Students raise £4,000 for mental health by switching off social media

Psychology A Level students at City of Oxford College and University Centre raised £4,000 by giving up social media for one week in aid of mental health charitable fund, MindGreen.

The switch-off took place between Monday 2 and Sunday 8 December and was led by Psychology Teacher and Chair of MindGreen, Sarah Price.

Through a survey, Sarah found a group of students studying at the city-centre campus, who spent an average of 49 hours per week on social media.

MindGreen is Activate Learning’s dedicated charitable fund that raises money to support its staff and students’ mental health and wellbeing.

The switch-off marked the first time the students had been off social media since being in Year 6, making it even more significant.

During the week, the students swapped being online for a range of mindful activities to boost their mental health, including creative activities such as arts and crafts, baking, exercising together, and meeting with friends.

The switch-off campaign also encouraged students to get involved with fundraising by promoting the event and having conversations about mental health.

Each of the 65 participating students have now become MindGreen Youth Ambassadors, meaning they will continue to promote this vital fund while in college.

Mae Lovell, A Level student at City of Oxford College and University Centre, said:

“This week I’ve been hanging out with my friends, doing a lot of cooking, art, climbing and I’ve started running again.

“Everyone has problems, but we really dilute them through social media use. I think it’s good not using it because you can get in touch with your feelings, you notice things you wouldn’t normally, and I think that’s important.”

Sarah Price, Psychology Teacher and Chair of MindGreen at Activate Learning, said:

“Fundraising for mental health funds at college is a great way for students to boost their self-esteem and help others in their college community. I organised the switch-off as a way for us to work towards a singular goal together as a team and raise funds for a great cause.

“Initially, it was hard for many of them, however, by days two and three, they filled the time with meaningful activities such as exercise, reading, cooking, and seeing friends in person.

“I have noticed a positive impact on the students involved as they learned new, healthier ways to communicate.”