Thread by @DrPetra

Universities that expect #MentalHealth sessions for students and staff but do not have any budget to pay for this are truly showing how little they value safety and wellbeing. #AcademicChatter #AcademicMentalHealth #AcademicTwitter #gradschool #HigherEd #PhDChat #MedEd

I am asked on a daily basis to write and deliver talks on #AcademicMentalHealth, usually with a matter of days or a week’s notice. With the assumption I can provide this service either for free or a very low fee. It’s a big 🚩 #AcademicChatter #AcademicTwitter #HigherEd

This approach from unis is exploitative. If students and staff need training it should be from those who’re experienced and skilled. Whose time and expertise should be appropriately compensated. It mirrors other uni extractive practices. That ironically worsen mental distress.

If there is no budget and no time it means #AcademicMentalHealth is not a priority. That unpaid one-hour talk is not being requested to genuinely support students or staff, or bring meaningful change. It's a tick box activity, if that. It's cynical, disrespectful and inadequate.

I'd say if you're someone who's hoping to make a career in this area
a. this is not the lucrative option you were hoping for
b. doing talks for free in the hope paid work will follow is unrealistic and perpetuates the problem of undervaluing work
ALL of us should refuse it.

I appreciate in many cases the person booking these sessions isn't the one who's in charge of budgets nor has any institutional power. My argument is not with you. It is with those who put you in difficult positions while attempting to exploit others and ignore student/staff need