Business School Wellbeing Ambassadors Rohini and Prabreet

left to right: School Comms Manager Serena, and Wellbeing Ambassadors Fathir and Ekta

At this year's QS Reimagine Education Awards in London, the University of Sussex Business School proudly presented its groundbreaking initiative, Empowering Student Wellbeing: The Sussex Peer Support Project. Launched in 2023, this project has already made a significant impact by empowering Wellbeing Ambassadors—students themselves—to provide empathetic, peer-led support to their peers. Addressing issues from exam anxiety to financial challenges, the project has reached over 3,300 students, fostering a genuine culture of care.

The initiative was recognised for its innovative approach and lasting impact.

Scalability: making peer support accessible across institutions

The Peer Support Project is inherently scalable and adaptable. The model requires minimal resources that can be adapted: training sessions, funding for student ambassador roles, and ongoing supervision. In 2023/24, the project started with five ambassadors. Due to its success, this number has already doubled for 2024/25, demonstrating a clear pathway for growth. The diversity of ambassadors—balanced across gender, departments, and international representation—ensures the model meets varied student needs. With its low-cost structure and straightforward implementation, this model can be adopted by any institution aiming to foster community-driven student wellbeing.

The initiative was recognised for its innovative approach and lasting impact. Business School student ambassadors Minahil Naveed and Ekta Thakrar co-presented the project at the three-day QS conference and Awards. "Their dedication continues to inspire and drive this initiative forward, along with all the student wellbeing ambassadors," said Nicky Gamble, Assistant Education Manager, expressing gratitude to the team.

The Peer Support Project is inherently scalable and adaptable. The model requires minimal resources: training sessions, funding for student ambassador roles, and ongoing supervision. In 2023/24, the project started with five ambassadors. Due to its success, this number has already doubled for 2024/25, demonstrating a clear pathway for growth. The diversity of ambassadors—balanced across gender, departments, and international representation—ensures the model meets varied student needs. With its low-cost structure and straightforward implementation, this model can be adopted by any institution aiming to foster community-driven student wellbeing.

Impact and innovation

This project is transforming the student experience at Sussex Business School. Students interacted with ambassadors during community cafes, breakfast clubs, and other events, normalizing support-seeking behaviour. Student feedback reflects the ambassadors' positive influence in addressing a wide range of issues, from exam anxiety to financial struggles. A standout success metric is the rise in our NSS scores for Mental Wellbeing to 78.2%, the second highest across all categories in the University in 2024. Alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals highlights the broader contribution to community well-being and environmental care.

This is a groundbreaking peer-led initiative that reduces barriers to mental health support. Peer ambassadors bring relatability and confidentiality, tackling stigmas around seeking help. The ambassadors are co-designers and co-owners of the project, influencing program development, training, and promotional strategies. Monthly supervision ensures ambassadors are supported while evolving their interpersonal and problem-solving skills. Unlike traditional mental health programs, this initiative fosters a student-first approach, addressing challenges before they escalate.

Student reflections

Some of the Wellbeing Ambassadors shared their thoughts:

• Fathir Suhaimi: “Being a finalist is such a great honour, as it recognises our commitment and passion in fostering a supportive and inclusive environment at the University of Sussex Business School. It’s incredibly rewarding to support others on their wellbeing journeys and to see the positive impact we can make together.”
• Silas Urwin: “I think it’s really encouraging that everyone’s hard work with the Wellbeing Ambassadorprogramme has been recognised. I’m proud to be part of the project and contribute to the support it has provided to other students. I’ve also gained valuable interpersonal skills and become more confident in offering support to others. Being involved in this project has given me skills and experiences I can apply in all aspects of my life.”
• Ekta Thakrar: “Being recognised for our work as Wellbeing Ambassadors has been such an honour. I don’t think any of us imagined this when we were first asked to take on these roles. Seeing how much we’ve been able to expand and help the community has been incredible. I’m so proud to be part of such an amazing group of people who do such important work.”

Watch the project video here.

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