''As a Preface: Mental Health is a serious issue on campus that we would like to address, especially after this past year and a half of the COVID-19 pandemic; many of our projects focus on addressing mental health and the struggles that are sometimes inherent to it, in order to provide a grounding for facilitating innovation on campus. ''
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TTs3DYQHMQ Change Story Video]
Tangible ways to implement this include:
* Workshops on mental health issues and how to be supportive; * Opt-in training seminars for professors to tackle mental health issues and implement strategies in the classroom; * Provide training for student RA's and LCA's on navigating mental health crises; among others.
<big>'''''Strategic Priority 4: Art Therapy Creative Outlet ''''' </big>
''Project Leaders: Matthew Lashenick''
As aforementioned, student burnout can be a crippling issue. Therapeutic methods for stress management are an easy way for students to better manage their academic experience. For our first strategic priority we discussed the merits and efficacy of the use of therapy animals with students. In contrast, with this priority we aim to provide a more student-centric model, as well as implement a way for more impactful student involvement.
To that end, this project would entail providing a recurring walk-in event for students whereby they are given materials and drawing prompts as a pseudo-art therapy; it can be as structured (i.e. a defined game with rules) or unstructured (i.e. minimal direction, student can draw whatever they envision) as the students wish. The aim is twofold; provide another mode for therapystress reduction, as well as provide a means for students to get involved as facilitators, once again feeding into the point about community-building from the previous project.
2. An open Maker Space called MindHUb at UNF
* This open design thinking space would be a center located on campus that would provide students with a space to work on ideas and prototypes* MindHub at UNF makerspace would include: rooms for teams to work on ideas, a huge whiteboard wall for students to brainstorm ideas and think out loud, 3D printers and other tools necessary for making various prototypes.* Available to the students will also be an I&E advisor that would provide the students with opportunities on and off-campus for innovation and entrepreneurship. This advisor would be the middle person between the center at UNF and the Entrepreneurship Center Downtown. * Provided by Mindhub are seminars and events focused on design thinking, productivity, team collaboration, innovation and entrepreneurship in various fields of studies on campus.
'''During Mental Health Awareness Week:'''
* Mental Healthcare Resource Fair, exposing students to resources on campus* Suicide Awareness Walk, 5k walk to promote suicide awareness, and physical activity that is scientifically proven to increase dopamine levels* Workshops, such as: How to Manage Stress, How to Cope with Academic Failure or Unmet Expectations, Mediation Practices* Guest lecturers from professors on the correlation between taking care of your mental health and productivity* Guest speakers from students who could share their personal struggles with mental health and strategies
'''Community Room:'''
* As simple as this sounds this idea would help create unity amongst the UNF student body as it would provide them with the place where they can go and hang out and mingle. * It would have comfy couches, a snack bar, a coffee machine, and a few board games, and a TV screen. * The idea behind it is to provide commuting students with a place to relax and hang out in-between classes instead of sitting in the library. As the library is already a crowded place with not enough seating. * For the idea to be successful it needs to be properly marketed and strategically placed in the middle of campus in an obvious location in order for students to easily locate it. The location is crucial as it has to be close to most buildings to make it more accessible and practical so that students can go there in between classes
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<span style="font-size:medium;">''Project Leader: Courtney Ardizzoni''</span>
<br/><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); white-space: pre-wrap;">Discuss the marketing of innovation, through multiple social media sites for a large selection of students to give their ideas for innovative solutions. Both upper and undergraduate students are excited to give their opinions on change at the university and hope to actually have an opportunity to speak on these aspects in the future. Using social media and flyers to promote upcoming events and innovative programs are the best way currently to share this information, but in the future we are hoping to continue to innovate using multiple platforms to provide all students with the chance to get involved.</span></span></span>