Between the 4-19 December 2024, the Department of Early Childhood and Primary Education within the Faculty of Education, in collaboration with the Counselling Services of within the Health and Wellness Centre, successfully organised five sessions aimed at supporting Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education and Care (B.A. ECEC), Bachelor of Arts in Primary Education (B.A. Primary), and Master in Teaching and Learning (MTL) (Early and Primary Education) students in addressing their university experiences.
This initiative, now in its second consecutive year, initially targeted BA ECEC and BA Primary students in 2023-2024. This year, the sessions were extended to include the MTL cohort. The sessions were introduced in response to the observed rise in stress and anxiety levels among university students.
Dr Elena Borg, from the Health and Wellness Centre, coordinated the sessions with the assistance of Ms Donatella Pace Olivari. The project was initiated by Dr Josephine Deguara, with the support of Prof. Josephine Milton, Head of Department. Dr Rosienne Camilleri and Dr Charmaine Bonello, co-ordinators of the BA Primary and BA ECEC courses, attended some of the sessions.
The primary objective of these sessions was to foster a healthy and supportive environment where students could learn about the services offered by the Health and Wellness centre, and where they could feel heard and valued.
The sessions offered a platform for students to express their concerns, enhance self-awareness, and develop sensitivity toward the needs of the children in their class.
Dr Borg and Ms Pace Olivari provided practical strategies to help students recognise signs of stress and anxiety while facilitated group-based discussions and hands-on activities to explore potential coping mechanisms. Furthermore, the sessions provided valuable insights to the academic staff on how to better support their students’ well-being.
The sessions were held at Dar Manuel Magri, with thanks to Rev. Patrick Magro, who together with Mr Adam McCarthy, introduced the students to the services and facilities available at the Chaplaincy.