Overall Rating Gold
Overall Score 65.04
Liaison Richard Manton
Submission Date July 30, 2021

STARS v2.2

Ollscoil na Gaillimhe - University of Galway
PA-14: Wellness Program

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 0.75 / 1.00 Josephine Hynes
Director of Human Resources
Human Resources Office
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Part 1. Wellness program

Does the institution have a wellness program that makes counseling, referral, and wellbeing services available to all students?:
Yes

Does the institution have a wellness and/or employee assistance program that makes counseling, referral, and wellbeing services available to all academic staff?:
Yes

Does the institution have a wellness and/or employee assistance program that makes counseling, referral, and wellbeing services available to all non-academic staff?:
Yes

A brief description of the institution’s wellness and/or employee assistance program(s):
One of the Strategic Goals of the University as set out in our Strategy 2020 to 2025 is that “We will develop and implement a holistic strategy for staff health and wellbeing, building on the WorkPositive Initiative and achieve accreditation through the KeepWell Mark”.

The KeepWell Mark is an evidence based accreditation and the first of its kind in Ireland supported by Ibec. It contains a set of health and wellbeing standards that we here at the National University of Ireland Galway can achieve through the promotion of wellbeing in our workplace.

The accreditation takes a holistic approach, focusing on eight key areas and how they impact our business. These eight areas of improvement are:

Leadership
Absence Management
Smoke Free
Physical Activity
Health & Safety
Mental Health
Healthy Eating
Intoxicants

Part 2. Smoke-free environments

Does the institution prohibit smoking within all occupied buildings owned or leased by the institution?:
Yes

Does the institution restrict outdoor smoking?:
Yes

Does the institution prohibit smoking and tobacco use across the entire campus?:
No

A copy of the institution's smoke-free policy:
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The institution’s smoke-free policy:
SMOKING RESTRICTIONS POLICY: To ensure the safety of NUI Galway staff, students and visitors, the University has in place a Smoking Restrictions Policy which is in compliance with the tobacco regulations and further developed in consultation with NUI Galway staff and students.
[Public Health (Tobacco) Act 2002]
[Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Act 2004]

This video illustrates our smoke free zones: https://vimeo.com/151387846

More information here:
1)http://www.nuigalway.ie/smokefree/
2) http://www.nuigalway.ie/health-safety/a-z/smokingrestrictions/
3) http://www.nuigalway.ie/media/healthsafety/NUI-Galway-Safety-Statement-Policy.pdf

A smoke free working group has been established and is moving towards a smoke free campus.

Optional Fields

Website URL where information about the institution’s wellness programs is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Keep Well Protocol Information:
While the process is straightforward it does require commitment – first, we will perform a self assessment to identify the current level of our organisation and highlight areas for improvement, we have now completed this step. The next step now is the gathering of evidence and preparing for our onsite assessment, to show that we have met the high standards set by Ibec wellness experts across each of the key themes.

The onsite assessment includes a full review of the gathered evidence as well as one on one interviews with our management team, and staff members. There will also be direct engagement with staff through focus groups discussing their personal experiences of health, safety and wellbeing in the organisation. Once this is complete, we will receive a full report and review – along with The KeepWell Mark award.

We hope that this process – and the award that follows – will not only improve our brand and business but will also result in a better working environment for all our staff.

Further information on the KeepWell Mark can also be found here www.thekeepwellmark.ie.

The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.