative group), and the Misfits Club (student art club). A mini “Bubble” was also set up so attendees could experience the chill out space that was available at the Kelburn campus.

TWANZ presentation is available here

South Island Tertiary Forum - Summary

The South Island Tertiary Forum was held recently on 16 November at the University of Canterbury, with about 50 people in attendance. The forum is a biannual event for staff and students working in tertiary institutions in the South Island and those from supporting organisations. Established in early 2010 by Community and Public Health, CDHB, its purpose is to network, collaborate and share good practice. 

For the first time, the event was organised collaboratively and held on campus. It was held over 4 hours, which is a shorter format than usual. This time was broken into two main sections. Firstly, a PechaKucha session with 10 short and punchy presentations, on a range of topics such as student and staff wellbeing; international student experience; Thursdays in Black; action to reduce sugar-sweetened beverages on campus; student association-run wellbeing events; building resilience in the curriculum; and South Island Tertiary Health and Wellbeing Survey findings.

Given that mental health and wellbeing are such key issues in higher education settings, a mental health seminar was incorporated into the forum. Speakers included Dr Chris Taua from the Mental Health Education Health and Resource Centre (MHERC) looking at mental health issues amongst young people; David Cairns, Suicide Prevention Coordinator for Pegasus Health speaking on suicide risk management on campus; and Anna Mowat from the All Right? campaign on mental health promotion ideas for campuses. A panel discussion followed the presentations.

Evaluations from the forum were very positive and suggestions will help shape the next forum to be held at Lincoln University in May 2017.

The PechaKucha presentations were recorded and can be viewed here.

Those interested in going on the mailing list for next year’s South Island Tertiary Forum can contact Anna Thorpe on anna.thorpe@cdhb.health.nz 

Invitation to participate in the Health Promotion Workforce Interests and Needs Survey

From the Health Promotion Forum:

There are many people who work in health promotion across New Zealand in many different organisations. No-one really knows how many or where they work. We are interested in exploring who makes up the health promotion workforce, where they work, and what their professional interests and needs are.

We have developed a questionnaire that covers what you do, the skills you have, what kind of organisation you work in, and what your professional support needs and opportunities are. We invite you to take part in this exploratory study.

If you work in health promotion please click on the link below, or copy and paste it into your browser, and complete the questionnaire. We think it will take about 15 minutes to do. The close off date for completing the questionnaire is the 23rd December.

Take the Survey

or

https://otago.au1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_bCpzQaN8lRwHJDn

Because we don’t know how many people work in health promotion, we would like you to forward this email, and the link, to as many other health promoters you work with or know. We apologise if you have received this invite from more than one place – it just means you are really well connected.

There is a box at the end of the questionnaire to put your email address, if you would like to receive a summary of the results next year. This will be separated from the rest of the questionnaire to keep your anonymity.

We really appreciate your participation in this survey.

Please contact kate.morgaine@otago.ac.nz  or  richard.egan@otago.ac.nz for further information.

Wellbeing Symposium: Connecting to inspire and create wellbeing in tertiary education settings

Date: Monday 28 November 2016, 9am to 4pm
Venue: AM101, Kelburn Campus, Victoria University of Wellington

Audience: Open to academic and professional staff and students

Cost: $40, free for current students

Register: counselling-service@vuw.ac.nz with Connections 2016 in the subject line.

We will be sending out more detailed information about the symposium (keynote speakers etc) very soon.

Innovative youth mentoring programme at the University of Auckland

More vulnerable youth will be mentored under an innovative youth mentoring programme at the University of Auckland, thanks to a $220,000 grant from the Vodafone NZ Foundation.

Dr Pat Bullen and Dr Kelsey Deane, who both specialise in youth development and youth mentoring at the University’s Faculty of Education and Social Work, will lead the project.

The grant will support them to work collaboratively with existing programmes and community partners to develop a culturally-based version of the Campus Connections mentoring model for Aotearoa New Zealand.

Designed by their colleagues at Colorado State University, the Campus Connections programme aims to boost meaningful learning opportunities for vulnerable youth in alternative education.

Read more here

South Island Tertiary Forum

South Island Tertiary Forums have a focus on health and wellbeing. Forums are held biannually in Christchurch for staff and students from South Island universities, polytechnics and institutes of technology. Over 50 participants attended from the recent forum in May. Forums are organised by Anna Thorpe, tertiary and alcohol health promoter from Community and Public Health, CDHB. The Health Promotion Agency (HPA) supported the event.

The 2015 international Okanagan Charter for health promoting universities and colleges was introduced by Craig Waterworth, Massey University academic and co-chair of the Tertiary Wellbeing Aotearoa New Zealand (TWANZ) network. Participants brainstormed tertiary initiatives that fitted into each of the eight action points of the Charter. The TWANZ network was introduced by Anna Tonks, co-chair of TWANZ and CAYAD health promoter, and more members were recruited. Preliminary results from the current South Island Tertiary Survey of Health and Wellbeing Initiatives were presented by HPA-funded contractor Carmen Collie and Anna Thorpe. This survey is structured around the action points of the Okanagan Charter. A group of health promotion students at the University of Canterbury presented on student wellbeing: what students liked and what they wanted to see more of. Staff wellbeing issues and research findings were presented by UC Health Science, lecturer Tracy Clelland. An anti-sexual violence campus collaboration between Lincoln University, UC and Ara Institute of Canterbury detailed their purpose and process. The final presentation covered an alcohol harm-minimisation campaign at Weltech campus, by Anna Tonks.

HPA is interested in creating stories about Smokefree campuses to more effectively message young people about not smoking. Those interested can get in touch with Senior Education Advisor, Tania Cotter at tania.cotter@hpa.org.nz.  A working group will be set up shortly around healthy food and beverages on campus. Please contact Anna Thorpe anna.thorpe@cdhb.health.nz if interested in getting involved. The next South Island Tertiary Forum will be held around November 2016 at UC and organised by a cross-campus team, for the first time.

Those interested in receiving presentations from May’s forum can contact anna.thorpe@cdhb.health.nz.