£4m for colleges to support wellbeing and mental health

The Welsh Government has announced £4 million in funding for colleges to better support wellbeing and mental health.

Funding has previously been used to create wellbeing centres or counselling. Merthyr College, for example, has invested in wellbeing and were awarded the Wales National Teaching Team Award for Learners Engagement in school or college in 2024, in recognition of the excellent support they provide to college learners.

Minister for Further and Higher Education Vikki Howells and Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing Sarah Murphy recently visited the college to find out more about the support available to learners, which includes a wellbeing centre providing advice including therapeutic support and counselling services and spoke to learners to hear about the positive experience they have had at the college.

During the visit college staff also spoke about the benefits of having this support available.

Sara Fowler, Vice-Principal Resources and Chief Operating Officer: "At the College, we prioritise the mental health and wellbeing of all our learners and staff by offering accessible opportunities and support across the organisation and the local community. We are proud of the partnerships we have created to maximise the support and activities available to ensure we are proactive and varied in our offer.

"It was a privilege to showcase our Wellbeing team to the Ministers and enjoyed hearing our learners talk about the impact of the support they have received."

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Vikki Howells, said: "The mental health and wellbeing support provided by Merthyr College is impressive. Their commitment to provide a supportive and inclusive environment for all learners is inspiring. I am pleased to have had the opportunity to talk directly to both learners and staff to see the important role wellbeing initiatives play in ensuring the best education outcomes for our learners. Medr allocates funding to colleges that reflect education institutions’ individual priorities for their learners and staff.

Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing, Sarah Murphy, said: "It was great to visit Merthyr College to see how they are ensuring students are fully supported with their mental health and wellbeing. Their approach demonstrates exactly the kind of proactive care we need across our education system to help give young people the right skills for a healthier and more successful future.