The Student Support Podcast

This episode we discuss the positive benefits of spending time in nature, and the impact it can have on our wellbeing.

Wellbeing and Mental Health, Volunteering & Mentoring, and Chester Students Union are running a programme of events and activities for students all week. Find out more here.

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To submit a question to be answered in an upcoming episode, click this link and ask your question. We'll chose a selection to answer in an upcoming episode.

For obvious reasons it feels like a lot of things have been on pause over the past year. At the University we're looking forward to a fresh start and finally being able to Press Play on 2021! We are starting to get excited about the new academic year in September and coming together as a University community.

In this podcast we discuss the 5 Ways to Wellbeing and share tips for keeping our mind and body on track as we prepare for the months ahead.

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Follow our Wellbeing team @uoc.happyhealthylife
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To submit a question to be answered in an upcoming episode, click this link and ask your question. We'll chose a selection to answer in an upcoming episode.

In this episode we chat with Eleanor Lewis, President of Chester Students' Union. We reflect on recent national news stories and how they might provoke conversation within our University, from Sarah Everard's murder and the debate about violence and attitudes towards women, to Megan Markle's TV interview and how as a society we approach conversations about mental health. We also look back on El's time as President, and how the University has adapted, changed and evolved during recent years.

Follow us on Instagram @thestudentsupportpodcast
Follow our Wellbeing team @uoc.happyhealthylife
Follow Chester Students Union @chesterstudentsunion

For any general queries about student support, please contact us on infopoint@chester.ac.uk

More information about the support services we offer at the University of Chester is available here

Follow University of Chester Student Shout Out on:

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To submit a question to be answered in an upcoming episode, click this link and ask your question. We'll chose a selection to answer in an upcoming episode.

A lot of us will have mixed emotions about what the next few months hold, and there is no right or wrong way to feel. In this episode we share some tips about what we can do to look after our mental health as we navigate the roadmap out of lockdown, and move tentatively towards the start of the next phase.

4th March 2021 also marks University Mental Health Day. This is a day to bring together the University community and make mental health a university-wide priority, inspire conversations and create change. For more information about activities at University of Chester check out Portal or our Wellbeing team's Insta: @uoc.happyhealthylife

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For any general queries about student support, please contact us on infopoint@chester.ac.uk

More information about the support services we offer at the University of Chester is available here

Follow University of Chester Student Shout Out on:

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To submit a question to be answered in an upcoming episode, click this link and ask your question. We'll chose a selection to answer in an upcoming episode.

Depression is a term which is often overused and as with many mental health difficulties, it is poorly understood. We all have periods of our life when we experience sadness, but when these feelings persist and impact our lives significantly we may be looking at something more serious.

This podcast explores what depression really is, and how to access support if you are being affected by it.

You can watch the video about depression as discussed on the podcast here.

Follow us on Instagram @thestudentsupportpodcast
Follow our Wellbeing team @uoc.happyhealthylife

For any general queries about student support, please contact us on infopoint@chester.ac.uk

More information about the support services we offer at the University of Chester is available here

Follow University of Chester Student Shout Out on:

• Instagram: @uocshoutout
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To submit a question to be answered in an upcoming episode, click this link and ask your question. We'll chose a selection to answer in an upcoming episode.

For our first episode of 2021 we revisit a topic that feels worthy of another conversation. 

On our first ever podcast episode we delved into the impact of the pandemic on mental health, and as we find ourselves once again living under the restrictions of lockdown we discuss ways of looking after your wellbeing in the current context.

Although most face to face contact has stopped, please remember the Wellbeing and Mental Health Team is still available to support you. We have added a new section to the support tab of the University of Chester app under 'I need help now' with information and resources to support: Physical health, Emotional Health, Living with a mental health condition and Domestic abuse and self-isolation during the Coronavirus pandemic.

You can email us via wellbeing@chester.ac.uk for all wellbeing related queries, covid specific enquires to covidstudent@chester.ac.uk whilst general enquiries can be directed to infopoint on 01244 511550.

