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Understanding (in) formal health and wellbeing networks within higher education: a mixed-method social network perspective

Nils Joseph Swindell Orcid Logo, Jen Thomas, Jeremy Tree Orcid Logo, Denise Hill Orcid Logo, Joanne Hudson Orcid Logo, Gareth Stratton Orcid Logo

Higher Education, Volume: 2023

Swansea University Authors: Nils Joseph Swindell Orcid Logo, Jen Thomas, Jeremy Tree Orcid Logo, Denise Hill Orcid Logo, Joanne Hudson Orcid Logo, Gareth Stratton Orcid Logo

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Abstract

In response to increasing concerns about the mental health and wellbeing of university students and staff, policy aims have shifted towards a ‘whole-university approach’ to mental health and wellbeing. This policy advocates for a culture wherein mental health and wellbeing are a key priority across...

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Published in: Higher Education
ISSN: 0018-1560 1573-174X
Published: Springer Science and Business Media LLC 2023
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URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65227
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Qualitative follow-up explored factors associated with network prominence, cohesion between the informal network and formal structures, and overall perceptions of the network. An informal network of 211 actors in the wellbeing system was identified, revealing disparities with formal governance structures. Prominence in the network was attributed to both extrinsic (e.g. workplace culture and leadership) and intrinsic (e.g. social rewards) factors, and was perceived to provide value by increasing cohesive and collaborative working. 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spelling v2 65227 2023-12-06 Understanding (in) formal health and wellbeing networks within higher education: a mixed-method social network perspective 189d1ae79723a932dc37ae54fff6e4cd 0000-0003-3742-6139 Nils Joseph Swindell Nils Joseph Swindell true true 0f5e89d28dc0b1ec080ab32f829fa713 Jen Thomas Jen Thomas true false 373fd575114a743d502a979c6161b1ad 0000-0001-6000-8125 Jeremy Tree Jeremy Tree true false 9bca603dad273604f16acfb1178b1d83 0000-0001-8580-4048 Denise Hill Denise Hill true false 304341cf2cd1bdb99d7d6ccf0f030d99 0000-0003-4732-8356 Joanne Hudson Joanne Hudson true false 6d62b2ed126961bed81a94a2beba8a01 0000-0001-5618-0803 Gareth Stratton Gareth Stratton true false 2023-12-06 In response to increasing concerns about the mental health and wellbeing of university students and staff, policy aims have shifted towards a ‘whole-university approach’ to mental health and wellbeing. This policy advocates for a culture wherein mental health and wellbeing are a key priority across all levels (individual, societal, environmental). Thereby, responsibility for mental health and wellbeing is distributed across the institution, requiring contributions from staff irrespective of whether mental health and wellbeing are central to their role. Consequently, boundaries of responsibility and expertise can be unclear, while individual and professional capacity and opportunity influence the consistency of support. Effective governance of the whole-university approach requires an understanding of the complex network of ‘actors’ in the wellbeing system to cohesively deliver strategic objectives. This mixed-methods case study of one Higher Education Institution (HEI) employed social network analysis (SNA) to identify network structures and connections between staff who promote mental health and wellbeing. Qualitative follow-up explored factors associated with network prominence, cohesion between the informal network and formal structures, and overall perceptions of the network. An informal network of 211 actors in the wellbeing system was identified, revealing disparities with formal governance structures. Prominence in the network was attributed to both extrinsic (e.g. workplace culture and leadership) and intrinsic (e.g. social rewards) factors, and was perceived to provide value by increasing cohesive and collaborative working. However, findings also indicate the need to raise awareness of the network and improve capacity for network membership and engagement. Journal Article Higher Education 2023 Springer Science and Business Media LLC 0018-1560 1573-174X Mental Health, Wellbeing, Whole-university approach, StepChange, Social network analysis 11 12 2023 2023-12-11 10.1007/s10734-023-01158-x COLLEGE NANME Sports Science COLLEGE CODE Swansea University SU Library paid the OA fee (TA Institutional Deal) 2024-04-10T09:42:06.9276307 2023-12-06T11:53:25.3550174 Faculty of Science and Engineering School of Engineering and Applied Sciences - Sport and Exercise Sciences Nils Joseph Swindell 0000-0003-3742-6139 1 Jen Thomas 2 Jeremy Tree 0000-0001-6000-8125 3 Denise Hill 0000-0001-8580-4048 4 Joanne Hudson 0000-0003-4732-8356 5 Gareth Stratton 0000-0001-5618-0803 6 65227__29410__a7f9e1b7af1e42bf9721e095c99e2096.pdf 65227.pdf 2024-01-08T15:55:59.3720553 Output 1277357 application/pdf Version of Record true This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. true eng http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
