(CW: death, mentions of self-harm and suicide) To kick off series 2 with SMaRteN this week’s episode, Elia Chitwa, a recent graduate from the University of Cambridge and current student union sabbatical officer, is joined by Dr Dionne Taylor, an Associate Professor at Birmingham City University. They talk about Dionne’s SMaRteN-funded research which is centred on the creation of student-led wellbeing programmes to improve Black students' mental health, with a particular focus on the implications of transitions. At university, Elia found they were often the only Black student in an entire lecture theatre. Navigating this stark difference to their previous schooling experiences made Elia interested in the transitions of Black students, how this can affect their mental health and how Black students can be better supported.The episode starts with Elia and Dionne exploring the reasons behind the initiation of Dionne’s research. They then move on to talking about the impact of transitions on Black students’ sense of belonging, how this relates to stereotypes of Black people and the interaction between stereotypes, identity and mental health. Dionne and Elia then discuss the specifics of the wellbeing programmes created and the importance of co-production and facilitation. Finally, they talk about the next steps for Dionne’s research and the wellbeing programmes created.Thanks for listening!

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