Supporting Student Wellbeing Together: ASRA Members Raise Funds for Student Minds

By Jordan Meates • 12 May 2026

At this year’s ASRA Conference, members came together not only to share insight and strengthen sector connections, but also to support an important cause at the heart of the student experience.

We were proud to welcome Student Minds as our charity partner for the conference and are delighted that, through the generosity of attendees, an incredible £1,202.07 was raised to support student mental health across the UK.

Student Minds have shared their reflections from the event below...

Earlier this month, Student Minds attended the ASRA Conference and Awards as charity partner, joining accommodation professionals, higher education staff and sector suppliers from across the UK to share ideas, strengthen connections and keep student wellbeing firmly at the centre of conversations.

The conference had a real vibrancy to it. Across the event, attendees were connecting, collaborating and clearly eager to learn from one another. The relaxed and open atmosphere created space for meaningful conversations about the student experience and the role we all play in supporting students to thrive.

What stood out most was the diversity of perspectives in the room. Bringing together higher education staff, PBSA professionals and sector suppliers created valuable opportunities to think collectively about the impact on students at every stage of their journey, from moving into accommodation through to building a sense of belonging and accessing support when it’s needed.

At Student Minds, we’re incredibly grateful to ASRA and its members for selecting us as charity partner and for the generosity shown throughout the conference. Together, an amazing £1,202.07 was raised to support our work improving student mental health across the UK!

These donations make a real difference. As the UK’s student mental health charity, partnerships and fundraising support help us continue delivering vital training, resources, research and sector wide initiatives that empower students, staff and institutions to create mentally healthy learning environments.

Support like this enables us to:

• Develop practical resources and guidance for accommodation and university staff
• Continue our policy, influencing and communications work to advocate for meaningful change
• Deliver training that builds confidence in supporting student mental health
• Expand initiatives that help embed a whole university approach to mental health

Key Resources for ASRA Members

One key resource we’d encourage ASRA members to explore is the University Mental Health Charter (UMHC). The Charter framework is freely available and includes dedicated guidance around the “Live” aspect of student experience, helping institutions and accommodation providers think holistically about student wellbeing within living environments.

We’d also highlight our Live Well at Uni training, designed specifically for staff working within student accommodation, whether university managed or privately owned. The training explores the vital role accommodation staff and spaces play in student mental health. Participants gain greater awareness of support services, develop confidence in having supportive conversations, learn how to make effective referrals and begin creating actionable plans for their own settings.

If your organisation would like to partner with us and join our existing incredible network of sector allies, showing your commitment and position as an industry thought leader and wellbeing advocate, you can explore this with our dedicated partnership manager by emailing corporate@studentminds.org.uk.

For organisations and individuals wanting to support Student Minds further, there are several ways to get involved:

• Fundraising to help sustain and grow our work
• Spreading awareness of our free, clinically approved, self help resources on our website
• Training and professional development opportunities for staff teams
• Exploring frameworks such as the University Mental Health Charter to embed best practice

We’re hugely appreciative of the welcome we received at ASRA Conference and the commitment shown across the sector to supporting student wellbeing. Strong partnerships like this are essential in helping us continue our work and create lasting change for students across the UK!

Thank you again to ASRA and everyone who contributed, connected with us and supported Student Minds throughout the conference.

ASRA would once again like to thank everyone who contributed to the fundraising efforts during the conference and supported Student Minds throughout the event.

Student wellbeing remains a shared priority across our sector, and we are proud to work alongside organisations that are helping drive meaningful, lasting change for students across the UK.