Overview

Following the FHS Transformation Report, the Mayosi Report, and the UCT Inclusivity Survey, the F-TEC held a strategic workshop to identify key transformation focus areas, and to explore how the work of the TEC will articulate with and support other transformation-focussed initiatives across the faculty, such as the DMC Strategic Projects.

Following this engagement, three focus areas were identified:

  • Student Wellness
  • Staff Wellness
  • Faculty Culture

Student Wellness

Student wellness includes all spheres related to the challenges facing undergraduate and postgraduate students in the faculty, including, but not limited to, relationships with supervisors, funding, victimisation, wellness, and a sense of belonging. The role of this sub-committee will be to take a holistic approach to supporting student wellness within the faculty, by identifying student-specific problems and challenges, developing strategies through consultation and collaboration, and monitoring processes in place that directly affect the wellbeing of students and to ensure that they are given priority within the Deanery.

To achieve these goals, this Student Wellness portfolio will work with both FHS and institutional structures and stakeholders such as,

Staff Wellness

  • The University of Cape Town provides staff with an Employee Wellness Programme through Lyra. This programme provides free confidential support services for you and your immediate family in multiple languages 24/7/365.

  • There are on-site counselling support services at the following locations:

    • Faculty of Health Sciences - Friday, 09:00-12:00

    • SATVI Worcester - Last Friday of the month, 09:00-13:00

    • Nyanga Offices - Every Monday, 11:00-15:00

    • Bremner Building - Every Wednesday,10:00-14:00

    • UCT Business School - Last Wednesday of the month, 09:00-14:00

  • These are additional points of access to the wellness programme:

    • Dial the toll-free number for instant support – 080111945

    • Dial *134*905# to request a call back

    • Live chat via HUB – Lyra wellbeing APP for text support (code UNI003)

  • View PowerPoint presentation with additional information

Faculty Culture

The Faculty Culture portfolio is primarily focussed on issues related to harassment, discrimination, and gender-based violence. In addition, their role is to advise and support processes of re-memorisation and re-curation of meaningful spaces; planning and organisation of 'climate dialogue' seminars and colloquiums, particularly related to significant calendar events; policy development and implementation in priority areas such as sexual orientation, gender, language, and disability; and social responsiveness and engaged scholarship that influence Faculty culture.