TUTOR TRAINING
Study ability and mental
well-being
Training objectives
• Understand the elements comprising the ability to study.
• Understand why it is essential to talk about mental well-being and study ability in tutoring activities
• Know how to take mental well-being issues into consideration in tutor activities.
• Know the means to support their own well-being.
• Know how to address worries and to guide the new student to
guidance and health services.
Training topics
Study ability and mental well-being
Adressing concern and where to get help
Study ability and mental well-being
Word cloud
Study ability
http://www.opiskelukyky.fi/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/kyky-ty%C3%B6kalu2013-ENG-netti-ID-3382.pdf
You can discuss these topics with the freshers
• What are study skills and how can they be developed? What tips would you give freshers for developing their study skills?
-> Who at the university/UAS can help with problems related to study skills?
• What is a good studying environment like and what can we all do to improve it?
• What does high-quality teaching, guidance and tutoring mean?
What kind of guidance do you need? Which factors support independent studying? Which factors support studying in a group?
• Where do you get help when your own resources have been depleted? ->
Loved ones, friends, FSHS?
In order to support the ability to study of new students, it is important that you
take care of your own ability to study.
In order to support the ability to study of new students, it is important that you take care of your own ability to study
Exercise
How to distinguish between free time and study time?
Does free time affect the ability to study?
Mental well-being supports study ability
Mental well-being
• increases the ability to study
• helps to engage in the community and studies.
• Everyone faces challenges related to mental well-being at some point in their lives.
• Experiencing challenges does not mean they are always present; they
can be solved.
Mental health is not the opposite of mental illness
Mental health
• A concept related to life skills and experiences
• Cannot be treated by medical means
• Can be promoted and strengthened with means other than medical treatments
Mental illness
• A medical term
• Can be treated or cured using medical means
Mental well-being
• Outcome of good mental health
How does culture shock affect mental well-being?
Source: Haavikko & Bremer 2009
When to seek help?
• Anyone in a challenging situation in life can be in need of help.
Such situations may include, for example, moving to another country, problems at work, family problems, illness or some other life change.
• You should seek help if you have the following symptoms:
• insomnia
• lack of appetite
• your daily life feels depressing
• you do not feel like going to campus or meeting people
• physical symptoms with no medical reasons
• your use of alcohol or other intoxicants has increased
• Many of us suffer from some of these symptoms from time to time
Well-being challenges are very common
• 30% of students have mental difficulties (the most common ones being: feeling continuously overstressed, feeling unhappy or depressed, difficulties in
concentrating on tasks and losing sleep over worries).
• 16% of students in higher education suffer daily from some psychological symptoms (e.g. sleeping problems, concentration problems, tenseness, depression, anxiety).
• Approximately 7% of students often feel lonely, approx. 42 per cent occasionally
• 33% experience heavy stress (the most common causes for stress: performing and difficulties in getting a grip on the studies).
Source: The University Student Health Survey 2016, FSHS
Mental well-being is supported by
• Life management skills and their development
• Safe studying environment
• Support from loved ones and the studying community
• Positive studying experiences
• Confidence and belief in own skills
• Social skills
• Study ability and problem-solving skills
• Feeling of being heard and having the chance to influence
• Support systems that are close and easily accessible
How can tutor influence the above-mentioned matters?
•
In the meetings, remember to mention that everyone can be themselves in the group while respecting others.•
Pay attention to all the members of the group – make sure that nobody is ignored.•
Ask how everyone is doing – use first names if possible.•
Listen and show that you are listening. Tell the members of the group when and how you can be reached.•
Be resource-oriented – there is always a positive side.•
Be solution-oriented – think how to move forward.•
Be friendly, positive and supportive – encourage others to be that as well.•
Share your best planning and time management tips.•
Tell the members of the group how to give feedback and influence.Coping is individual
• There are several factors impacting our coping ability. It is important for each person to find and understand the limits to their coping.
• What do I need to feel alright?
• What is important to me?
• What types of things do I want to pursue and achieve?
• What are my personal resources and strengths?
Influence a stressful situation
• Set your priorities straight. Focus on things that can be changed.
• Start with easy and small things.
• Make plans and set intermediate goals.
• A demanding task can be a positive challenge.
• Invest in time management
• Ask: What is essential and in which order should I take care of things?
• Explore: How do I use my time?
• Talk about the situation with someone.
• Ask for help, if necessary.
• Set short-term and long-term goals.
Take care of yourself and nurture your relationships
• Take breaks and ensure sufficient rest.
• Eat well and eat healthy food.
• Exercise in a manner satisfying to you.
• Find a suitable daily rhythm and routines.
• Do things that you like.
