Mental Health Awareness Week
Welcome to the Mental Health Awareness Week programme – a full week of events, initiatives and resources dedicated to staff and students to support their health and wellbeing. The programme is co-organised by People and Organisational Development and colleagues, academics, and researchers across the College.
The theme for this year, which is chosen nationally by the Mental Health Foundation, is "anxiety". Whilst anxiety is an important human emotion, in some circumstances, it can get out of hand and become a mental health problem. Various factors can contribute to feelings of anxiety, including exams, relationships, a new job, or a big life change. It is also an emotion people frequently experience around money and the inability to meet life's basic needs. Anxiety is one of the most common mental health problems people face.
The College has planned a wide range of events for you to participate in, from a panel discussion with Imperial academic experts in the area to practical workshops, art therapy, and walks in the park, or enjoying a lunchtime concert at the Royal College of Music Museum, and many others.
Take a look at what's on offer during the week, and book your place today!
Programme of events
Monday 15 May
10:00 - 11:00 - Use digital tools to help with stress and procrastination. Teams Webinar Registration Page
For: Staff and students
Format: Online MS Teams
Take a tour of some digital tools available to help you organise your work, reduce your stress and stop procrastinating!
12:00 - 13:30 - Garden Games & Hydration Station. Just turn up!
For: staff and students
Format: In person
Come & join Move Imperial for some garden games on Queens Lawn and grab a water bottle and refreshing hydration tablet!
13:00 - 13:30 - Lunchtime Walk - South Kensington. Just turn up!
For: Staff and students
Format: In person
Get your steps in and beat the midday slump on this lunchtime walk whilst connecting with colleagues from across College.
13:00 - 14:10 - Introduction to Mental Health at Work. Register on Eventbrite
For: Staff
Format: Online
Demystify mental health and learn mental fitness skills at work so you can manage your mindset and mood.
15:00 - 16:00 - Breathing and grounding to relieve anxiety. Register on Eventbrite
For: Staff and students
Format: In person
Guided practice through some mindfulness movements and breathing exercises to take you to a more grounded and calm space.
17:00 - 18:00 - Badminton. Just turn up!
For: Staff and students
Format: In person
Join Move after work for a social badminton session; all equipment is provided!
Tuesday 16 May
09:00 - 10:00 - Report + Support briefing. Register on Eventbrite
For: Staff and Students
Format: Online
Find out how to use Report + Support to disclose acts of bullying, harassment, discrimination and sexual misconduct.
10:00 - 11:00 - Make your perks work for you. Register on Eventbrite
For: Staff
Format: Online
Learn how to make the most from the non-financial and financial benefits offered to you as a member of staff at Imperial College.
11:00 - 11:30 - Confidential Care: wellbeing support available to staff. Register on Eventbrite
For: Staff
Format: Online
Learn more about the confidential wellbeing support available to you at Imperial College.
12:00 - 13:00 - Resolving conflicts between parents and children: the true story! Register on Eventbrite
For: Staff and students
Format: Online
Explore the realities of resolving conflict in families, and discuss strategies and techniques learned through the lived experience of parents.
12:30 - 13:15 - Yoga. Just turn up!
For: Staff and students
Format: In person
Take time out of your busy day to take a breath and relax whilst moving your body. All equipment is provided.
13:00 - 14:00 - Anxiety and Autoimmune Conditions. Register on Eventbrite
For: staff and students
Format: Online
Find out more about the connection between anxiety and autoimmune conditions.
14:00 - 15:30 - Dealing with change. Register on Eventbrite
For: staff and students
Format: Online
Transitions cause anxiety in many people. Hear from colleagues at Imperial about their personal experiences in dealing with life changes.
14:30 - 16:00 - Collaborating for good mental health using Lego®SeriousPlay®. Register on Eventbrite.
For: Staff
Format: In person
An interactive workshop to raise awareness of the diversity of thought and the needs within the group when considering mental health.
Wednesday 17 May
10:00 - 12:00 - Overcoming the Imposter Syndrome. Register on Eventbrite
For: Staff
Format: In person
Explore how feeling like an imposter may impact your work and become more self-aware of how real it is for you. Explore various ways of dealing with it.
10:00 - 13:00 - Mental Health and Race in the Workplace. Register on ICIS/OLM
For: Staff
Format: Online
Build awareness and understanding of the disparities experienced by people from Black and Minority Ethnic backgrounds.
11:00 - 12:30 - Foundation in Personal Financial Planning. Register on Eventbrite.
For: Staff and Students
Format: Online
Want to learn how to control your daily finances? Sign up for this webinar to learn more about personal budgeting, finances and more!
12:00 - 12:30 - Lunchtime Walk - Hammersmith Hospital. Just turn up!
For: Staff and Students
Format: In person
Get your steps in and beat the midday slump on this lunchtime walk whilst connecting with colleagues from across College.
