Student Voices for Student Minds: A Scoping Review of Student-Led Initiatives in Mental Health Advocacy and Welfare
Keywords:
Higher Education Research, Published Research, Scoping Review, Student-Led Research, Undergraduate ResearchAbstract
Mental health has become a growing concern in schools and universities as more students struggle with the emotional and psychological effects of academic pressure and life changes. While institutions are taking steps to address these challenges, student-led research is also increasing. These contributions, rooted in real experiences, offer insights for improving mental health support. Recognizing and bringing these results together can help create programs that reflect students’ needs, making support systems more effective and relatable. A wide-ranging review of published works explored how students have contributed to mental health and welfare efforts in academic settings. The approach gathered meaningful insights from student-led initiatives and highlighted common themes, patterns, and contributions using a careful selection and comparison process. This study found that student-led initiatives provide valuable insights into real-life mental health and welfare challenges in educational settings. Students offered meaningful contributions that inform more inclusive, culturally sensitive, and student-centered support programs by reflecting on their lived experiences. The findings affirm that integrating student perspectives into institutional strategies strengthens the relevance, accessibility, and effectiveness of welfare and mental health services. The results suggest that mental health and welfare programs are more impactful when grounded in students lived experiences. Institutions could actively involve students in shaping support systems that reflect their emotional, academic, and social needs to foster well-being and resilience.
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