Depression, anxiety, eating disorders, addictions to alcohol, drugs, gambling and dysfunctional behaviors represent a growing threat to the psychological well-being of young people. To address this silent emergency, today theUniversità Campus Bio-Medico di Roma hosted an event dedicated to student mental health, as part of the PRO-BEN national project promoted by Ministry of University and Research (MUR).
The meeting was attended by representatives of institutions and the academic world, including the Vice President of the Senate Maria Domenica Castellone e Senator Paola Binetti, in an open discussion on the role of the university as a prevention and support center.
During the event the personalized psychological counseling service active at the University, free and reserved, designed for students, specialists and PhD students. The aim of the service is to accompany young people on a path of emotional growth and awareness, helping them to recognize and deal with any problems, with a preventive and non-emergency logic.
In parallel, UCBM has activated a cycle of "Seminars on psycho-education and food education" on stress, relationship with food and time management. The meetings, available upon reservation and anonymously, offer practical tools to improve the psychological and physical well-being of students.
L'Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma is a partner of the PRO-BEN project together with other important Italian universities – including theUniversity of Tor Vergata, Rome Three, Cassino, LUISS Guido Carli, the National Academy of Dance and the Santa Cecilia Conservatory – with the shared goal of offering concrete support to students through cross-cutting actions aimed at preventing and promoting mental health.
The project, financed with 2,75 million euro from the MUR, provides for common activities and specific interventions for each university, including screening, information initiatives, awareness raising against addictions and the promotion of healthy lifestyles: balanced nutrition, physical exercise, reduction of smoking and alcohol, regular sleep and conscious use of technologies.
La Senator Maria Domenica Castellone, Vice President of the Senate, has ofchiarahave: "It was a beautiful day in which I was able to hear from the voice of many students what they would like the institutions, but also the university, to do to help them become increasingly aware citizens and men and women who are truly architects of their own future. I asked them how you are, what you would like us to do for you, how we can provide you with the tools that allow you to realize your dreams. This must be our commitment, this will certainly be my commitment".
"Caring for our students means helping them grow not only academically, but also personally and emotionally," has ofchiarato the prof Laura De Gara, Deputy Pro-Rector UCBM. “With PRO-BEN we are giving substance to a concrete commitment that places the person at the centre, in line with our training project: we believe that only a balanced person with solid values can become a professional capable of making an authentic contribution to society".
Federica Bressi, responsible for the PRO-BEN project for UCBM, he added: "The university must be an educational community, a place where we grow together. Our goal is to make every student feel welcomed and listened to, through authentic relationships and spaces dedicated to listening and sharing. With PRO-BEN we are pursuing an integrated vision that promotes prevention and well-being as an essential part of university life".
