Mental Health & Psychosocial Support Services

• This service area offers various support formats, ranging from individual counselling to group and community-based services aimed at raising awareness about mental health and other psychosocial challenges.

Support Services Include:

• Group Sessions
  These are psychoeducational workshops offered in different environments, such as in the department’s office space or outside in Nelson Mandela University’s common areas. They are designed for groups of students with a shared interest or focus.
• Outreach Programs ("Out of Office" Interventions)
  Building on the above, these interventions take support to a larger part of the student population, such as residences, to ensure accessibility.

Workshops and Initiatives Offered:

• Arts Expression – A creative art-based platform that provides a safe space for students to express themselves through different forms of art.
• Masincokole Talks (Let’s Chat) – A psychoeducational platform delivering preventative interventions through interactive dialogue between students and a panel of presenters.
• Residence Visits – Designed to reach students where they live, providing psychoeducational workshops for a range of mental health and psychosocial issues. These visits aim to create environments where students feel empowered to recognise challenges, seek help, and take positive steps towards their well-being.

Wellness Initiatives:

• Wellness Days – Serve as activations for Wellness Week, with one hosted per term.
• Annual Wellness Week – Held in October to commemorate Global Mental Health Month. This event emphasises that mental health is interconnected with all other areas of health and promotes a holistic view of wellness. It provides students with an opportunity to step away from their daily schedules and focus on aspects of life that are often neglected, through engaging talks, presentations, and activities. Current areas of focus include Social Wellness, Emotional Wellness, and Physical Wellness.

• Substance Abuse Workshops
  Sessions aimed at raising awareness about substance abuse, providing education, and encouraging healthier coping strategies and lifestyles.

To stay updated with current offerings, visit our social media pages or by enquiring at the various campus sites.