Meet Our Wellbeing Advisors

Our Wellbeing Advisors provide support for learners who are having personal challenges that might impact their studies. Whether those challenges are related to time management, mental health, relationships, or goal setting, the Wellbeing team aims to provide the resources students need as soon as they need them. Providing a speedy response to referrals is essential to ensuring students are always well-supported.

While the team usually has two members, currently Laura McLachlan is doing a great job looking after the wellbeing of our ākonga, working with the aim of removing barriers to accessing support.

“We aim to support learners in an informal setting that is complimentary to counselling and can meet immediate needs”, explains Laura.

The team offers a variety of wellbeing resources — from workshops to one-on-one appointments to develop individualised wellbeing plans. They can assist with mental health support, goal setting, motivation, wellbeing strategies, links to community support and practical help and advice.

“Some of the most common issues we see involve problem solving, relationship issues, emotional support, scheduling and time management, as well as gender and sexuality support. Sometimes we can help directly, and sometimes we connect learners with internal or external resources.”

Wellbeing Week is an event in September aimed at getting learners to think about their wellness in a positive and supportive environment. It is an opportunity for our community to learn about new healthy habits that they can incorporate into their daily lives.

The Wellbeing Advisors can be found at Student Success in the Hub at the Dunedin Campus. Though based in Dunedin, the Wellbeing Advisors provide support for all OP learners. Ākonga can make appointments directly through the online booking system, and the team can also be reached at 0800 762 686 or at wellbeing@op.ac.nz.

Meet Our Wellbeing Advisors