title Understanding (in) formal health and wellbeing networks within higher education: a mixed-method social network perspective
spellingShingle Understanding (in) formal health and wellbeing networks within higher education: a mixed-method social network perspective
Nils Joseph Swindell
Jen Thomas
Jeremy Tree
Denise Hill
Joanne Hudson
Gareth Stratton
title_short Understanding (in) formal health and wellbeing networks within higher education: a mixed-method social network perspective
title_full Understanding (in) formal health and wellbeing networks within higher education: a mixed-method social network perspective
title_fullStr Understanding (in) formal health and wellbeing networks within higher education: a mixed-method social network perspective
title_full_unstemmed Understanding (in) formal health and wellbeing networks within higher education: a mixed-method social network perspective
title_sort Understanding (in) formal health and wellbeing networks within higher education: a mixed-method social network perspective
author_id_str_mv 189d1ae79723a932dc37ae54fff6e4cd
0f5e89d28dc0b1ec080ab32f829fa713
373fd575114a743d502a979c6161b1ad
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6d62b2ed126961bed81a94a2beba8a01
author_id_fullname_str_mv 189d1ae79723a932dc37ae54fff6e4cd_***_Nils Joseph Swindell
0f5e89d28dc0b1ec080ab32f829fa713_***_Jen Thomas
373fd575114a743d502a979c6161b1ad_***_Jeremy Tree
9bca603dad273604f16acfb1178b1d83_***_Denise Hill
304341cf2cd1bdb99d7d6ccf0f030d99_***_Joanne Hudson
6d62b2ed126961bed81a94a2beba8a01_***_Gareth Stratton
author Nils Joseph Swindell
Jen Thomas
Jeremy Tree
Denise Hill
Joanne Hudson
Gareth Stratton
author2 Nils Joseph Swindell
Jen Thomas
Jeremy Tree
Denise Hill
Joanne Hudson
Gareth Stratton
format Journal article
container_title Higher Education
container_volume 2023
publishDate 2023
institution Swansea University
issn 0018-1560
1573-174X
doi_str_mv 10.1007/s10734-023-01158-x
publisher Springer Science and Business Media LLC
college_str Faculty of Science and Engineering
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hierarchy_top_id facultyofscienceandengineering
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Science and Engineering
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofscienceandengineering
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Science and Engineering
department_str School of Engineering and Applied Sciences - Sport and Exercise Sciences{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Science and Engineering{{{_:::_}}}School of Engineering and Applied Sciences - Sport and Exercise Sciences
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description In response to increasing concerns about the mental health and wellbeing of university students and staff, policy aims have shifted towards a ‘whole-university approach’ to mental health and wellbeing. This policy advocates for a culture wherein mental health and wellbeing are a key priority across all levels (individual, societal, environmental). Thereby, responsibility for mental health and wellbeing is distributed across the institution, requiring contributions from staff irrespective of whether mental health and wellbeing are central to their role. Consequently, boundaries of responsibility and expertise can be unclear, while individual and professional capacity and opportunity influence the consistency of support. Effective governance of the whole-university approach requires an understanding of the complex network of ‘actors’ in the wellbeing system to cohesively deliver strategic objectives. This mixed-methods case study of one Higher Education Institution (HEI) employed social network analysis (SNA) to identify network structures and connections between staff who promote mental health and wellbeing. Qualitative follow-up explored factors associated with network prominence, cohesion between the informal network and formal structures, and overall perceptions of the network. An informal network of 211 actors in the wellbeing system was identified, revealing disparities with formal governance structures. Prominence in the network was attributed to both extrinsic (e.g. workplace culture and leadership) and intrinsic (e.g. social rewards) factors, and was perceived to provide value by increasing cohesive and collaborative working. However, findings also indicate the need to raise awareness of the network and improve capacity for network membership and engagement.
published_date 2023-12-11T09:42:04Z
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