Wellbeing program for VU students & staff

Elevenses, the hugely successful mental health and wellbeing program established in 2020 by Victoria University, restarts on 6 September.

Elevenses focuses on the safety, wellbeing and mental health of students and staff by helping them feel supported and connected and by validating the challenges of the pandemic.

Online sessions to be held three times a week

The sessions are conducted online and led by an experienced practitioner. “They include such things as breathing exercises, mindfulness techniques and activity tips to promote physical and mental wellbeing and also quizzes and singalongs with colleagues to foster a sense of community and connection,” says team leader Professor Alex Parker, clinical psychologist and researcher in the Institute for Health and Sport.

The first series is entitled: "Staying connected to others and your wellbeing” , and the weekly themes are:

• Week 1 – Introduction to the series and a taster of the fun and information to come
• Week 2- Give ME a break: How being kind and supportive to yourself assists in managing challenges
• Week 3 - Nourishing ourselves: How food, sleep and fun support us
• Week 4- Survivor!: Successful coping strategies

Sessions will be held at 11am and repeated at 4pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. This series will initially run for four weeks. Staff and students are welcome to attend as many or as few as they want. If they are unable to attend live events, links to the recorded sessions will be shared on the VU Elevenses Yammer Page.

This program does not replace or reduce access to existing VU support resources such as the Employee Assistance Program (login required) and the Wellness Hub.

Register your interest

Email the VU Elevenses team at  [email protected]  to register your interest and receive the Zoom link invitations. Indicate whether you would prefer 11am, 4pm or both.

“We look forward to having you in the program. This is an important opportunity for the VU community to support one another and maintain a positive lifestyle,” says Professor Parker.

If you have any questions about the program, contact the project team at  [email protected]