The mental health and well-being of technical staff in universities is an important but often overlooked issue. Here you’ll find some resources around mental health of technical staff as well as the pastoral care they provide.
Technical Staff and Pastoral Care
Research has shown that university technicians play a vital, front-line role in supporting the mental health of students. A study in the UK found that many technical staff are the first point of contact for students with mental health concerns. Out of 735 respondents, 51% had discussed personal problems with postgraduate students, and 44% with undergraduates. Additionally, 22% of the technical staff provided mental health and well-being support to students, despite only 6% stating that this was a formal part of their job. This is a significant issue, given that so many of technical staff working in higher education institutions are student-facing and often the first port of call for students struggling with their mental health.
The report also highlighted the need to support technical staff with their own well-being, as many technicians expressed concerns about their own mental health.
Technical Staff Mental Health Poster
Dr. Zoë Ayres, a research scientist and mental health advocate, created a series of posters addressing mental health in academia. She created the poster above which examines common stressors experienced by technical staff. Do these stressors resonate with you? Are you aware of the mental health services provided by your HEI?
You can download her posters and add mental health contact details relevant to your HEI.