Hello everyone,
My name is Seren. I’m a third-year archaeology and ancient history student, and I was your Mental Health Officer for 2025/6. It’s been a very busy year this year. Alongside my role, I have been writing my dissertation on disability in Roman emperors, especially those with mental health conditions. I originally applied for the role because of my experience with mental health and the mental health system. My many years of experience with poor mental health and my autism drove me to want to help change things for other people for the better. I was very aware of how broken the systems to support students were, with months-long waiting lists and support that was inadequate for students' needs.
The year started with Freshers’, where I ran a stall at both the Heath Park and Cathays campuses, and went to craft events. I ran a mental health board games event. I have attended events for Winter Wellbeing, such as Christmas card decoration. This semester, I have attended the Press Pause campaign events, meeting with the therapy dogs and handing out freebies for students doing their exams. Moreover, throughout the year, I have managed to secure an introduction to mental health for people who want to learn more about how to support those who are going through struggles with their mental health, as well as to bring more awareness about mental health conditions. I have been in conversation with the Wellbeing Team about measures to reduce waiting lists, their plans to introduce EMDR therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), as well as their plans for those students whose needs these plans cannot accommodate.
I’ve had an amazing time being Mental Health officer, and it has been a pleasure to work with everyone in the SU this year. I’m also using this blog as an opportunity to talk about my mental health survey. This survey is a chance for you to talk about what problems you have faced with the services at Cardiff Uni and the SU and what ideas you have for improving mental health support. Please complete the survey and let us know how we can be better. Good luck to the incoming officers, who I am sure are going to do an amazing job.
Helo bawb,
Fy enw i yw Seren. Rwy'n fyfyriwr trydedd flwyddyn mewn archaeoleg a hanes yr henfyd, ac roeddwn i'n Swyddog Iechyd Meddwl ar gyfer 2025/6. Mae wedi bod yn flwyddyn brysur iawn eleni. Ochr yn ochr â'm rôl, rwyf wedi bod yn ysgrifennu fy nhraethawd hir ar anabledd ymhlith ymerawdwyr Rhufeinig, yn enwedig y rhai â chyflyrau iechyd meddwl. Ymgeisiais am y rôl yn wreiddiol oherwydd fy mhrofiad fy hun o iechyd meddwl a'r system iechyd meddwl. Gwnaeth blynyddoedd o brofiad gydag iechyd meddwl gwael a'm awtistiaeth fy ysgogi geisio newid pethau er gwell i bobl eraill. Roeddwn i'n ymwybodol iawn o ba mor ddiffygiol oedd y systemau cefnogi myfyrwyr, gyda rhestrau aros misoedd o hyd a chefnogaeth nad oedd yn ddigonol ar gyfer anghenion myfyrwyr.
Dechreuodd y flwyddyn gyda'r Glas, lle rhedais stondin ar gampysau Parc y Mynydd Bychan a Cathays, ac es i ddigwyddiadau crefft. Rhedais ddigwyddiad gemau bwrdd iechyd meddwl. Rwyf wedi mynychu digwyddiadau ar gyfer Gofalu gyda’r Gaeaf, fel addurno cardiau Nadolig. Y semester hwn, rwyf wedi mynychu digwyddiadau ymgyrch Cymer Saib, gan gyfarfod â chŵn therapi a dosbarthu anrhegion bach am ddim i fyfyrwyr sy'n gwneud eu harholiadau. Yn ogystal, drwy gydol y flwyddyn, rydw i wedi llwyddo i sicrhau cyflwyniad i iechyd meddwl i bobl sydd eisiau dysgu mwy am sut i gefnogi'r rhai sy'n mynd trwy anawsterau gyda'u hiechyd meddwl, yn ogystal â chodi mwy o ymwybyddiaeth am gyflyrau iechyd meddwl. Rydw i wedi bod mewn sgwrs â'r Tîm Lles ynghylch mesurau i leihau rhestrau aros, eu cynlluniau i gyflwyno therapi EMDR (Dadsensiteiddio ac Ailbrosesu Symudiadau Llygaid), yn ogystal â'u cynlluniau ar gyfer y myfyrwyr hynny na ellir diwallu eu hanghenion drwy’r cynlluniau hyn.
Rydw i wedi cael amser anhygoel fel Swyddog Iechyd Meddwl, ac mae wedi bod yn bleser gweithio gyda phawb yn Undeb y Myfyrwyr eleni. Rydw i hefyd yn defnyddio'r blog hwn fel cyfle i siarad am fy arolwg iechyd meddwl. Mae'r arolwg hwn yn gyfle i chi siarad am y problemau rydych chi wedi'u hwynebu gyda'r gwasanaethau ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd ac Undeb Myfyrwyr a pha syniadau sydd gennych chi ar gyfer gwella cymorth iechyd meddwl. Cwblhewch yr arolwg a rhowch wybod i ni sut y gallwn ni wneud yn well. Pob lwc i'r swyddogion newydd, rwy’n siŵr y byddant yn gwneud gwaith anhygoel