Network for student well-being inaugurates on World Mental Health Day

On October 10th, a framework agreement was signed at Ca' Tron by ULSS 3 Serenissima (local public health service), ESU (Regional Office for financial aid to university students), the Venetian universities Ca’ Foscari and Iuav, Accademia di Belle Arti, Conservatorio Benedetto Marcello, and IUSVE - Istituto Universitario Salesiano Venezia. The aim of this agreement is to establish a local network of services to support the mental health and well-being of students and the entire academic community.

The initiative was created to promote active collaboration among the different services of the institutions involved in supporting the well-being of the student community. The aim is to expand the range of interventions and organise the resources of each institution involved.

World Mental Health Day, which is celebrated worldwide, was chosen for the signing of the agreement. The day was established in 1992 by the World Federation for Mental Health and the World Health Organization to raise awareness and mobilise support for global mental health. The theme for the 2024 edition is 'My health, my right'. The agreement formalises the existing collaboration between Venetian academic institutions, ESU, and local health services.

This new network is a response to the growing cases of distress, anxiety, depression and psychological stress among students. The trend is confirmed by the number of requests for support received by the university’s counselling services: for Ca' Foscari the number of requests went from 89 in 2022 (the year the Punto Ascolto was inaugurated) to 162 in 2023; Iuav received 145 requests in 2022 and 169 in 2023; IUSVE, out of a total of 2350 students, received 25 requests in 2023 and 37 in September 2024, and added a group counselling service. ESU, which has offered free psychological counselling services to the Venetian university community since 1996, in the last year has added new counselling groups supported by a psychologist, and workshops on emotional skills. The overall number of requests for counselling sessions, including the ones going to ESU, rose from 1,884 in 2022 to 2,203 in 2023. Out of a total of 27,802 students enrolled in Venetian university courses (Ca' Foscari, Iuav, Accademia, Conservatorio, IUSVE), the counselling services catered to 2.2% of the university population.

All parties involved in the framework agreement commit to implementing initiatives focused on the physical and mental well-being of young people, as well as preventing their discomfort and reaching out to as many potential users of the services as possible. Each partner, within their respective area of expertise, will share best practices, experiences, facilities, training, research, and surveys, always respecting the privacy of all those involved. The new network is an opportunity to streamline the procedures and services offered, identify emerging needs in academic communities, and share training and events around mental health and well-being.

Rector Tiziana Lippiello states:"Today, we focus on the vital importance of placing students at the heart of our city’s initiatives. I’m encouraged to see our institutions collaborating to enhance both the physical and mental well-being of our students. It’s essential that we all recognise the need to better support young people. I invite our students to share their experiences and insights so we can effectively address their concerns and problems. Involving families in this conversation is equally important. At Ca' Foscari, we are committed to strengthening our psychological support services for students, ensuring they receive the help they need"

The agreement was signed in the presence of: Benno Albrecht, Rector of IUAV; Tiziana Lippiello, Rector of Ca' Foscari; Michele Casarin, President of the Accademia di Belle Arti; Fabio Moretti, Chairman of the Conservatorio; Nicola Giacopini, Director of IUSVE; Edgardo Contato, Director of ULSS3; Moreno De Rossi, Director of ULSS3 Mental Health Unit; Piergiovanni Sorato, President of ESU Venice; as well as student representatives.