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24 December 2018 | Story Charlene Stanley | Photo Anja Aucamp
Guardians of Mental Health
The people who look after Kovsies’ mental wellbeing are from the left: Dr Melissa Barnaschone (Student Counseling and Development), Burneline Kaars (Employee Wellness), Tshepang Mahlatsi (Next Chapter), Arina Engelbrecht (Employee Wellness), and Angie Vorster (School of Medicine).

In a demanding academic environment, mental-health challenges are an unavoidable reality.

October is traditionally Mental Health Awareness Month, and a time to focus on the various initiatives and people who look after Kovsies’ mental wellbeing.

“Our students are bright and very resilient. But even they sometimes struggle to cope,” says Angie Vorster, Clinical Psychologist for the School of Medicine’s plus-minus 700 students. Her diary for individual therapy sessions is booked weeks in advance.

“For many students the transition from school to university can be quite stressful. Many come from protected rural environments and are overwhelmed by their newly-found independence. There’s also often the pressure of high expectations from home – especially for first-generation students.”

The value of peer support is something Dr Melissa Barnaschone, Director of Student Counselling and Development, fully believes in. Apart from individual counselling sessions, her department offers a host of self-development workshops ranging from anger management and relaxation tips, to time management and basic study skills.

“Students often confuse the normal stress and anxiety they experience before tests and exams with a deeper psychological problem,” she says.

She stresses the importance of the fact that students should not wait too long before getting involved with the programmes offered by her department.

When it comes to the mental wellbeing of staff, the UFS Employee Wellness office has arranged weekly talks by specialists on topics such as ‘Compassion Fatigue’, ‘Post-traumatic Stress Disorder’, and ‘Making sense of difficult personalities’ during the period of September to November.

A person who has come full circle with mental-health issues, is Tshepang Mahlatsi. This promising Law student and former prime of the Tswelopele residence, founded Next Chapter, a student-run organisation that offers weekly peer sessions where students support and encourage one another. “There must be two-way communication,” he stresses. “Al these initiatives and resources mean nothing if those in need don’t communicate that they have a problem. No-one should suffer in silence.”

News Archive

Johann swims his way to Olympics
2016-05-18


Johann van Heerden from the University of the Free State has qualified for the Paralympic Games in the swimming pool, and is now waiting to hear if he will be included in the South African team. Photo: Nadya van Heerden.

In the past couple of months, Johann van Heerden has been swimming his way to the Paralympic Games, and is still preparing as if he will be going to Rio de Janeiro.

The Kovsie swimmer, who will know whether he has been included in the Paralympic team in July 2016, feels his training is progressing well. The Olympics will be held in Brazil from 7 to 18 September 2016. If all goes well, this could be the first of several Olympics for the 20-year-old second-year Education student from the University of the Free State (UFS).

Dream year for Education student

Van Heerden (cerebral palsy), whose hero is the former Paralympic superstar Natalie du Toit, has had huge successes in the run-up to the 2016 Olympics. Among others, he was named the best senior swimmer at the Nedbank National Championships for the Physically Disabled in Bloemfontein in March 2016. At the South African Senior Championships in Durban in April 2016, he qualified for the Olympics in the 100 m breast-stroke with an A-qualifying time, and in the 50 m and 100 m freestyle with B-qualifying times.

Only three male swimmers to Olympics

However, he has to wait until the announcement of the South African Paralympic team, since only three male and three female swimmers will be selected. He will not be competing in another major event before the Olympics. “My short-term goal is to compete in this year’s Games, and, in the long term, I would like to reach even greater heights at the 2020 Games,” he said. Du Toit is an inspiration to him because “she was hard-working, and she had a lot of drive”.

Other students from CUADS also excel

At the above-mentioned National Championships, Van Heerden won a total of five gold medals (200 m medley, 100 m breaststroke, 50 m freestyle, 50 m breaststroke, and 200 m breaststroke) and one silver medal (100 m freestyle). Other students from the Center for Universal Access and Disability Support at the UFS also excelled.

Dineo Mokhosoa (cerebral palsy) won three gold medals (long jump, shot-put, and discus), while the athlete Louzanne Coetzee (blind) shattered the world record in the 5 000 m, as well as the Africa record in the 1 500 m. Juanré Jenkinson (cerebral palsy) won two silver medals (discus and shot-put) while Danie Breitenbach (blind) won two gold medals (800 m and 1500 m).

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