How we support student wellbeing
How we support student wellbeing
Being part of a community includes knowing where to turn when things feel difficult. You might be settling into a new routine, missing familiar people or trying to make sense of a week that has become a little too much. At Student Castle, you can speak to your building team.
Our role is straightforward: we listen and help you find appropriate support. You don’t need to know the name of a service or have everything neatly explained before starting a conversation. If something is worrying you, that is enough reason to ask.
A place to begin
Sometimes the hardest part of finding help is deciding who to approach. You may be unsure whether a worry is “big enough”, or whether it belongs with your university, a health service or someone else.
Your building team can be a starting point. Tell us what you feel comfortable sharing, and we can signpost you towards a suitable service. That might be your university wellbeing team, a money advice service or an organisation that specialises in the issue you’re facing.
You can also ask for information without explaining everything. “Could you point me towards some support?” is a perfectly useful first sentence.
What our teams can help with
We can listen when you want to raise a concern and help you identify places to seek further support. If you don’t know how to find your university’s student services or where to look for a relevant charity, ask us.
Our building teams aren’t counsellors or healthcare professionals. Clinical advice and treatment come from qualified services. Keeping that distinction clear helps you reach the right kind of help, while still having a familiar person to approach in your building.
If you’re wondering what happens when you share a concern, ask the team to explain. You can ask how information will be handled and when a safety concern might need to be passed on. Understanding the next step can make the first conversation easier.
Using the Student Assist app
The Student Assist app is another place to turn for wellbeing support. If you haven’t used it before, ask your Student Castle team how to access it and where to find the current information about the support available.
You might prefer to look at this in your own time, or use it alongside support from your university. You don’t have to choose one route and stay with it. Different sources of help can be useful at different points, depending on what you need.
Keep the access information somewhere you can find it again. Setting it up during an ordinary week can save you having to work it out when you already have a lot on your mind.
Support through your university
Your university is an important part of your support network. Depending on your needs, relevant teams may include wellbeing, counselling, disability support, international student advice or student money advice. Your personal tutor or course team can help with academic questions and explain how to raise difficulties affecting your studies.
If several things are happening at once, start with the main student support service and explain that you’re unsure who to contact. Ask how appointments work, whether you can begin by email and what information would be useful to bring. Services, eligibility and appointment arrangements vary, so use your own university’s information.
Finding reliable information and specialist help
Student Minds, the UK’s student mental health charity, offers information about wellbeing and university life. It can be a useful place to read about an experience; find language for something you’re feeling or explore possible next steps.
National organisations such as Mind can provide mental health information, while local charities may offer support focused on a particular issue or community. Your university or building team can help signpost you towards relevant options. Check an organisation’s own information to understand its services and how to access them.
Reading can be helpful, but you don’t need to research your way to a perfect explanation before speaking to someone. If something is affecting your daily life, contact your university support service or GP.
You can ask on someone else’s behalf
You might notice that another student seems withdrawn, overwhelmed or unlike themselves. A simple check-in can open a conversation: “I’ve noticed you’ve seemed a bit quieter. How are things?” Listen without pressing them to explain more than they want to.
You can encourage them to contact appropriate support and ask your building team for signposting if you’re unsure where to begin. You aren’t expected to manage someone else’s mental health alone. If there is immediate danger, contact emergency services rather than waiting for a routine conversation.
When help is urgent
If someone’s life is at risk or there is immediate danger, call 999. For urgent health advice that isn’t a life-threatening emergency in England, Scotland or Wales, call 111. Samaritans can also listen at any time on 116 123, free of charge.
For everyday wellbeing concerns, you can start with us, the Student Assist app or your university. You might know exactly what you need, or you might only know that something feels difficult. Either way, we are here to help you work out which direction to take next.