Friday 02-02-2018 - 12:22

Here at GCU Students’ Association, ensuring students mental health is supported is one of our priorities.

Every student will experience mental health; and it is estimated that around 1 in 4 people nationally will experience mental ill health. A survey released by NUS showed that of the students who responded; as many as 78% highlighted they’d experienced mental ill-health whilst at university. With the NHS predicting these statistics will increase in coming years, we believe as an association it’s a priority to ensure a variety of support is available for all students.

 

Advice Centre

GCU Students’ Association provide an Advice Centre for students. The service delivers a free, empathetic and confidential service. Our student advisers offer listening and support whatever the issue and will take the time to help you find a solution.

The Advice Centre is unique on campus in that we are the only service that can offer independent support and representation throughout formal GCU student disciplinary and academic procedures.

The Advice Centre can offer advice and information on a wide range of issues including:

• Accommodation
• Employment rights
• Health issues (including our Free Condom service)
• Financial issues
• Exam stress
• Problems with your course
• Academic regulations
• Personal issues

Nightline

GCU Students’ Association also co-ordinate a Nightline Service for all GCU Students to use.  Nightline is a confidential listening and information helpline service run by trained student volunteers. It is available to students from 7pm to 7am, Monday to Friday during term time.

If you need to talk to someone during the night you can phone Nightline on 0141 55 22 555, text on 07982 107 920 or use the online listening service on the www.scnightline.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wellbeing Campaigns

Throughout the academic year, your Students’ Association have also ran interactive campaigns to promote student wellbeing. Previous topics include student safety, sexual health, healthy eating and lots more.

This year, GCU Students’ Association delivered a campaign on Mental Health – specifically to address the stigma associated with this and highlight on campus support services. The campaign was run in collaboration with SeeMe, and engaged with 352 students over the course of the two days. 53 individuals filled out our “it’s okay too…” cards, which aimed to help students recognise that you aren’t alone, and it’s okay to seek support.

The Association also host an annual Wellbeing Fayre where you will find lots of information on a variety of topics; activities and freebies for all students.

 

Resource Centre

Your Association also provide a huge range of wellbeing information in our Advice Centre resource area.

This is located as you enter the Advice Centre; on level one. You can access at any time, with materials from housing, our safe taxi scheme, self-help techniques, and more.

There are also a range of wellbeing leaflets and resources available on our website at the following link; www.GCUStudents.co.uk/wellbeing.

 

 

 

 

 

Gender and Sexuality Safe Space

Since 2014, the Association has hosted a Gender and Sexuality Safe Space.

The space was established to provide a safe space for students to find community regarding gender and sexuality, as well as seeking peer support.

The space is also used by the LGBT+ and the Women’s Liberation Group as a base as per the original idea to Student Voice. This has enabled the groups to have a space in which to host discussion groups, establish pin boards and information bases; and more. 

The room is open to any student and is located on the second floor of the Association, in NH205.

 

 

 

 

Mental Health Partnership Policy

Your Association has been working hard to produce the first ever partnership policy between GCU Students’ Association, and the University on what each institution does to help support student mental health. The aim of the policy is to bring together current support services to create a more holistic method in supporting individuals; and help services explore ways to expand together.

 

 

 

 

 

Support Booklet

One of your Full Time Officers at the Association, Rachel Simpson (VP GSBS) has been working hard to produce a booklet which for the first time will highlight every student facing support service at GCU Glasgow; and external and out-of-hour support services. This came from research from NUS which suggested that up to a third of students were unsure of the support available from their institution.

This is expected to be available to students in Trimester 2.

 

 

Rachel Simpson

Vice President Glasgow School for Business and Society