At Digifest 26, our Digital Wellbeing Community gathered to explore a question that feels more important than ever: how do we make our students bloom with wellbeing? What unfolded was a session full of openness, shared insight, and practical ideas. When we take the time to reflect together, we can often create the conditions for real growth.
How do we make our students bloom with wellbeing?
It’s a simple question, but one that sparks rich conversations. Our Digital Wellbeing Community workshop explored this question and gave everyone a chance to share their experiences.
We wanted the workshop to feel playful and energising. After all, wellbeing flourishes in environments where people feel comfortable and engaged. We kicked things off with a light‑hearted game built around the Rose, Thorn, Bud method. Delegates split into two teams (“The Wellbeing Warriors” and the “Mindful Muses”), scoring points by catching a stress ball and sharing either a rose (a positive), a thorn (a challenge), or a bud (an idea or potential).
The stress ball wasn’t just for fun. Tactile objects can be a great way to relieve tension and help focus the mind. In fact, several delegates commented that it was a fun approach they could take back to use with colleagues and students.
Rose: What’s going well?
It was uplifting to hear just how much great work is already happening across organisations to support learners’ digital wellbeing. Three ideas stood out:
- Creating wellbeing zones, dedicated spaces where students can take time out and recharge.
- Developing bite sized videos that support students and provide guidance on digital challenges.
- Using immersive classrooms to help students manage stress and encourage relaxation.
There was a real sense that organisations are finding creative, meaningful ways to make digital wellbeing part of everyday practice, not an add‑on, but something embedded in the culture.
Thorns: What’s getting in the way?
As with any conversation around wellbeing, the thorns were just as valuable. Delegates shared honest reflections on pain points that felt familiar across the sector. Some echoed discussions from our Wales community sessions last year, while others reflected emerging challenges.
The top three were:
- The “always on” culture, students struggling to concentrate due to phone usage late into the night, and devices becoming a distraction in the classroom.
- Digital overload, with both staff and students feeling overwhelmed by the number of apps and platforms.
- Varying levels of staff confidence and knowledge when it comes to discussing digital wellbeing issues with students.
Hearing these challenges voiced by so many different organisations served as a reminder that none of us are tackling these issues alone.
Bud: What’s emerging?
The bud stage is my favourite. It’s about potential, fresh ideas, and small seeds that could grow into something meaningful. Delegates had plenty to share:
- Co‑creating digital stories involving students around wellbeing and inclusion.
- Promoting digital wellbeing sessions such as “Go walk on grass”, encouraging intentional moments of unplugging.
- Creating safe spaces for staff and students to ‘play’ with technology, reducing fear and building confidence.
There was a vibrant energy in the room at this point. Buds are hopeful by nature, and hearing thoughtful suggestions reminded us that innovation often begins with simple, human‑centred ideas.
Growing a community
Different organisations naturally take different approaches to digital wellbeing, depending on context and need. However, seeing common threads helps to strengthen our collective understanding.
Dan Owens, Digital Wellbeing Officer at Coleg y Cymoedd, wrapped up the session with an overview of the Digital Wellbeing Community, facilitated by Jisc. The community helps to bring together those with a passion for wellbeing, where peers can learn from one another, share experiences, and stay connected to emerging trends.
If you have an interest in student digital wellbeing, and would like to connect with others across the sector, we’d love you to join us. You can do so by completing the Join the Digital Wellbeing Community form.