BCHA are proud to announce that on Wednesday 21st May, Bournemouth University were the winners of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Support category at the What Uni? Student Choice Awards for the University Retreat service. This is a success of collaborative working with the university, BCHA and Dorset HealthCare to deliver the University Retreat, led by BCHA’s Senior Practitioner Christopher Musson and his team.
Head of Mental Health for BCHA, Amy Maloney, who attended the event on Wednesday evening said “It was a privilege for the dedicated team of the University Retreat to be recognised at the WUSCAs. BCHA has a continued commitment to the wellbeing of students in our area and we are proud of this successful collaboration with Bournemouth University.”
This amazing award-winning safe space, the University Retreat, is a confidential drop-in service for students from Arts University Bournemouth, AECC University or Bournemouth University who are experiencing a mental health crisis. The Retreat offers the opportunity to reflect and build on support networks, coping strategies, strengths and skills. They also offer the opportunity to make use of the arts, crafts, books and other resources available. Students can also simply take some time out, with a cup of tea, before continuing with their day.
The award was entirely submission-based from students that have been customers of the Retreat, and was judged by a panel of impartial students recognising the outstanding way the University Retreat delivers services for students.
It's a great source of pride for our service to receive such recognition. This award is testament to the dedication of our practitioners as well as our external partners who all work incredibly hard to bring the highest quality of support to the students we see. I hope this award also signifies the need for a service like ours across other universities and communities.
Having an amazing 4.1 star (out of 5) student support rating on the What Uni? website demonstrates just how valued the team at the University Retreat are to Bournemouth University students.
The What Uni? Awards recognise that being in the right mindset for university is vital and noted “Bournemouth University students were big fans of its welcoming atmosphere, supportive faculty and modern facilities. Students felt like part of a community at the Uni and its range of extracurricular opportunities helped to build a sense of personal growth and a supportive learning environment.”
The Bournemouth University Retreat is hosted by Bournemouth University, run by BCHA and funded by Dorset HealthCare. It is part of a wider service known as Community Front Rooms which provide out of hours support for individuals in a mental health crisis.
There are in person options in Weymouth, Bridport, Shaftesbury and Wareham, and an online option for those who can't or would rather not travel. Learn more about the Community Front Rooms here.
Huge congratulations to all of the team at the University Retreat for all your hard work and commitment!
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