Supporting Mental Health Difficulties
An innovative specialist support model provides support to students experiencing mental health difficulties.
A dedicated team of mental health specialist support staff provide support to empower students by developing a bespoke tutorial programme.
This flexible programme is designed to address the individual student's support needs, which may have been caused by a range of mental health difficulties.
Specialist staff will determine which areas of support are relevant to the individual student, and identify strategies to enhance their academic and personal development.
Specialist staff work with each student’s tutor and course staff, sharing an individual’s strategy and support plan, to help ensure the student is felt understood and supported throughout their time at the College. This can enable students to develop a vocational focus, as well as making consistent and effective academic and personal progress.
Staff work with outside agencies to provide a holistic approach, where relevant, to ensure students’ needs are understood within and outside of college. They will also assist students to access support externally, if required.
Students are offered regular one-to-one tutorials which can include:
- Emotional support
- Development of their knowledge and understanding of their mental health difficulty, empowering them and reducing stigma
- Encouragement to reflect on their strengths and build self esteem
- Coping strategies to enable them to be successful in College.
Togetherall
All Weston College students can now access free online support with Togetherall (www.togetherall.com). Whether you're struggling to sleep, feeling low, stressed or not coping, Togetherall can help you get support, take control and feel better. At any time of the day, all around the clock.
Togetherall provides 24/7 online peer and professional support in addition to providing a safe space online to get things off your chest, explore your feelings and learn how to improve and self-manage your mental health and wellbeing. It is run and monitored by professional psychiatrists and allows the College’s students to explore ways to better manage stress, worry and general wellbeing.
To sign in, all you have to do is use your Weston College log in. The College has invested in a year’s subscription to this service, and is one of only 13 pioneering colleges in the country to do so.
Mind Matters
Mind Matters is a weekly informal session highlighting the importance of looking after your mental health.
We are providing advice on anything from low mood to anxiety. They are run by the specialist mental health team here at the College and are for any students looking for support about an issue either inside or outside of the College, ask for advice or questions, or just to pick up some information.
You can also self-refer for support here as well as sign up for or forthcoming sessions on self esteem and anxiety, or to be a Time to Change Ambassador.
Mondays 9.30am to 11.30am
Knightstone Campus LibraryPlus
Loxton Campus Bistro
Student feedback
“It has helped me through stressful situations and helped me to deal with my problems.”
“I can now cope with anxiety at College.”
“I have been able to talk through issues in a safe environment.”
“It has helped me through some very difficult experiences.”
“It’s helped me to understand my thought processes and how to deal with situations.”
“I’ve gained confidence and learnt to deal with stress.”
“I’ve learnt to set targets and increase my time in College.”
“I’ve learnt to reflect on previous experiences.”
“I feel more confident to talk about my mental health experiences.”
“You’ll never believe it... I got a distinction! I nearly cried when they told me, I can’t believe it, after everything that’s happened this year it’s the perfect finish.”
