Tag Archives: support

Stay happy with our Student Wellbeing service

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Our new Student Wellbeing team are there to offer support, information and advice for all BU students around a range of issues.

They can help you if you’re looking for support for any of the following, as well as help you access more specialist services if needed:

  • Anxiety, panic, depression, low mood and other mental health conditions
  • Stress
  • Drug or alcohol use
  • Lifestyle issues including difficulties sleeping or eating
  • Relationship and family issues
  • Bereavement
  • Isolation, social anxiety and confidence
  • Advice if you are concerned about a friend.

 

Sarah Worley, Student Wellbeing Coordinator at BU, says “our team of Wellbeing Advisors can offer students advice and practical help with wellbeing, such as techniques to handle stress, anxiety and emotional difficulties. If you and the advisor feel that counselling could be a benefit to you, they can refer you to one of our Counsellors for support and a confidential place to talk”.

If talking therapies aren’t your thing, the team run weekly drop-in sessions in term time if you have a quick question, want to find out more about a particular support option or are worried about a friend. Workshops and group sessions run each term to help you live life to the full and get the most out of your time at BU. Or you can access information and links to other services and resources online and from their offices in Talbot House.

Drop-in sessions for this term:

 

The Student Wellbeing service is run by BU in partnership with Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust. Anyone can come along to the drop-in or sign up to a workshop without registering with the service, but if you do wish to register, we take your privacy seriously and you will need to sign our confidentiality agreement.

Find out more:

  • Call: 01202 965020
  • Email: studentwellbeing@bournemouth.ac.uk
  • Visit: Student Wellbeing reception above the medical centre in Talbot House, Talbot Campus, Monday to Thursday 9am – 5pm and Friday 1pm – 4pm (term time only).

Become a Student Minds Facilitator… Last chance to apply!

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student-mindsJoin the team at Student Minds, the UK’s student mental health charity! We’re looking for student volunteers to help run a brand new Positive Minds Course at Bournemouth University, providing peer-to-peer support for students experiencing mild depression.

We provide a fantastic opportunity for students who are interested in receiving training and on-going support in delivering this project. Successful applicants will join us for a two-day facilitator training workshop covering all the basics of running a safe and effective support group, from listening skills to publicity and lots more.

By creating a positive atmosphere for talking about mental health, we aim to give students the confidence to look after their own wellbeing. This is an opportunity not only to make a real difference to student life but also to develop your own skills and experience!

Applications close on Monday 30 March at Midday so don’t miss out!

For more information about the course and how to apply visit: www.studentminds.org.uk/peer-support-training Or contact vicky@studentminds.org.uk with any questions. You can also contact Sarah Worley, Wellbeing Co-Ordinator at BU Student Emotional Wellbeing Service, for an informal chat about applying on 01202 965020 or email scounsel@bournemouth.ac.uk.

IT Counter Service – New Hours

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The IT counter support service, launched at Talbot Campus to provide students and staff with on the spot IT support has had its hours extended.

You can now receive advice on connectivity issues, problems with emails or any access issues, from 10am to 7pm, Monday to Friday and 10am to 5pm at the weekends, on the ground floor of The Sir Michael Cobham Library.

The service complements the existing IT counter, based in Studland House, for the Lansdowne Campus.

For enquires outside of these hours, the main IT Support desk offers telephone assistance 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on 01202 965515.

Introducing your new GROW@BU Student Engagement Coordinators!

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grow-at-bu-treeAll four of your Student Engagement Coordinators are recent BU graduates. They’re there to help you achieve your academic and personal goals so that you have the best student experience possible at BU. Whether you’re looking for a friendly face to talk to, advice on specialist support services, or would like someone to attend one-to-one sessions with academics or support services, the team are there to help.

There’s a coordinator for each Academic School/Faculty so if you’d prefer to chat to someone who knows what it’s like to live and study here then please get in touch with them.

School of Tourism & The Business School
Laura Cake – C105, Christchurch House
Email: lcake@bournemouth.ac.uk
07718 118973/ 01202 962042

The Media School
Sam Honnoraty – CAG01, Christchurch House Annex
Email: shonnoraty@bournemouth.ac.uk
07718 118975/ 01202 962047

Faculty of Science and Technology
Dawn Robinson – PG04, Poole House
Email: drobinson@bournemouth.ac.uk
07718 118976

School of Health and Social Care
Wayne Bennett – B106, Bournemouth House, Lansdowne
Email: wbennett@bournemouth.ac.uk
07718 118974

GROW@BU Officer
Jacquie O’Brien
Email: obrienj@bournemouth.ac.uk
01202 965476/ 07718 118972

World Mental Health Week: 6 – 10 October

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world-mental-healthBU recognises that good mental health is vital to living life fully. To educate and help raise awareness around mental health issues, BU is hosting a wide variety of events between Monday 6 and Friday 10 October.

Events include presentations from those suffering from mental illness, and a screening and talk about ‘Finding Mike’- a  campaign that went global at the start of the year to find the stranger that stopped mental health campaigner Jonny Benjamin, from taking his own life.