You can also keep connected with us by following our Instagram accounts: @thestudentsupportpodcast and @uoc.happyhealthylife and keep an eye on Portal for updated advice and information.

Follow University of Chester Student Shout Out on:

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To submit a question to be answered in an upcoming episode, click this link and ask your question. We'll chose a selection to answer in an upcoming episode.

Anxiety is something that all of us experience. However when anxiety levels pass a certain point it can significantly impact our functioning and make daily life an overwhelming challenge.

In this episode we talk about making sense of anxiety, and what we can do to manage if anxiety becomes a feature in our lives.

Follow us on Instagram @thestudentsupportpodcast
Follow our Wellbeing team @uoc.happyhealthylife

For any general queries about student support, please contact us on infopoint@chester.ac.uk

More information about the support services we offer at the University of Chester is available here

Follow University of Chester Student Shout Out on:

• Instagram: @uocshoutout
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To submit a question to be answered in an upcoming episode, click this link and ask your question. We'll chose a selection to answer in an upcoming episode.

In this episode we talk about issues around equality, masculinity, 'lad culture', and the importance of challenging inappropriate attitudes and behaviours towards women.

White Ribbon are the leading charity that is ending male violence against women by engaging with men and boys to make a stand against violence. Their mission is for all men to fulfil the White Ribbon Promise to never commit, excuse or remain silent about male violence against women. They act as a catalyst, encouraging people, and especially men and boys, to individually and collectively take action and change behaviour. White Ribbon Day 2020 falls on 25th November.

Follow us on Instagram @thestudentsupportpodcast
Follow our Wellbeing team @uoc.happyhealthylife

For any general queries about student support, please contact us on infopoint@chester.ac.uk

More information about the support services we offer at the University of Chester is available here

Follow University of Chester Student Shout Out on:

• Instagram: @uocshoutout
• Facebook: @uocshoutout
• Twitter: @uocshoutout

To submit a question to be answered in an upcoming episode, click this link and ask your question. We'll chose a selection to answer in an upcoming episode.

In this episode we speak to Sonya Jones, Service Manager from the charity We Are With You. We discuss some of the most commonly used substances, their effects, and some of the steps that can be taken to reduce harm and increase education around drugs.

There is evidence that the onset of COVID-19 has led to an increase in illicit substance use amongst students, and the wider population (Neurosight, 2020) 

This can be understood in terms of a number of factors-including the way students socialise, the freedom of being back at University following lockdown and easier access to substances online such as via the dark web which people perceive as being a less risky means of acquiring drugs.

Whilst evidence shows an increase in the use of cannabis, ketamine, MDMA, LSD and benzopiazepines a very clear message is that 93% of students report that they would not consult their university about drug use with over half of this group stating so due to a fear of being punished. (Neurosight, 2020)

You can find out more about We Are With You and access resources via their website or on social media:

Instagram: @wearewithyoucharity
Twitter: @WeAreWithYou
Facebook: @wearewithyoucharity

Follow us on Instagram @thestudentsupportpodcast
Follow our Wellbeing team @uoc.happyhealthylife

For any general queries about student support, please contact us on infopoint@chester.ac.uk

More information about the support services we offer at the University of Chester is available here

Follow University of Chester Student Shout Out on:

• Instagram: @uocshoutout
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To submit a question to be answered in an upcoming episode, click this link and ask your question. We'll chose a selection to answer in an upcoming episode.

In part two we welcome Rebecca Hughes and Helen Cooper on to the podcast to discuss the support that the University offers to care experienced students, from pre-arrival through to graduation. Further details of that support package are available  here.

Follow us on Instagram @thestudentsupportpodcast
Follow our Wellbeing team @uoc.happyhealthylife
Follow our Outreach and Widening Participation team @uoc_outreach

For any general queries about student support, please contact us on infopoint@chester.ac.uk

More information about the support services we offer at the University of Chester is available here.

 

Follow University of Chester Student Shout Out on:

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To submit a question to be answered in an upcoming episode, click this link and ask your question. We'll chose a selection to answer in an upcoming episode.

