We are delighted to welcome back Ellen Gibbins – Outreach and Retention Administrator who has written a guest blog for us about support with Wellbeing Services whilst you are studying at the University of Exeter:
Wellbeing Services: Support at the University of Exeter
One of the most important things to be aware of when you start university is where you can go for support. Coming to university is a big (often brilliant) change of lifestyle, but even if you have never needed support before you may find that you need a helping hand, whether in the first few weeks or throughout your time at Exeter.
Wellbeing Support
Wellbeing Services offer a large range of support, all of which begins with an appointment with one of our friendly teams. If you are feeling low, down, or you are having difficulty adjusting to life at Exeter and need some advice, you can book a Telephone Referral Appointment with our Psychological Therapies team.
This is a 15 minute telephone appointment where you can briefly discuss your situation with a practitioner, and they will then recommend the next best steps for you. This may include directions to our self-help resources, a single session with one of our practitioners, a referral to one of our groups or workshops, or a referral for short term counselling or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.
You may also be referred for an appointment with our Mental Health or AccessAbility teams, who can offer you study support and arrange things such as exam or teaching adjustments.
Support for mental health conditions, physical health conditions and disabilities
- If you need support for a mental health condition, you can fill out our Mental Health Appointment Request Form to organise an appointment with our Mental Health team. You will need to attach relevant medical evidence, and we will then get in touch with you to book an appointment.
- If you need support due to a physical health condition or disability, you can book an appointment with one of our AccessAbility Advisors by calling the SID desk on 0300 555 0444. AccessAbility offer a range of study-based support such as implementing exam and teaching adjustments via an Independent Learning Plan, liaising with your college, and helping you apply for Disabled Students’ Allowances which can fund a range of extra support for you such as study skills and mentoring. It is helpful if you can send any relevant medical evidence to the team before your appointment by emailing accessability@exeter.ac.uk.
- Exam adjustments: If you have previously had exam adjustments at your school or college, it is really important that you make an appointment with AccessAbility or the Mental Health team as soon as possible to get these put in place, as they do not automatically carry over. The deadline for organising your adjustments for the January 2019 exam period is Friday 2nd November but we advise that you make an appointment as soon as possible – get in touch now to organise your support.
My Wellbeing Toolkit
Looking after your emotional health and wellbeing is an important skill, both at university and in your everyday life. Use our My Wellbeing Toolkit to find information and techniques for staying and healthy and resilient during your time at Exeter and beyond.
You can also look at our Advice for New Students webpages to find tips and tricks for adapting to university life, including videos from current students at Exeter.
General enquiries
If you have any general enquiries regarding the wellbeing support the University can offer, you can go your local Hub and ask to speak with the Education Support Assistant for Welfare, who will be able to give you further details and signpost you to appropriate help.
Please do reach out if you need support – you do not have to manage on your own. We speak to a huge range of students every year, and Wellbeing Services are here to help you get the most out of your time at Exeter.
For more information on our services, please go to www.exeter.ac.uk/wellbeing, or call us on 01392 724381.
Ellen Gibbins – Wellbeing Services