You may have noticed the Better U branding around the university. You may have even visited the website and had a look around, hence arriving here. Let me tell you the story (relatively brief I promise) of how Better U came about and where it is headed. Last updated 20/5/26.
Better U showcases (through regular news and articles) Flinders’ growing range of wellbeing-focused programs, initiatives, and events in one place, making it easier for students to engage with what’s on offer [if you are curious about how we understand the term ‘wellbeing’, this post might help]
But Better U didn’t emerge out of nowhere. It is the result of a set of planned (and probably a few unplanned) developments, stretching back years that have shared the goal of better embedding wellbeing into the fabric of university life.
A Growing Focus on Wellbeing 🔍
Around the time that I joined the team here in Flinders (2017), universities across Australia were being encouraged to take a more structured approach to supporting student wellbeing. To be clear, many universities (including Flinders) were already supporting student wellbeing through things like counselling services and wellbeing programs. But here was a push to amplify and refine those efforts.
One of the groups responsible for putting more of a spotlight on student wellbeing was Orygen. Orygen is probably the leading youth mental health organisation in Australia, at the centre of the development and dissemination of knowledge relating to youth mental health care. In 2020, Orygen released the Australian University Mental Health Framework which highlighted the need for institutions to move beyond isolated services and towards whole-of-university approaches.
Flinders was fortunate to have been part of the consultation process that gave rise to that report and even had a couple of our initiatives featured as case studies – Oasis, a dedicated student wellbeing space, and the Be Well Plan, a program designed to build mental resilience—as strong examples of embedding wellbeing into university life.
Building on this foundation, key university leaders, including Professor Mike Kyrios, Dr Lydia Woodyatt, and Jodie Zada, developed Flinders’ first Whole-of-University Wellbeing Strategy (2021-2025). This strategy set a clear direction for the university, outlining how wellbeing would be supported across multiple levels, from individual student needs to broader institutional policies.
From Strategy to Action: The Wellbeing Working Group (WWG) 🎬
To ensure the strategy translated into real, impactful change, the Wellbeing Working Group (WWG) was formed. Unlike traditional wellbeing committees focused solely on student services, the WWG was designed to take a whole-university approach, meaning it strategises for both students and staff.
The WWG brings together representatives from different parts of the university, including academic staff, student services, and student representatives. Meeting every few months, the group:
- Identifies key wellbeing priorities.
- Plans upcoming initiatives.
- Oversees the implementation of the wellbeing strategy.
- Shares insights from different areas of the university to ensure a coordinated approach.
One of the first major projects commissioned by the WWG (and led by Be Well Co) was the Student Wellbeing Survey, which gathered insights into student experiences. The findings reinforced dual opportunities to improve student wellbeing. The first being reducing stressors. The second, fostering a more engaging, connected, and supportive university. This is in line with modern views of wellbeing which recognise distress and wellbeing as related but distinct experiences.
Wellbeing Mapping: Understanding What’s Already Happening 🗺️
Following the survey, the WWG developed the Whole-of-University Wellbeing Implementation Plan (a fancy name for a spreadsheet), which essentially outlined the major pieces of work to be done by those of us in wellbeing services. One of the key action items was a Wellbeing Initiative Mapping Survey, led by Jess Nicole, which documented the full range of wellbeing programs, workshops, and services already available at Flinders.
This mapping process revealed a wealth of existing wellbeing initiatives, but also a significant challenge. Many students and staff weren’t aware of what was available, and there was no single place to find everything. Without better coordination and promotion, many of these initiatives weren’t reaching their full potential and awareness of them was limited.
The Birth of BetterU 🖥️
Recognising the need for a central wellbeing hub, the WWG initiated the development of BetterU, a platform designed to showcase, connect, and encourage engagement with student-focused wellbeing initiatives at Flinders.
The goal was simple: make it easier for students to find support, attend wellbeing events, and take advantage of the many programs available to them.
Launched in early 2025 and maintained by me (Gareth), BetterU serves as:
- A showcase of wellbeing-focused initiatives, helping students discover programs, services, and events.
- A gateway to primary wellbeing supports like Health, Counselling and Disability Services and Oasis
- A platform for engagement, allowing students and staff to contribute articles and share their own wellbeing initiatives.
- A way to encourage participation, making it easier for students to get involved in wellbeing workshops, events, and volunteer opportunities.
Essentially, we provided a ‘home’ for student wellbeing at Flinders and have been working on it ever since.
Wellbeing for Staff: Thriving@Flinders 📧
While BetterU focuses on student wellbeing, the WWG recognised the importance of taking a similar approach for staff. Sallyann Shearer and the team at People and Culture at Flinders, soon after the launch of BetterU, launched the equivalent for staff – Thriving@Flinders.
Thriving@Flinders is a comprehensive catalogue of the wellbeing services, supports, resources, events and activities available to staff. And it is supported by a regular newsletter sent out to all staff to keep them notified of current events and opportunities.
Together, Better U and Thriving@Flinders represent a comprehensive, whole-of-university approach to wellbeing, ensuring that all members of the Flinders community (students and staff alike) have the tools, opportunities, and support they need to thrive.
What’s Happening at BetterU Right Now 🚀
Since launching in early 2025 with the goal of becoming the definitive showcase of wellbeing at Flinders, we’ve been busy. Our article archive has just ticked over 1700 articles (as of 20/5/26). They’re a mix of professional advice, program, event and partner promotion and student articles.
As 2026 unfolds, we are actively rolling out a series of updates to transform BetterU from a traditional news portal into a truly collaborative, community-led space. Here is what I am working on right now:
✅ Bringing Student Voices into the Engine Room: We have officially opened up our team to host students on professional placements and in ambassador roles. This semester, a large chunk of our content is being written by students, which makes me super happy.
✅ Refreshing Our Content & Site Modifications: Each week I make small, intentional updates to the site to keep it updated and make it easier for you to navigate. An example of this is ensuring our central Workshops, Events, Programs, and Resources Directory is up-to-date.
✅ Expanding the “Good Vibes Experiment” Universe: We’ve kicked off a dedicated project, thanks to Medibank to build out new resources, assets, and concepts under the Good Vibes Experiment banner, creating tangible tools you can use to intentionally craft a meaningful life.
✅ Exploring Brand-New Formats: I’m constantly playing (with the help of AI) with different mock-ups of how we can deliver our content. One thing that I have been working on specifically is a scrollable version of BetterU that you can browse when you have a moment. If anyone reading this has website and app design expertise, I’d love to chat.
✅ A Fresh Newsletter Look: I am currently designing a brand-new fortnightly newsletter format that is more personal and conversational that still brings you our latest content but is a more enjoyable read.
✅ Spreading the Word: We (Jamie, Magnolia and the wellbeing ambassadors) are continuously hitting the pavement to raise awareness about BetterU, which remains low. Part of promoting it is inviting content from the community.
As we continue to grow, we are drawing constantly on feedback from students and staff and working hand-in-hand with the Wellbeing Working Group (WWG) to shape our direction.
We’ll make sure to keep updating this page regularly so you can watch our story unfold as it happens. In the meantime, dive into the site, see what’s happening, and remember: whatever your goals are at Flinders, you don’t have to pursue them alone.
