Moving to university and living away from home can be quite daunting. At the University of York, there are many support systems in place for students to access. This covers issues with your studies, flatmates or overall mental health. You can find this support online or at the Student Hub on Campus West – have a look! There is also your personal supervisor who is there to support you throughout your years at university. Contact them if you need to as they’re there to help.
Student Wellbeing Officer
Each department has a Student Wellbeing Officer that you can go to for help and advice with your studies! Whether that be if you are unsure if you are enjoying your course or modules, you’re struggling with the workload or you just need someone to chat with. Don’t hesitate to contact them! For students at the School of ACT, the Wellbeing Officer is promoted in the weekly roundup emails. A poster shows my officer’s face and email address so I know who I am contacting. Posters are also pinned around campus, usually in the areas and buildings the course takes place in most.
Open Door
Open Door is a group of mental health experts who are there to help at any point during your time in York. They have a referral form which is really easy to fill out, and they will be reviewed within one working day. I have accessed their help before. The process was really simple and they were very quick to get back to me! I was in contact with one of their practitioners and was offered an either in-person or online meeting – whichever worked best for me. Everything discussed in the meetings is confidential unless of course there is a safety concern for yourself or others, and this is all mentioned at the first appointment.
Campus Safety
When I first arrived on campus on ‘Moving In’ day, I was handed a small pocket-sized card with information on the SafeZone app, including the phone number and email address for general and emergency contacts. I pinned this in my room in case I needed quick access to this information. The University of York also has other ways to contact security for different situations on the support website. This can be for issues such as harassment, complaints and reporting incidents. There is also a Live Assistant on the website available to chat and recommend the best course of action.
Leave a Reply