Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) has launched its 2020 Mental Health Week today, with a number of events happening throughout the week, including a webinar with Blindboy Boatclub.
TCDSU Mental Health Week begins today and will run until Friday, November 6th. Events will take place each day, with the headline event being a webinar on mental health hosted by TCDSU Welfare Officer Leah Keogh, with celebrated writer, musician and podcaster Blindboy Boatclub as guest speaker.
The webinar will take place on Wednesday at 6pm live on the TCDSU Facebook page.
This evening at 6pm, a panel discussion on student mental health during the pandemic, with Keogh, Trish Murphy, Union of Students in Ireland (USI) Welfare Officer Clare Austick, and founder of DTWellbeing Daniel Twomey, will take place.
In a press release, TCDSU Communications and Marketing Officer Philly Holmes said the panel will explore “how student mental health has been affected by the current climate and tips for minding your mental health during these trying times”.
On Tuesday, in collaboration with DU Film Society, there will be a film screening, while on Wednesday morning the Student Counselling Service will be taking part in a panel discussion called “Connect 4 level 5”.
In collaboration with the Mature Students’ Society and Trinity Yoga Society, TCDSU will be hosting a yoga class over Zoom on Thursday at 11am, while that evening DU Psychological Society will host a panel discussion titled “Coping with Covid: a Mental Health Panel”.
On Friday, staff and students on campus or in Halls will be able to avail of free ice-cream, coffee and fruit ice-pops. Ice-cream trucks will be set up at Halls and Front Square from 1pm to 3pm, with full social distancing practices in place.
Holmes added: “We hope it’ll be the pick-me-up you all need for those of you around to enjoy it!”
TCDSU have also made a free, self-directed suicide awarness training called START, available for all students. While TCDSU are also promoting a number of virtual programmes on the Silver Cloud platform to assist students with their mental health.
Meanwhile, TCDSU President Eoin Hand and Provost Patrick Prendergast will also be taking part in the TCD Movember challenge for men’s health this month. The challenge requires participants to grow facial hair for charity, while some participants opt instead to take on exercise challenges for the month.
If you have been affected by, or would like to discuss any of the issues raised in this article, you can contact the Welfare Officer of Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union by emailing [email protected]. Emergency appointments with the Student Counselling Service are also available. You can phone Niteline, the student listening service, every night of term from 9pm–2:30am on 1800 793 793, or the Samaritans at any time on 116 123.