• Reward yourself for your best efforts and even the smallest successes.
• Accept help from friends and close ones.
• Protect your boundaries.
F
Exercise
Recovery
• What existing means of self-care and recovery do you have at your disposal?
• Are they enough, why have you chosen especially them?
• Are they easily forgotten/discarded in a stressful situation?
• Have the means changed over the years?
• Would it be good to boldly try new ways now?
• The more means you have, the more likely you are to recover.
Different levels of recovering
On a daily basis
• Breaks between studying every 1–2 hours.
• During the break, a short walk, discussions with a friend, admiring nature or traffic through the window – What can you come up with!
• Sleeping, the need for sleep is usually 7–8 hours.
On a weekly level
• One longer period of not concentrating on work/studying/achieving something else in a certain time frame.
On an annual level
• Vacation lasting 2–4 weeks.
Read more
Additional material on coping with studies and the topics that support it can be found on Nyyti ry's website, where material has been compiled by topics:
• nyyti.fi/en/
• Learn life skills
• Nyyti trainings on well-being (in Finnish)
• Ole oman elämäsi tähti! Life skills for students (in Finnish)
Adressing concern
and where to get help
Exercise
Case Aati and case Paju
• Let’s divide into groups of three
• Half of the groups will discuss case 1 and another half case 2, when you are ready, move on to the other case.
• Write down your answers
• Duration 5 min
Exercise continues
Exercise
1.
New student Aati says that they are really stressed about the beginning of the studies and cannot sleep well. They feel like they are not good enough to study on their own field.•
What kind of specifying questions would you ask?•
How do you support/guide Aati?______________________________________________________________
2.
New student Paju has spent most of their first study year in student parties and group meetings. Paju is nice and social person but cannot control their alcohol consumption and always passes out during the night.Paju has become a burden for the rest of the new student group, since others are worried
about Paju already at the beginning of the evening. Paju is not fit to get in bars, and taxis won’t accept them as a passenger. Paju is not violent and is ashamed of their behaviour the next day.
•
How to raise this issue with Paju?Help your fellow student, raise the concern
•
Tutors and students play a key role in recognising issues related to the mental well- being and substance use of their fellow students.•
Raise your concerns openly, for example, by asking “How are you doing?” and “I’m worried about you...”.•
Talk about your concerns and observations.•
Concentrate on listening to others and ask more questions, if necessary (ensure that you have really understood the issue) "What do you wish from me right now?"•
Remember that you don’t have to solve the problem.•
Discuss together how you could get help for the problem – problems should always be solved in cooperation.•
All you need to do is to ask and listen.Source: KUPLA, Talking about substances at universities –guide booklet
More info and where to seek help 1/2
• University’s/UAS´s guidance services (e.g. Study psychologists, University chaplains)
• Student health care / The Finnish Student Health Service (FSHS)
• The Finnish Association for Mental Health provides crisis assistance and support www.mielenterveysseura.fi/en/support-and-help/support-and-help-foreigners
• Nyyti promotes and supports students’ mental health, life management and study skills, www.nyyti.fi/en
• Information about living and working in Finland Welcome to Finland and
www.infofinland.fi
More info and where to seek help 2/2
•
AddictionLink website is intended for substance abusers, their families and friends and all those interested in objective information on substances and addiction. WithinAddictionLink you can read up on the latest topics within the addiction scene and test your situation with self assessment tests and self-help tools. www.addictionlink.fi
•
Substance abuse counseling helpline: help and support for those who are concerned about their own or someone´s substance abuse. Ask if service in english is possible p.0800 90045, 24/7 free of charge
•
Peluuri provides support and information for gamblers and their families and friends, www.peluuri.fi/en•
Low-threshold interventions for excessive gamers Digipelirajat’onSummary
• In order to promote the well-being of others, you must first take care of your own study ability and your mental well-being.
• It is good to consider fostering your own well-being in advance.
• Everyone has moments that strain their mental well-being during their studies.
• Discuss your situation with a person close to you and/or professional.
• Talk to a fresher or classmate about your concerns.
• The tutor is not anyone’s therapist.
• As a tutor, the most important thing is active listening, casual encounters,
and guiding forward.
KUPLA – Students reforming substance use culture
•
The training has been developed by KUPLA – “Students reforming substance use culture”, a joint project by EHYT ry and Nyyti ry. The project was ongoing from 2018 to 2020.•
National partners in the programme included the National Union of University Students in Finland (SYL), University of Applied Sciences Students in Finland (SAMOK), Finnish Student Sports Federation (OLL) and the Finnish Student Health Service (FSHS).•
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.Read more about the license on Creative Commons website.
