So Otago Polytechnic health promotion navigator Stacey Harris has established Otago Polycast, a podcast designed to get reliable information to students when they need it, focusing on issues that are relevant to them and providing another level of parental support while they navigate life away from home for the first time.
‘‘Current episodes are focusing on introducing internal services here at Otago Polytechnic, but episodes in the near future will include experts talking about partying safely, body image and healthy eating, dealing with tough conversations, tenancy agreements, homesickness, social anxiety, mental health and heaps more.
‘‘The whole aim of my role is to improve mental health outcomes for students.
‘‘It’s creating a really structured, easily accessed message that helps them access different levels of support.
‘‘All the information is linked to the professional that I’m speaking with on the podcast.’’
Ms Harris said the podcast would eventually cover topics that were ‘‘a bit more sensitive’’ as well, because students did not always want to talk to their parents about some things — such as where to go to check the safety of party pills they may be taking.
‘‘These things are a reality in Dunedin and we need to provide information so they can do it safely.
‘‘It aims to pre-emptively address issues before they become an active concern for us.
‘‘It’s kind of a fence at the top of a cliff, so that we don’t really need that ambulance at the bottom.’’
Students did not seem to want to sit and read something.
‘‘But if you say ‘hey, this is a 20-30 minute podcast that you can listen to while you clean your room or ride on the bus’, they tend to be OK with having it on.
‘‘That way, I’m not asking for their undivided attention.
‘‘They can just perk up and listen when they hear something relevant.’’
She was hosting the podcasts at present, but ultimately she hoped students would take over.
‘‘Then it really will be made by students, for students.’’
