The Vision and Mission of SWC

The Vision of the Committee:

To promote, support and empower the wellbeing of the UP-student community by
facilitating solution orientated conversation and events that destigmatise, normalise, and
make uncomfortable topics relevant to the UP-student community which would otherwise
be marginalised, addressed without appropriate paramountcy, or deemed to be too
controversial.

To acknowledge the intersectional nature of student wellness to cater to the
needs to UP students effectively and meaningfully. To see our structure working hand in
hand with various structures at UP and external parties in dealing with societal issues,
engaging university students on these issues, and coming up with solution-based initiatives,
drives and events where the students, staff and members of the larger public engage with
the aforementioned ideas. We want to be an active voice in society and to be the forefront
of the discussions relating to but not limited to the issues we aim to be addressing as
Student Wellness Committee(SWC) and ManDown(MD), first starting with the university space.

The Mission of the Committee:

To challenge the shortcomings of the university and the relevant stakeholders to ensure a
wholesome environment for the students at the university by generating awareness around
the resources offered as well as the resource constraints faced by the university. To uphold
and encourage values of accountability and transparency within the university between all
stakeholders.

To educate students, staff and the general public (where possible) on societal issues such as Mental Health, GBV, Rape Culture, but not limited to the aforementioned
issues, while encouraging and motivating students in creating safe spaces.
Furthermore, to assist students build their financial literacy skills and to run programmes
that will encourage students to stay healthy and take better care of themselves.
One of our aims is to further sensitise students and the community of the University of
Pretoria about the LGBTQIA+ community and to challenge our premeditated, bias train of
thought around the matter. In partnership with various university structures, we can reach
out to students and address issues surrounding coping mechanisms, our identities within
and outside of our cultures and how we can mitigate stereotypical behaviours in the
university spaces.