Uni students get onboard with Mental Health Awareness Week

Student Roost, one of the largest purpose-built student accommodation providers in the UK who run the St Davids complex on the junction of The Strand, Morfa Road and New Cut Road in Swansea, has teamed up with The Zen Project to deliver restorative and meditative sessions to help students relax, reset, and reduce stress and anxiety this Mental Health Awareness Week.

The Zen Project’s ‘Zen Bus’, a converted yellow school bus which travelled from New York to London to be lovingly restored into a space of tranquillity and calmness, will be rolling up to Student Roost properties in four UK cities during Mental Health Awareness Week, which this year focuses on anxiety.

Arriving in Swansea on Wednesday 17 May, the Zen Bus will be opening its doors to university students, encouraging them to take some time for themselves and join one, or a few, sessions of meditation and breathwork to reduce stress and anxiety and encourage creativity and relaxation ahead of the exam period.

Zen Bus sessions have been carefully curated by the founders of The Zen Project, who dropped their corporate careers which caused exhaustion and disconnection, to create simple tools and techniques to support mental health and make zen accessible to all.

With space for up to 15 people, each session on the Zen Bus lasts 11 minutes; the right amount of time to override the nervous system and have a positive impact on the mind and body.

The Zen Bus will be at Student Roost’s St Davids property from 11:30am to 4:30pm. With 13 sessions available, students can pre-book a morning session or turn up on the day and enjoy a day of calm.

On Thursday 25 May, all Student Roost residents will be invited to join a 30-minute virtual session with the Student Roost Resident Wellbeing Team and The Zen Project, which will focus on understanding anxiety and tips and techniques to manage it.

Throughout Mental Health Awareness Week, Student Roost properties will be hosting events for their residents including yoga classes, therapy dogs, quizzes, and pamper evenings.

Founded in 2017, Student Roost owns and operates over 50 properties in 21 cities in all four corners of the UK. In 2022, five new properties were opened in Nottingham, York, Bristol, Brighton, and Warwick. Each year, 23,000 students from across the world call Student Roost their home during their studies.

Lowri Edwards, Resident Wellbeing Manager at Student Roost, said: “I’m thrilled that we’re able to bring the Zen Bus to some of our cities during Mental Health Awareness Week, to help students reset and relax and discover the importance of switching off and taking time for themselves.

“Through our in-house reporting system on resident wellbeing, we identified that students in Swansea would benefit from further support, and what better way to provide that support during Mental Health Awareness Week with help from The Zen Project.”

Corinne Gardner, Co-Founder of The Zen Project, said: “This year, Mental Health Awareness Week focuses on anxiety, and we are looking forward to showing Student Roost residents and team members some simple ways to overcome anxiety and create calmness in their busy lives.

“We are so passionate about supporting the mental health of students in a fun and engaging way. We’re happy to be partnering with Student Roost and are excited to learn more about their innovative and dedicated approach to support their residents.”