In the first of a two-part episode on care experienced students and University we are lucky to be joined by Kerry Jones, one of our recent graduates who studied Applied Psychology at University Centre Shrewsbury. Kerry shares her inspirational story and discusses her own experiences of the care system, being a young mum, and achieving success at University. 

The numbers of children in the UK care system this reached a 10 year high in January of 2020 at 78,150. 

Access to higher education is much lower for young people who have been in care. In 2017-18 only 12 per cent of pupils who were looked after continuously for 12 months or more entered higher education compared to 42 per cent of all other pupil

The data also shows that for qualifiers in 2018-19 the rate of achieving a first or upper-second class degree qualification was 12.1 percentage points lower for care experienced students when compared to students that were not in care. (OFS, 2020)

In part two we will be discussing in more depth the support available for care experienced students at the University of Chester. Details of that support package are available  here.

Follow us on Instagram @thestudentsupportpodcast
Follow our Wellbeing team @uoc.happyhealthylife

For any general queries about student support, please contact us on infopoint@chester.ac.uk

More information about the support services we offer at the University of Chester is available here.

Follow University of Chester Student Shout Out on:

• Instagram: @uocshoutout
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To submit a question to be answered in an upcoming episode, click this link and ask your question. We'll chose a selection to answer in an upcoming episode.

Emily Jones (Disability & Inclusion Team Leader) joins us to discuss the support that her team provides. There are currently over 2000 students within the University that have declared a disability to us, the most common being specific learning difficulties and mental health.

In this podcast we discuss the areas of staff specialisms that exist at the University of Chester, and how much work goes in to ensuring the University is an inclusive environment where all students have opportunities to succeed. A vast amount of support is available but too often students are not sure what they are entitled to, or how they can access it. Here, we talk about the types of support on offer, from reasonable adjustments for academic studies, Inclusion Plans, to Disabled Students Allowance and Non Medical Helpers.

Students can contact the Disability & Inclusion team at disability@chester.ac.uk

Follow us on Instagram @thestudentsupportpodcast
Follow our Wellbeing team @uoc.happyhealthylife

For any general queries about student support, please contact us on infopoint@chester.ac.uk

More information about the support services we offer at the University of Chester is available here.

Follow University of Chester Student Shout Out on:

• Instagram: @uocshoutout
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To submit a question to be answered in an upcoming episode, click this link and ask your question. We'll chose a selection to answer in an upcoming episode.

Once University starts and the initial excitement of a new beginning subsides, students can be left holding on to a lot of difficult and conflicting emotions.

Thoughts such as ‘these people are nothing like me’, ‘why am I not having fun like everyone else’ and ‘this is not how I imagined’ are completely understandable and, whilst it might not feel like it, you can rest assured that there will be lots of other students asking themselves the same.

In this podcast we discuss some of our own experiences of starting University, and share some of our top tips for settling in now that Welcome Week is behind us.

Follow us on Instagram @thestudentsupportpodcast
Follow our Wellbeing team @uoc.happyhealthylife

For any student queries about student support, please contact us on infopoint@chester.ac.uk

More information about the support services we offer at the University of Chester is available here.

Follow University of Chester Student Shout Out on:

• Instagram: @uocshoutout
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To submit a question to be answered in an upcoming episode, click this link and ask your question. We'll chose a selection to answer in an upcoming episode.

World suicide prevention day was established in 2003 and is observed on September 10th each year with a view to raising awareness around what remains one of the most challenging global phenomena we face. 

Suicide occurs throughout the lifespan and is the second leading cause of death among 15-29 year olds globally. The latest World Health Organisation statistics suggest that one person dies by suicide every 40 seconds, and for every 1 adult who completes suicide there may be up to 20 others who have attempted.

There are a wealth of myths surrounding suicide including:

·       Talking about suicide might give someone the idea to do it.

·       If someone is serious about taking their own life there is nothing you can do

·       Only people who are mentally ill think about suicide

·       People who say they want to kill themselves are merely seeking attention and should not be taken seriously.

