Within the scope of the AMBITION Project, CAMPUS Autónoma/ESEJD, focused on Promoting Success and Reducing Dropout in Higher Education, through pedagogical innovation and academic and socio-emotional skills, was Professor Tiago Casaleiro, Nurse specialist in mental health nursing, Professor at Escola Superior de Enfermagem SFM do Grupo Autónoma, the guest for the HEALTHY Autónoma/ESEJD Workshop “Wellbeing in Higher Education”, which took place at UAL on January 10th.
Various topics were covered, starting with “What is it like to be in Higher Education?”, “Mental health: is it possible to find a prescription?”, “What to do when we are not well?”, “Peer support for specialized help” and “What resources.”
These questions were clarified through several interactive activities, which allow sharing in a practical and generic way, without the need for personal exposure, like Mentimeter, https://www.mentimeter.com/pt-BR, an application used to create presentations with real-time feedback, which immediately aroused the interest of young people, moving on to “Angry Bird”, a blue stuffed toy, which went from hand to hand through groups for short and quick answers about the they need to know to take care of their mental health.
XL playing cards were also used for another exercise, where new groups and suits are put together to identify, in the five elements presented, aspects that help promote mental health, writing their keywords on post-it notes, gluing them on paper scenario, where each group has one of the elements to work on: “A healthy mind in a healthy body”, “Exercise”, “Nutrition”, “Rest time”, “Adaptation” and “Connection”.
Several videos were shown, such as the “Basic Mental Health Kit”, registered at https://www.manifestamente.org/kit-baacutesico-de-sauacutede-mental.html, an online training, and several books recommended, such as “A First Aid Box of Emotions by Maria Palha (2016), the SOS Kit of Emotions, commented Podcasts such as “Desassossego” by “Fumaça” https://fumaca.pt/desassossego-investigacao-sobre-saude-e-doenca-mental/, a five-episode series about mental health.
In the end, the resources that the Autonomous Group offers and make available to all its students were once again recalled: the GIRU – Office for inclusion and University Resilience in https://autonoma.pt/servicos/gabinete-para-a-inclusao-e-resiliencia-universitaria-giru/, the Volunteer Group in https://autonoma.pt/voluntariado/ and GAPS – Health Counseling and Promotion Office in https://autonoma.pt/servicos/gabinete-de-aconselhamento-e-promocao-da-saude-gaps.
Grupo Autónoma overcomes challenges, taking care of the mental health of its students.