Centering mental health in safer space conversations at UCL.
Grant
Grand Challenge Mental Health & Wellbeing Network Building
Year awarded: 2023-24
Amount awarded: £2,500.00
Team
- Professor Sara Mole, Population Health Sciences
- Noel Caliste, Business Operations Services, PS Hub
UCL prioritizes creating an environment where students and staff can thrive while acknowledging structural divides, essential for mental health and well-being. The Safer Space Conversations (SSC) program aims to facilitate respectful discussions on equity and justice, developing practical guidelines for better interactions within the community. By exploring topics like LGBTQ+ rights and racial inclusion, SSC will assess its impact through surveys and focus groups, ultimately positioning UCL as a leader in fostering an inclusive atmosphere where diverse perspectives coexist, and mental health interventions are integrated into institutional practices.
Image credit: iStock
Outputs and Impact
The programme facilitates conversations where differing perspectives exist, helping individuals engage more effectively while developing practical interaction guidelines. A Steering Group, composed of staff across the institution, supports SSC’s work, ensuring diverse representation and insight. Centring mental health and wellbeing has been integral to SSC’s planning and execution. Funding enabled the organisation of an open event on in May 2024, co-led by an external facilitator and an internal expert, focusing on academic freedom and free speech which has shaped SSC’s approach.
SSC launched its first event on gender, sex, equality, inclusion, and justice, titled Questioning the Binary. Given the divisiveness of this topic, the event aims to foster personal and institutional reflection on deeply held perspectives. Through self-exploration in a supportive space, attendees will gain insights into their views and how they evolved, moving from acknowledgment to accountability and action. These sessions provide opportunities to identify barriers, reflect on inclusion, and connect with colleagues in a safe(r) space. Over time, SSC intends to expand its series on these themes, sharing its practice format with the wider UCL community to support similar conversations.
The initiative has built a network of engaged individuals, including a core planning group, a larger Steering Group, and approximately 60 staff and students who have participated so far. Their enthusiasm reflects the programme’s impact. Additionally, SSC’s work is informing UCL’s Disagreeing Well academic panel and programme, reinforcing interdisciplinary dialogue on challenging issues.
Looking Ahead
SSC contributes to UCL’s Living Our Values initiative within the Strategic Plan (2020–2027). Funding has been pivotal, shifting SSC’s focus toward embedding mental health and wellbeing into its discussions. This distinction sets SSC apart from other dialogue-focused events that often overlook the psychological and emotional aspects of disagreement. The ability to pilot these conversations before applying for larger funding has been invaluable, as the team hopes to further develop and expand the project.
The SSC project has continued into 2025, with plans to publish findings and continue expanding meaningful conversations across UCL and beyond, with ongoing plans for interdisciplinary collaborations and further engagement opportunities.
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