Whilst the statistics and reporting around suicide can feel scary and overwhelming, there is a strong body of evidence that suggests that coherent prevention strategies can reduce suicide rates. As someone who has encountered suicide within both my professional and personal life, I have observed and felt the devastating impact it has on those left behind. The last 10 years have seen a significant shift in people’s attitudes and the narrative and discourse around mental health, but there is still a long way to go and we all have a role to play in how we look after ourselves and one another.

Here at the University of Chester we work in partnership with our students to empower them to achieve their hopes and aspirations both during their studies and beyond. We want to foster continuous conversations about wellbeing and promote thinking which is more conscious and critical amongst our student body. 

Student experience is at the heart of everything we do, and our Student Futures Support and Development department is home to staff with a wealth of expertise and experience who work tirelessly to meet the individual needs of each of our students. If you need any support around your emotional wellbeing or any other element of student life you can email infopoint@chester.ac.uk or wellbeing@chester.ac.uk to arrange an appointment with a member of our team. 

Suicide awareness and prevention has to remain a priority on a global, national and local level and there are some brilliant sources of support for those affected by suicide including a list of resources below:

www.samaritans.org or 116123

www.sossilenceofsuicide.org 

www.thecalmzone.net or 0800 585858

www.sane.org.uk 

www.papyrus-org.uk 

www.supportaftersuicide.org.uk 

https://uksobs.org/ 

www.giveusashout.org or text SHOUT 85258

www.studentsagainstdepression.org 

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To submit a question to be answered in an upcoming episode, click this link and ask your question. We'll chose a selection to answer in an upcoming episode.

The prospect of going to university can be terrifying and exciting all at the same time, and this has possibly never been the case more so than in the current global context. This first part of a two part feature looks at some top tips to prepare yourself for university, and will be followed closely by part two which sees us talking through some of the thoughts and feelings you might find yourself facing once you arrive.

More information about the support services we offer at the University of Chester is available here.

You can follow the latest about Induction and Welcome Week via Instagram @uoc_induction

We really welcome any feedback, comments or questions about the podcast. You can contact us on infopoint@chester.ac.uk or via Instagram @uoc.happyhealthylife

Follow University of Chester Student Shout Out on:

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To submit a question to be answered in an upcoming episode, click this link and ask your question. We'll chose a selection to answer in an upcoming episode.

In this podcast we discuss A Level results day, and some of the thoughts, feelings and unanswered questions that prospective students might have about University. This year some of these questions are potentially more pertinent than ever as the country starts to come to terms with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and we transition into the new normal.

With all this in mind, we thought we would share a few tips on the Clearing process and discuss a little bit about what it's like to study at University.

More information about Clearing at the University of Chester is available here.
More information about the support services we offer is available here.

We really welcome any feedback, comments or questions about the podcast. You can contact us on infopoint@chester.ac.uk or via Instagram @uoc.happyhealthylife

Follow University of Chester Student Shout Out on:

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To submit a question to be answered in an upcoming episode, click this link and ask your question. We'll chose a selection to answer in an upcoming episode.

Finishing University and contemplating ‘what comes next’ can often be a stressful time. Even before Covid-19, our current generation of graduates were facing a number of unprecedented challenges. 

So with that in mind, how can we be employable and maintain our wellbeing when the world around us is so uncertain?

In this podcast Nicola Davenport (Careers Consultant, University of Chester) joins us to reflect on our own experiences as graduates, and share some tips on employability. We also talk about some of the support available to students within the University.

As always we welcome any feedback, comments, questions or suggestions for future podcast topics. Please contact us at infopoint@chester.ac.uk or via Instagram @uoc.happyhealthylife

For more information about the support offered by Careers & Employability you can take a look at:

Graduate Head Start Summer Enrichment Programme
Career Hub

You can also contact Careers at careers@chester.ac.uk or on social media:

Twitter
Instagram
Facebook
LinkedIn

Follow University of Chester Student Shout Out on:

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To submit a question to be answered in an upcoming episode, click this link and ask your question. We'll chose a selection to answer in an upcoming episode.

