SUPPORTING YOU TO SUPPORT STUDENTS
If you are a member of staff, and you are concerned about a student, please follow the advice below on how best to support them and signpost them to appropriate sources of help:
WELLBEING APPOINTMENTS
If a student is interested in having an appointment with one of the counsellors, please advise them to contact the Student Hub to make a Wellbeing appointment. You are also welcome to make an appointment on a student’s behalf if they don’t feel able to do so - please seek the student’s consent beforehand. See the ‘Wellbeing Appointments’ section for further information.
URGENT SITUATIONS
If you are very concerned about a student, e.g., because they are very distressed (including expressing suicidal thoughts or feelings), and you think they need support from a counsellor or advisor in one of the student support services as soon as possible, please contact the Student Hub. Hub staff will then contact an appropriate member of staff, who will make a plan to talk with the student.
You can contact the Student Hub in several ways:
- In person, on campus
- WhatsApp - 0141 848 3998
- Phone - 0141 848 3800 (phone lines are open Monday to Friday 10.00 - 15.00)
- Student Hub Portal - uws.ac.uk
- Email hub@uws.ac.uk
EMERGENCY SITUATIONS
If, however, you judge that the student needs urgent help from the emergency services because they are:
- At risk of acting on suicidal intentions
- At risk of self-harming to the extent of requiring immediate medical treatment
- Very disorientated or out of touch with reality
- Not functioning at all
- Behaving extremely out of character
- Threatening violence to people or property
and the student is on campus, please contact Security immediately and request that they call for an ambulance to take the student to Accident & Emergency. If you think the student also presents a possible danger to their own safety, that of yourself or others you can ask Security to call the Police too.
You can contact Security on each campus as follows:
- Ayr - 01292 886 211
- Dumfries - 01387 345 800 (main reception)
- Lanarkshire - extension 8267
- London - 0141 848 3047 (main reception)
- Paisley - 0141 848 3168
First Aid assistance can be requested as follows:
- All Scottish Campuses - 0141 848 3505 (or extension 2222 from an internal phone)
- London – call campus reception 0141 848 3047
If the student is not on campus, please contact the emergency services directly by phoning 999.
For further guidance on how to support students in distress please refer to Procedures for Supporting Students in Distress.pdf .
UWS OUT OF HOURS STUDENT HELPLINE
Health Assured offers UWS students a free, confidential advice line, with help available to talk through any problem, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The helpline is free and confidential, and any student requesting emotional support will be able to talk with a qualified counsellor. The phone number is 0800 028 3766. Students can also get video and instant messaging support by downloading the app Download the My Healthy Advantage app.
REPORT + SUPPORT
If a student informs you that they have experienced inappropriate behaviour, such as gender-based violence, bullying and harassment, discrimination, hate crime and racism, they can report it anonymously or provide contact details and get support from a UWS Advisor.
See https://reportandsupport.uws.ac.uk/ for further information.
STAFF OUT-OF-OFFICE MESSAGES & EMAIL SIGNATURES
We recommend adding information about sources of emotional support for students to your out-of-office message & email signature. This can be an invaluable way of ensuring that students have the necessary information for seeking help when you are not at work. It is also a good way of maintaining boundaries between your work life and home life.
Useful information to include:
FOR OUT OF HOURS EMOTIONAL SUPPORT – CONTACT UWS OUT OF HOURS STUDENT SUPPORT LINE ON 0800 028 3766.
For urgent support out of office hours, you can phone the Samaritans on 116 123, Breathing Space on 0800 83 85 87, or NHS24 on 111. Alternatively, you can email the Samaritans at jo@samaritans.org, or text Shout to 85258. If your life is in imminent danger, please call 999.
Ask, Tell - Save A Life: Every Life Matters - video.
REPORT + SUPPORT
If you have experienced inappropriate behaviour, such as gender-based violence, bullying and harassment, discrimination, hate crime and racism, you can report it anonymously or provide contact details and get support from a UWS Advisor. See https://reportandsupport.uws.ac.uk/ for further information.
STAFF TRAINING
If you would like to learn more about supporting the mental wellbeing of students, you may wish to look at the following online training resources:
- Charlie Waller Trust e-learning package:
https://charliewaller.org/what-we-do/online-learning-materials/e-learning-for-university-staff
- Zero suicide alliance training:
https://www.zerosuicidealliance.com/suicide-awareness-training-uni-students
If you and your team are interested in training by the Counselling Service on supporting student mental wellbeing & the Procedures for Supporting Students in Distress, please contact the Student Hub in the first instance.
STAFF WELLBEING SUPPORT
If you are looking for advice in relation to your own wellbeing please visit our Employee Wellbeing Advice page. There is a link to Health Assured, the University’s employee assistance programme.
Last updated: 20/01/2023