13:00 - 13:30 - Lunchtime Walk - White City. Just turn up!
For: Staff and Students
Format: In person
Get your steps in and beat the midday slump on this lunchtime walk whilst connecting with colleagues from across College.
14:00 - 15:00 - Let's talk about Stress & Anxiety. Register on Eventbrite.
For: Students
Format: Online
Understand anxiety and how the body and the mind are closely communicating and receiving information from one another. Learn coping strategies to manage the impact of stress and anxiety better.
14:00 - 15:30 - Mental Health Awareness Briefing. Register on ICIS/OLM.
For: Staff
Format: Online
Raise your awareness around mental health, reduce stigma and foster positive attitudes towards seeking help.
14:00 - 15:30 - Sip and Paint: A Mindful Painting Workshop. Register on Eventbrite.
For: Staff
Format: In person
Tap into your inner Van Gogh! Register for a mindfulness, creative painting experience that will help you to relax and unwind.
14:30 - 15:30 - Join us for some Gardening. Register on Eventbrite.
For: Staff and students
Format: In person
Students and staff have been meeting regularly to create a small flower and herb garden. Come and have a taste of this fruitful space for connection and contemplation.
Forest Therapy.
16:00 - 17:00 - Register for 16:00 on Eventbrite.
17:15 - 18:15 - Register for 17:15 on Eventbrite.
For: Staff and students
Format: In person
Combine mindfulness techniques with the therapeutic powers of the natural environment. Join a gentle walk through Hyde Park that heightens your sensory awareness.
Thursday 18 May
09:00 - 17:00 - Wellbeing in Research. Register on ICIS/OLM.
For: Staff
Format: Online
This workshop provides research staff with tools to increase resilience to stress, anxiety and burnout and to enhance your overall wellbeing.
09:00 - 10:30 - Overcome and avoid feelings of overwhelm. Register on Eventbrite.
For: Staff
Format: Online
An interactive and compassionate space to explore what we can do about the experience of overwhelm. How to manage and potentially prevent it.
11:00 - 12:15 - Panel Discussion: The Impact of Anxiety in Society. Register on Eventbrite.
For: Staff and students
Format: Online
Join a panel of Imperial Academic experts to discuss how anxiety impacts different aspects of Society.
12:00 - 14:00 - Boditrax Drop In. Just turn up!
For: Staff and students
Format: In person
Use our Boditrax machine to gain full body statistics. Our staff will be on hand to help and explain the information.
12:30 - 13:00 - Lunchtime Walk - Charing Cross Hospital. Just turn up!
For: Staff and students
Format: In person
Get your steps in and beat the midday slump on this lunchtime walk whilst connecting with colleagues from across the College.
13:00 - 14:00 - Anxiety, Neurodiversity and Panic attacks in the University Environment. Register on Eventbrite.
For: Staff and students
Format: Online
Find out more about anxiety and neurodiversity, how to spot and deal with anxiety, and recognise and manage panic attacks.
14:00 - 15:00 - Intro to Maximising Office 365 tools available across the College. Teams Webinar Registration Page.
For: Staff and students
Format: Online
Have you ever wondered about some of the tools and applications in Office 365? Come and find out how you could be more productive!
14:00 - 15:00 - Coping with and supporting ill health among family or friends. Register on Eventbrite.
For: Staff
Format: In person
This workshop will give you the skills and confidence to look after yourself while being a supportive family member.
17:15 - 17:45 - Stretch, Relaxation & Visualisation. Join on MS Teams.
For: Staff and students
Format: Online
A low-impact class involving stretches that can be completed seated or standing, with no equipment needed. The class ends with some breathwork and visualisation to help raise energy levels and motivation.
Friday 19 May
11:00 - 12:30 - Navigating uncertainty in Research. Register on Eventbrite.
For: Staff
Format: Online
This webinar will equip research staff with the tools to cope with the anxiety and fear arising from the uncertainty of academic life.
12:00 - 12:45 - The Impact on Physical Activity & Mental Health. Join on MS Teams.
For: Staff and students
Format: Online
Join our Strength and Conditioning coaches to take you through how physical activity can affect your mental health and why you should be moving.
12:30 - 13:15 - Mobility Pilates & Visualisation. Join on MS Teams.
For: Staff and students
Format: Online
Low-impact Pilates class that can be completed seated or standing, with no equipment needed. The class will finish with some breathwork and visualisation to help raise energy levels and motivation.
12:00 - 13:30 - Friday Music in the Museum. Register on Eventrbrite.
For: Staff
Format: In person
Enjoy a lunchtime chamber music performance at the Royal College of Music Museum.
16:00 - 16:45 - Box-fit. Just turn up!
For: Staff and students
Format: In person
Box away the stress of the week and give your body a workout to get those endorphins flowing! All equipment is provided!