Sometimes the pressures of life and work can get too much and you need advice, direction or just someone to speak to. Positive mental health allows you to lead a more enriched life and perform better at work. UOW is committed to ensuring the University is a mentally healthy workplace that supports its employees.
Healthy mind
UOW healthy mind
UOW offers staff a range of resources, training and awareness campaigns to encourage employees to learn more about mental health and use that knowledge to grow personally and take control of their mental wellbeing.
UOW workplace mental health strategy
As part of the University’s Strategic Plan, the University is committed to providing a mentally healthy workplace for its staff that allows them to work at their best and contribute to the success of the University. The workplace mental health strategy outlines the University continuing commitment to providing a mentally healthy workplace and the specific objectives to achieve it. The strategy was developed following completion of the mental health risk assessment (UOW login required to view).
Employee assistance program (EAP)
The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a professional and confidential counselling service is offered to UOW employees and members of their immediate family for both personal and work related issues. UOW utilise TELUS Health as the external provider of the Employee Assistance Program. TELUS Health also provide online resources for a range of topics.
To arrange a consultation with a counsellor, please call 1300 361 008. After hours consultations are available upon request.
Manager assistance hotline
The Manager Hotline provides UOW Managers and Supervisors access to a telephone based ‘helpline’ for brief support and advice on people related matters. For more information on this, please call: 1300 361 008.
Mental health training
UOW is excited to offer staff access to Mindarma.
During Mindarma you will learn all about your brain and discover practical strategies to help you manage difficult thoughts, uncomfortable emotions and times of high stress. We encourage everyone to continue to make mental health a true priority and take some time out to complete the program.
Want to find out more? Check out the Q&A with Dr Sadhbh Joyce or try a simple guided mindfulness exercise from Mindarma.
To gain access to Mindarma, please email whs-admin@uow.edu.au
Upcoming events
- Mindarma - How to protect against burnout and fatigue, 10 April, 11 am - 11.30 am AEST
- TELUS Health - Neurodiversity at Work Webinar, 18 April, 1 pm
Pushing past your limits? Recognise the warning signs of burnout, discover vital self-care strategies and learn how to prioritise your wellbeing.
Wednesday 10 April 2024, 11 am - 11.30 am AEST
Expert speaker: Dr Peter Baldwin, Clinical Psychologist, Head of Policy and Senior Research Fellow, Black Dog Institute.
Moderator: Tasman Cassim, Head of Partnerships, Black Dog Institute
Access is via Zoom or Livestream, whichever works best for you.
Join us for an all-access webinar: Neurodiversity at Work on Thursday, 18 April at 1 pm AEST.
Organisations that invest time and resources into the recruitment, retention and support of neurodivergent workers reap many benefits. They stand to gain a competitive edge by encouraging new ways of viewing the world and problem-solving, as well as championing diversity and inclusion within the workplace culture.
This session provides colleagues and managers who support neurodivergent team members a deeper understanding of neurodiversity, addresses misconceptions and encourages the embracing of possibilities that inclusion of the neurodiverse community brings.
This webinar will be recorded. A link to the recording will be emailed to all webinar registrants within two days following the event.
LivingWorks Suicide Prevention Training
UOW is aware of the importance of suicide prevention and has partnered with LivingWorks Suicide Prevention to deliver various courses to better equip staff and students with the skills needed to support their peers.
LivingWorks is an organisation with an industry-leading approach to suicide prevention. The goal of these courses is to empower everyone to play a role and help keep communities everywhere safe from suicide.
By completing one or more of the LivingWorks courses you will:
• recognise signs that someone is at risk from suicide and know where to refer the person to support pathways
• deeply listen and engage
• engage in problem solving capacity and help the person develop a safety plan
For more information on the different LivingWorks training courses, please view the UOW LivingWorks Suicide Prevention Postvention Training pack.
Registrations are now open for the training.
Session dates and times can be found here: Session information: LivingWorks Suicide Prevention training.
External support and resources
"We all have good days and bad days. Then there are those days when something isn't quite right, you've got something on your mind, or things just seem too much. Whatever it may be, sharing the load with someone else can really help." (BeyondBlue)
UniSuper Financial Wellbeing Hub
Empower your financial decision-making with UniSuper’s Financial Wellbeing Hub
Our collective financial wellbeing is often put to the test, and we face many financial challenges: cost of living pressures, scam awareness, growing our super and retirement planning, just to name a few. For some of us it can all be a little daunting, and that’s okay. Money matters can be tricky, but the great news is there’s help available from those who know.
UniSuper is nurturing its higher education and research roots by launching its Financial Wellbeing Hub in partnership with Money 101, a place where the University of Wollongong employees can go to empower their financial decision-making—no matter the level of financial knowledge.
The state-of-the-art hub offers a diverse range of engaging learning material such as articles and interactive webcasts, covering a variety of topics. There’s never been a better time to empower your financial decision-making amid the uncertain financial climate. The hub is founded on focus group feedback—made up of real people facing real issues. You don’t have to be a UniSuper member to access the Financial Wellbeing Hub.Consider kick-starting your financial wellbeing journey with UniSuper’s live Managing your financial wellbeing webcast. It’s a great way to get familiar with the financial wellbeing topic, and an interactive way of acquiring financial knowledge from a UniSuper expert.
Get financially confident with the Financial Wellbeing Hub, and sign up for the Managing your Financial Wellbeing webcast or another UniSuper webcast that interests you. If you can’t make your preferred webcast, don’t worry—it’s available on demand.