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Project overview
Jemima gave an updated overview of the project with news of progress since our December meeting. See slides below. No questions arose.
Branding and Online Presence
Jemima reminded/informed the group about the logo design process so far:
1. Met in January to begin generating ideas:
a. Greens, yellows, blues
b. Rounded font
c. Have the N and U joined like an infinity symbol
d. Icons: ands, smile, sun
2. Asked student to design – 10 great initial ideas put forward (Figure 1)
3. Students rated these and added feedback. Main comments were:
a. Infinity symbol already used
b. Icons: plants / hands favoured over brain / head
4. Asked two students with top rated designs to tweak re feedback, students rated again
Top voted design sent to newly graduated graphic designer from Falmouth University for tweaking
6. Student vote on final decisions re colour scheme, layout, font, icon (figure 3: top rated):
a. No graduation hat
b. Flower over plant
c. Green colour scheme
d. Removed circle
7. Fed back to graphic designer with additional tweaks suggested from research team (brighter greens, larger and asymmetrical flower)
Group asked for input on final decisions:
1. Size of flower (or could it be bigger?)
2. Font (bold or medium)
3. Capital U?
Feedback:
· Preference for 3 flower – less cluttered, cleaner – the other one is too big
· Difference of opinion on the “u” – one group for small, one for capital.
· Medium font over bold – cleaner.
· Some preference for the green that was in the version before.
Tagline/Slogan:
We’d like a tagline to run under the logo.
Student option (generated at logo design): Supporting you through your wellbeing journey
Research team suggestions: Promoting Student Wellbeing / Promoting Wellbeing in Universities
We asked for thoughts from the group:
· “Supporting” is less clinical, but the project isn’t providing support itself so “promoting” is better.
· Should indicate that it’s about wellbeing
· “University” singular over “Universities”: feels more personal
· The incorporate the word “Student”.
· Suggestions
o “Supporting your wellbeing journey through the university”
o “Promoting wellbeing and mental health research in University”
o “Promoting Student Wellbeing” is the best of the suggested options by the research Team.
Online presence
We asked for viewpoints and tips on study social media and website:
· Facebook and Instagram main platforms students used – particularly Instagram
· TikTok would need more work/research into what is trending. You need interaction which depends on trends so more risky.
· Evenings/weekends best time to post– students less likely to be working.
· Work with student union accounts and getting them to share boosts profile: Universities sharing it makes it more legit and more likely to share.
· Need to make posts attractive to click on when people are scrolling.
· Different demographics use different apps – being on multiple apps is important
o For e.g. Chinese students do not use Instagram and Facebook; WeChat would be best (could link with University pages)
o UK students use Snapchat more than some international students
o Mature students more likely to use Facebook.
· Improve accessibility – could be incorporated into the iExeter app, makes it more accessible
o MyPGR for Exeter Postgrads (Need to find out what all universities use)
· Need to link social media and website – put in bio. Students tend to use apps/social media more than searching for websites.
Engagement Strategy
The next big task for the research team and student group is to design our engagement strategy for when we want to invite students to take part (Autumn mostly, except for Compassionate Campus focus groups in the summer).
Figure 6: E.g. from U-Flourish We showed examples (Figure 6) from the study in Canada called ‘U-Flourish’, which is where we are adapting a lot of our research methods from (survey, Digital Wellbeing Tool, Mental Health Literacy course).
We asked for feedback and ideas on how to engage students, who to engage, and when to engage.
· Three major areas to focus on for engagement:
o Student Unions
o Student Reps (per department/subjects/ for international students)
o Societies for every type of student – talk to Presidents, can disperse links in whatsapp groups
· Go to ‘official’ university groups and organisations to meet underrepresented groups, e.g. disability and inclusion services. They will know how and who to contact.
· People won’t check emails for surveys – better to have links in posts/QR codes on posters
· Leaflets that are spread around different buildings, especially where people are waiting for things and might be browsing.
· Beginning of the year – September and January could work well because you are feeling fresh/ready to try new ideas. But, students might have information overload, it’s a time of year where there’s so much going on and things could get lost. So maybe a week or a month after these times – October and February, as well as December or middle of the year. Avoiding exam times and when people are just resuming Uni.
o It could work to do some engagement through exams, because people are very aware of their wellbeing/stress levels. Could benefit students.
· Time of day – early evenings would work, but perhaps send messages late afternoon.
o There aren’t really set schedules for students, varies – so time of day might not be so relevant
· Times of week – Thursday are good (Wednesday often sport/social; weekends people are switched off)
· Thoughts on U-Flourish documents: look boring, not eye-catching, black and white / grey is too dull. Pictures don’t really make you want to find out more.
o Alternative ideas: ask people to take their own pictures.
§ Need standout, colourful, creative ideas.
§ Big bold text, less of it – could use icons instead (e.g. for email)
§ Varied pictures: not just studying/reading, but sports/music/societies/events
§ Need diversity
§ Could use pictures that students have already used, or are on student social media account – recognisable for students
§ Need to think about colour design and what catches people’s attention on social media.
Plans going forward:
Branding
· Research team are asking University design team if they have additional comments from a design perspective.
· Jemima will take your tagline suggestions to research team to finalise.
· We will invite you and other students to submit photographs/artwork representing wellbeing that we can use in our social media, website and other engagement materials
Social media
· Will set up Facebook, Instagram and WeChat accounts once logo is complete and we have some student-generated images in place.
· Jemima will be asking for volunteers to support running the accounts – hope to get a smaller working group together.
Ensuring diversity of involvement and engagement
· Jemima will follow your tips to increase diversity and participation in our student group and going forward to encourage students to take part in the project.
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