Numerous speakers will visit throughout the week to give both personal and professional views on different mental illnesses and information stands will provide advice and support.

The information below gives the highlights of the week, but for full details and to book onto any of the events, please see the World Mental Health Week Programme.

Monday 6 October

  • Talk from the Police and Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust about the mental health street triage team; Bournemouth House (BG10), 10am – 11am. More information and to book onto this event.
  • Hidden Talents – a group of staff employed by Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust who have experienced a mental illness at some time in their life or live with a mental health condition – will give a talk about their experiences; Bournemouth House (BG10), noon – 1pm. More information and to book onto this event.

Tuesday 7 October

  • Rick Dyer, Peer Specialist from Dorset Mental Health Forum will give a talk entitled ‘Switched off, Switched on, I have had psychosis’; Student Hall, Talbot House, noon – 1pm. More information and to book onto this event.

Wednesday 8 October

Thursday 9 October

  • Dorset ‘Time to Change’ meeting; Dorset County Council, Dorchester, 10am – noon. Please contact: David Corbin, Equality and Diversity Manager via email: David.Corbin@dhuft.nhs.uk if you wish to attend this meeting.
  • A talk on the signs, symptoms and support for those suffering from depression; Student Hall, Talbot House, 1pm – 2pm. More information and to book onto this event.

Friday 10 October

  • Abigail Balachandran, who suffered with Bulimia for 10 years and now works for I*EAT, a local eating disorders charity, will give a talk about her experiences;Student Hall, Talbot House, Talbot Campus. 9.40am – 10am. More information and to book onto this event.
  • Carer, Miranda Portwood will talk about her own personal experiences of supporting her daughter with anorexia; Student Hall, Talbot House, Talbot Campus, 10.10am – 10:30am. More information and to book onto this event.
  • Talk entitled ‘Understanding Eating disorders: the challenges and opportunities’; Student Hall, Talbot House, Talbot Campus, 10.40am – 11:30am. More information and to book onto this event.
  • SUBU is signing The Time to Change pledge to make a public statement of aspiration that as an organisation it wants to tackle mental health stigma and discrimination, Dylan’s Bar, Poole House, 1pm – 2pm.
  • Mark Storey, a peer specialist for Dorset mental health forum and a professional musician will tell his own mental health story via music; Dylan’s Bar, Poole House, 2pm – 3pm. In 2001 Mark suffered a life changing accident, in 2013 Mark found music again having lost his music career in 2001, and started writing about his lived experience of mental health. Having now created Mental Health Music, Mark’s songs are going round the world and are reaching people in a new way. You can hear him on iTunes or Amazon and YouTube or follow him on twitter @markstorey65.

Support for BU Students

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bu-logoWhilst the world’s attention is focussing on a number of political events across the globe, BU is obviously concerned for how this is affecting students studying here who come from these regions.

If you would like to speak to someone about any worries or concerns you may have, you can contact your course leader, askBU, the University Chaplaincy and/or Counselling Service or the SUBU Advice team. Contact details for all university services are available on the Student portal or myBU for your tutors.

Postgraduate support at BU featured in The i newspaper

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The wide variety of help and support available to postgraduate students at BU was featured in The i newspaper.

The feature, which appeared in the newspaper’s postgraduate supplement, looked at how postgraduate students can get support if they feel they are struggling with their studies or are under a lot of pressure.

It listed the wide-ranging services on offer at Bournemouth University – including study skills workshops, counselling and financial advice.

Mandi Barron, Head of Student Support Services at BU, was quoted in the article.

“We can provide practical advice and signpost more specialist services depending on the students’ need,” she said, adding that students should also look to their friends and family for support.

“Some students find that joining a club or society and meeting others with similar interests really helps.”

The article also featured advice from Kyle Michael Williamson, an MSc Enterprise Information Systems student at BU.

He suggested breaking tasks up and using technology to make work more manageable.

He said: “Having access to specialist software off campus helps the ability to work from anywhere and fit your studies around the rest of your life.”

The most important thing for any student who is struggling, Mandi added, was to remember that you are not alone.

“Talk to someone,” she said. “Your problems might seem insurmountable, but universities have a lot of experience and can offer a huge range of support.”

 

Tribute to BU student Tayla Woodard

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bu-logo“We were very sad to hear of the death of Tayla Woodard, a Media School student.

Tayla was a very hard-working and impressive student who was popular with her peers.

We have spoken to her family to offer our sympathies and we are also providing support for her fellow students at this difficult time.”

Karen Fowler-Watt, Associate Dean, The Media School

 

If you have been affected by this and would like further support please visit our Health & Wellbeing services.

Students from the Ukraine, China (Kunming) & Venezuela

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bu-logoWhilst the world’s attention is focussing on a number of political events across the globe, BU is obviously concerned for how this is affecting students studying here who come from these regions.

If you would like to speak to someone about any worries or concerns you may have, you can contact your course leader, askBU, the University Chaplaincy and/or Counselling Service or the SUBU Advice team. Contact details for all university services are available on the Student portal under Help & Advice and Health & Wellbeing, or myBU for your tutors.