Wellbeing@UC brings the community together for a better lifestyle
Over 300 UC and SASUC technical staff attended the sessions on health and well-being.
English version by Diana Taborda
The second edition of the Wellbeing@UC initiative took place on the 6th and 8th of November, two days of training dedicated to well-being and mental health at the University of Coimbra, covering topics such as financial well-being, nutrition, sleep, physical activity and compassion.
Luís Neves, the UC vice-rector in charge of human resources, claimed that the initiative is "an asset with an excellent and diversified programme", and that it provided the UC and SASUC (social services) staff with skills on these topics.
With 340 people attending the various panels and workshops, the overall feedback was "positive", with many finding the event important as a way to share tips and tools in the areas of physical and mental health and general well-being."
Such events are crucial to our vision of what we want the UC to be," said Rector Amílcar Falcão. A university that is gaining "more collective spirit and a greater sense of belonging" in the eyes of the outside world also has "the need to have people who are motivated and happy to come to work every day", says Amílcar Falcão.
In addition to the panels and workshops, there was also a health fair with various activities and the presence of UC units and services. Participants also had access to cardiovascular screenings by the Medical Students group of the Coimbra Academic Association (NEM/AAC).
Our aim was to hold an event "to raise awareness and promote mental health among our staff". According to Helena Matos, Director of the UC Human Resources Management Service, "we do not want to provide answers or `turnkey solutions´, but rather to provide a framework so that each person can begin to make changes to improve their well-being and mental health in their professional and personal lives".
Check more info about the event here.