Student mental health: the role of careers practitioners

Careers practitioners need to have the skills, knowledge and confidence to respond effectively to students' mental health needs while remaining within their professional remit, write Emma Evans and Helen Fauset

According to 2023 governmental research, more than 5% of university students had disclosed a mental health condition to their institution.1 A 2024 Student Minds study found that 25% of a student sample anonymously reported a mental health diagnosis.2 Inevitably, careers practitioners will encounter students (and graduates) experiencing these difficulties, among others.

The transition to graduate status brings with it seismic changes, with potential gains (e.g. salary) alongside acute losses (e.g. support network, sense of purpose), all set within the context of an oft-reported, competitive labour market.3 A 2024 AGCAS report demonstrated a significant gap in highly skilled job outcomes for those with mental health difficulties, compared to graduates without.4 Following graduation, careers services are often the only source of institutional, personalised support accessible to ex-students.

The 'no wrong door' approach

Consequently, there exists a potential blurring of the lines between careers and pastoral support. When consumed by anxiety about their future, students may find it less daunting to first seek career support rather than addressing their mental health. The well-intentioned seed of a career intervention may not take root if a student is in crisis. However, if such a student finds the courage to disclose their difficulties to one person who happens to be a careers practitioner, this must be preferable to the student suffering in silence. In this way, there is no 'wrong door' for students. How do careers practitioners deftly navigate this boundary - responding to the needs of the whole person while remaining within the professional remits of the role? Naturally, there are times when signposting or referral to another support service is necessary before career support can be engaged with, for example when a student is in a mental health crisis.

Careers practitioner as 'skilled helper'

Careers practitioners routinely deploy person-centred techniques to fully understand the complexities of the student experience. Although practitioners are not expected to provide therapeutic counselling per se, using 'micro' counselling skills such as open questioning, active listening, paraphrasing, empathy, and gentle challenging can quickly develop the trust and rapport required for students to be open. How many careers advisers have welcomed a student into an appointment only to uncover a more pressing pastoral issue, for example an estranged student with financial difficulties, or an international student seeking parttime work who is feeling isolated?

Careers practitioners are not expected to determine what type of wellbeing intervention is needed. However, it is vital to be aware of the wider university policies, procedures and support services, in order to respond appropriately to emerging issues. More joined-up, reciprocal working across institutional teams can ensure greater awareness of each other's services, for example a disability adviser might encourage an anxious student to seek careers support for interview preparation. Similarly, practitioners need to keep abreast of external support services accessible for students (e.g. Student Space5 ) and graduates (e.g. NHS Talking Therapies6 ).

Effective careers support: benefits for student wellbeing

In addition to promoting a sense of validation, using skilled questioning can enable students to gain deeper insights into their strengths, values and motivations. This can lead to more effective career decision making and a sense of fulfilment when a graduate finds a role in which they will thrive. Careers services can develop effective links with, and promote, inclusive and supportive employers e.g. Disability Confident Scheme7 or Business Disability Forum8 members.

Additionally, given that graduate employers are increasingly prizing 'resilience' as a vital attribute, how might careers professionals support students in developing this?9 Practitioners can help students overcome setbacks by normalising rejection from employers and encouraging them to keep going, focusing on those aspects which they can control in the job recruitment process. Short-term coaching can be offered to the least 'career confident' students who may be struggling with the transition to post-university life.

Most importantly, careers services need to ensure that all studentfacing staff are equipped with the person-centred skills, knowledge and confidence to assess and respond to student needs, and signpost/refer where appropriate. Ultimately, a single, effective careers conversation could have far-reaching, positive implications for a student hitherto struggling to imagine a positive future.

Emma Evans is a careers adviser at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, accredited careers practitioner, and a British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy accredited counsellor.

Helen Fauset is an employability adviser at the University of Sheffield and a chartered occupational psychologist with careers practitioner and coaching qualifications.

This article was first published in the 2024/25 edition of What do graduates do?

Notes

1. Student mental health in England: Statistics, policy, and guidance, House of Commons Library, 2024.
2. Student Minds Research Briefing, Student Minds, 2023.
3. 'Like throwing myself at a wall': UK graduates struggle in ‘insane’ job market, The Guardian, 2024.
4. What Happens Next in Challenging Times?, AGCAS, 2024.
5. Student Space, Student Minds.
6. NHS Talking Therapies, NHS.
7. Disability Confident Scheme, GOV.UK, 2016.
8. Business Disability Forum.
9. What skills do employers want? Prospects, 2023.