A UNLSA mental health initiative in 2011.
Awarded “Best First Year Initiative” at the inaugural ALSA Awards 2011.
The inaugural Valens was launched in 2011 to address the concerning issue of mental health and depression in law school and the legal profession. Valens is designed to raise awareness of the issue whilst providing practical steps for law students to maintain a healthy mind.
Valens is a latin word that means to be healthy, worthwhile, able and strong. We chose it as the name of our mental health initiative as it connotes essential qualities in looking after yourself and your friends at law school. The idea of being able and strong also leads to maintaining a healthy lifestyle and balance. It recognises that law school is hard and what it takes so succeed at law school, not in an academic sense, but in a personal sense, so that you can benefit from the opportunities that law school has to offer.
The aim of Valens is to create more awareness of depression in law students and to educate them on this issue. through this awareness, it is hoped that there will be less stigma attached to depression and mental health issues. This will create a culture of being able to ask for help when needed and to give people the information and resources they need to look after themselves and others.
There’s also sections that will hopefully be useful to all law students, on things like sleep, time management and combating procrastination. Valens is produced with resources and support from the Black Dog Institute, Beyond Blue, Lifeline and the University of Newcastle Counselling Service.
For more information, go to:
You can download Valens here.
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