In this podcast we talk about some of our thoughts and feelings as lockdown eases. As the world starts to return to 'normality', what does that mean for our wellbeing and mental health?

Mind have reported that two out of three (65%) adults over 25 and three quarters (75%) of young people aged 13-24 with an existing mental health problem reported worse mental health during the pandemic. That’s on top of the fact that more than one in five adults (22%) with no previous experience of poor mental health now say that their mental health is poor or very poor. 

According to a Yougov survey only 9% of the population would favour a total return to pre-lockdown life.

The media have been using the term ‘coronaphobia’ a lot which is the fear of returning to normality once lockdown eases.

These points underpin the complexity of people’s feelings about life as lockdown begins to ease here in the UK and beyond, and shine a light on the numerous and complex longer term issues that will emerge from the pandemic. A lot of us have been reflecting on how we lived prior to the restrictions of lockdown being implemented. We might have realised we were lacking balance in areas of our lives, and perhaps anxious now about how to maintain our new found approaches when things go back to ‘normal’. 

If you have any feedback, questions or comments about the podcast we would love to hear from you! You can reach us on infopoint@chester.ac.uk

Instagram: @uoc.happyhealthylife

Follow University of Chester Student Shout Out on:

• Instagram: @uocshoutout
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To submit a question to be answered in an upcoming episode, click this link and ask your question. We'll chose a selection to answer in an upcoming episode.

The theme of this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week is ‘kindness’. In this podcast we discuss the benefits of kindness, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic, and the importance of self-compassion to our own wellbeing. We also discuss stigma and some of the statistics relating to mental health, and how our University and others are working hard to deliver services and build a culture that promotes positive mental health.

We would welcome feedback, queries and suggestions from staff and students about the content of these podcasts. Please contact us at infopoint@chester.ac.uk

Further information on our services:

University of Chester website

University of Chester Portal (internal for staff and students)

Links to some of the statistics and resources discussed in this episode:

·       Mental Health Foundation

·       Student Minds

·       Mental Health Charter

·       Universities UK #stepchange

·       Office for Students

·       In 2007-2008 just 1260 postgraduates and 8415 undergraduates sought support for mental health difficulties. In 2016-2017 this had increased to 8040 postgraduates and 49,265 undergraduates. Minding our future: Universities UK 

·       Mental health conditions account for an increasing proportion of all disability disclosed by first-year students (17 per cent in 2015/16, compared to 5 per cent in 2006/07). 

·       Female first-year students are more likely than male first year students to disclose a mental health condition (2.5 per cent compared to 1.4 per cent) (2015/16). 

·       In 2009/10, male and female students were equally likely to disclose a mental health condition (both 0.5 per cent). Not by degrees: Improving student mental health in the UK’s universities 

·       In the 12 months to July 2017, figures from the ONS revealed that 95 students had taken their own lives, which equates to 4.7 suicides per 100,000 students. 

·       However, tragically, it also showed that suicide rates among university students in England and Wales had gone up slightly over the last decade. 

·       In addition, it highlighted that young male students are significantly more likely to die by suicide than female students – which follows national trends in the wider population. Office for national statistics

·       Over a quarter of UK students (37%) are experiencing their state of mental wellbeing changing for the worse since starting higher education

Follow University of Chester Student Shout Out on:

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To submit a question to be answered in an upcoming episode, click this link and ask your question. We'll chose a selection to answer in an upcoming episode.

The idea of 'future' is interesting. We know the future is impossible to predict, but often we try to do just that. Currently people might be thinking a lot about the future - whether that's related to what the world will be like after Covid-19, or more personal reflections on what we'd like our own futures to be. In Podcast 2 we discuss our thoughts in the hope we might answer some questions - or at least reassure people they aren't the only ones with questions!

Follow University of Chester Student Shout Out on:

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To submit a question to be answered in an upcoming episode, click this link and ask your question. We'll chose a selection to answer in an upcoming episode.