A university accommodation is to provide emotional support to Huddersfield students.
The 1,005 students living in Unite properties in the town will be able to benefit through a new support and listening service, after teaming up with university-based listening support organisation, Nightline.
It is hoped that the new initiative, which will involve offering students access to the student-run Nightline telephone service, will give help to students in need of support before crisis hits.
Staff in Unite’s three accommodation buildings – Snow Island and Saw Mill on Kings Mill Lane and Firth Point on Firth Street – have been trained up to notice warning signs of those who may be experiencing high stress and possible mental health issues.
If concerned, they will then be able to sensitively refer students to the London Nightline service.
It has been set up following a report by the National Union of Students, who undertook a study which revealed that one in five students asked experienced a mental health issue while at university.
The service has been designed to run in conjunction with those available through the university, such as the Wellbeing Service, which offers counselling and other support and the Samaritans, who offer a 24/7 telephone service.
Jenny Shaw, Unite Students’ head of student services, said: “I believe students in 2015 are under more pressure than any generation which has gone before them.
“Teams in the 25 cities where our properties are situated are often called on to support students who are clearly struggling.
“We want to take a truly student-led approach which works in close partnership with specialist services and Nightline is a superb service which puts students who need to hear a friendly voice in touch with someone from their own world.”
