Wellbeing

Saints Sport are passionate about wellbeing and ensuring all club members are looked after. We have a number of wellbeing measures in place, which you can learn more about below.

Key contacts

Every club has a Wellbeing Officer, who is in place to help signpost club members to appropriate support services. If you or a member of your club are uncomfortable speaking about an issue with your Wellbeing Officer, remember you can always get in touch with members of the Saints Sport team or Student Services. Some key contacts are listed below, but remember you can also contact staff directly through Microsoft Teams.

Welfare initiatives

• Healthy Body Healthy Mind

  Key contacts: AU President | Rachel Turton  (Sports Development Officer)

  • Saints Sport has signed up to Healthy Body Healthy Mind – an initiative run by Scottish Student Sport, along with partners ASH Scotland, NUS Scotland and SAMH to support colleges and universities in improving student and staff well-being and inspires positive changes on campus.
  • In 2022, Saints Sport was awarded the Training Towards level and we are now working towards the Bronze level.
  • Activities that contribute to Healthy Body Healthy Mind:
  • Recreational Sport programme 
  • SAMH charter for student mental health
  • Signed the Tobacco Free Generation charter 
    
    The largest uptake of smoking happens between 16-24 year olds, and the University of St Andrews recognises the importance of creating a smoke free culture. View our Smoke Free Policy.
    Reasons to quit:

    Be Happier: Stopping smoking is linked to improvements in mood and quality of life, as well as reducing symptoms of anxiety, depression and stress.

    Be Better Off: The average pack of cigarettes costs nearly £10, so someone who smokes a pack of 20 per day could save around £300 per month by quitting! That’s £3600 per year!!

    Be Fitter: Even non-strenuous physical activity produces dopamine, having a sustainable positive effect on our mood, and helps to reduce cravings from nicotine withdrawal. It reduces stress, and improves sleep and self-esteem.

    Resources:

    You are 4x more likely to quit successfully with support. Free stop-smoking support is offered through local NHS services, pharmacies, GPs or calling a Quit Your Way advisor. Here are some useful links:
    
    https://www.nhsinform.scot/care-support-and-rights/nhs-services/helplines/quit-your-way-scotland/
    
    https://www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/stopping-smoking/help-to-stop/local-help/

    Student Services: Email: [email protected] Phone: +44 (0)1334 46 2020

• LGBT Charter

  Key Contacts: Claire Scott (Assistant Director Child Services and LGBT Champion, Charter Lead) | Duncan Caithness (Assistant Director and LGBT Champion) | Sofia Johnson (Association LGBT Officer)

  • Saints Sport is a signatory of the LGBT Charter and committed to making sports a safe environment for all members of the LGBTQ+ community
  • We offer regular opportunities to take part in LGBTQ+ inclusion training, for clubs, students and staff
  • Working with the LGBTQ+ community, we continue to promote and support inclusion within sport through annual campaigns

  Get Support
  
  Whatever your needs, we are here to support you. Please contact any of our LGBT Champions mentioned above or visit Saints LGBT Support on www.saintslgbt.com/get-support

  Resources and useful websites

  LGBT Youth Scotland, LGBT Advice Centre 

  University of St Andrews; LGBT Student Wellbeing

  Student Services 

  Stonewall Scotland; Best Practice, toolkits and resources

  LGBT in Britain – University Report

  Saints LGBT

  Prince’s Trust: LGBT+ Resources

• Club Wellbeing Officers

  Key Contacts: Duncan Caithness (Assistant Director) | Ailsa Martin (AU President) | Student Sport Team Wellbeing Officer |  Student Services – Advice and Support Centre

  • We have introduced the new committee position to ensure clubs are proactively supporting their members and providing support
  • For more information view the committee training page here

• Mental Health Charter

  Key Contact: Duncan Caithness (Assistant Director and LGBT Champion) | Ailsa Martin (AU President)

  • Saints Sport has made a commitment to the Scottish Mental Health Charter for Physical Activity and Sport, run by SAMH
  • Scotland’s Mental Health Charter for Physical Activity and Sport aims to improve equality and reduce discrimination for anyone with a mental health problem
  • Saints Sport is committed to ensuring mental wellbeing is on a par with physical wellbeing and that all necessary support is in place to ensure our students are supported

• Saints Wellbeing

  Students who have a membership with Saints Sport or one of our affiliated clubs have access to a Wellbeing Adviser via dedicated meetings throughout the year, either online through Microsoft Teams or over the phone.

  Saints Wellbeing is a safe space where students can discuss any wellbeing concerns. This need not be sport related and can be personal, mental health or study orientated.

  Student Services staff will offer support and guidance and may signpost you to other services if appropriate. Wellbeing Advisers are great to speak to about anything. They are frontline staff members who will listen and give you advice on a broad range of issues.

  For more information please visit the Saints Wellbeing page on the Saints Sport website.