STUDENT VOICE Student Voice SPRING SUMMER 2017 | Page 8

Introducing...
our Mental Health and Wellbeing Officer
My name is Paul Hough
and I am the Student
Mental Health Wellbeing
Liaison Officer for
Ayrshire College. This
is a jointly funded post
between NHS Ayrshire
and Arran and Ayrshire
College and I will work
across all campuses.
I have over 15 years’ experience working in health
and social care, supporting people with mental and
emotional health issues.
My role involves working directly with students,
and providing workshops aimed at helping them
recognise and manage any mental health or
emotional difficulty they may encounter. These
difficulties include anxiety/stress, low mood/
depression, poor sleep, controlling anger and
other common mental/emotional health issues. The
workshops will help students understand more about
the importance of maintaining good mental health,
and give advice on some of the strategies which can
be used to help them maintain good mental and
emotional health.
My role will also involve working closely with staff
to offer support, advice and consultation and put
in any strategies which may help students who are
struggling with their emotional or mental health.
My aim is to build students' resilience and help
them to find ways to manage their own emotional
and mental health. With this type of intervention,
hopefully any issues can be addressed before they
become more significant and start to impact on a
student’s ability to function.
I will be delivering these workshops and providing
drop-in clinics throughout the year across the
College.
It is very important that I hear the views of students
and I ask that you look out for the student survey
which will be sent out towards the end of May. This
information will be very important and will help me
shape the role based on your needs.
If you have any concerns about your mental/
emotional wellbeing please speak to your student
services advisor who will be able to provide support
and advice. 
to help break down some of
" the I aim
stigma and barriers which stop
students from wanting to
seek support.
"
I aim to help break down some of the stigma and
barriers which stop