Here at the
College we are wholly dedicated to supporting the mental well-being of both our
students and our staff. Our College community is open and communicative about
mental health and we understand how debilitating it can be when our mental
well-being is compromised. We have a large and dedicated team of people who are
here to support you in your well-being, both mental and physical, and there
will be a programme of events across the year that will be available to you in
order to work pro-actively on your own self-care.
Your Progress Coach is linked directly to your well-being service and can help you access them if and when required. We have also now made it possible for students to self-refer to these services, meaning if you have any issues that you would rather only take to this team, you can do so without having to be referred by another member of the College team.
Our students are able to access the well-being service via our daily drop-in in the Student Experience Hub. Come along between 9.30am and 12.30pm to speak to the Wellbeing Team. You can also access support through your progress coach or by emailing the team at wellbeing@yorkcollege.ac.uk.
Mental Health and Counselling
The Mental Health Advisor and Counsellors offer support with emotional and mental well-being. We can offer one-off appointments, follow up sessions, counselling sessions and help signpost to external and/or specialist agencies. We can also liaise closely with other departments in College and external agencies to ensure that students are provided with holistic, individualised support.
Mental Health and Counselling
The Mental Health Advisor and Counsellors offer support with emotional and mental well-being. We can offer one-off appointments, follow up sessions, counselling sessions and help signpost to external and/or specialist agencies. We can also liaise closely with other departments in College and external agencies to ensure that students are provided with holistic, individualised support.
Wellbeing Advisors
The Well-being Advisors support students who are homeless, at risk of becoming homeless, or experiencing other issues with housing. We also support students who are having financial difficulties, needing to claim benefits, experiencing family issues, students who are young carers, young parents, or are vulnerable and needing support for other reasons. Well-being Advisors can also support students with future work and learning options.
Wellbeing Advisors
The Well-being Advisors support students who are homeless, at risk of becoming homeless, or experiencing other issues with housing. We also support students who are having financial difficulties, needing to claim benefits, experiencing family issues, students who are young carers, young parents, or are vulnerable and needing support for other reasons. Well-being Advisors can also support students with future work and learning options.
Well-being Advisors support students who are homeless, at risk of becoming homeless, or experiencing other issues with housing, having financial difficulties, needing to claim benefits, experiencing family issues, students who are young carers, young parents, or are vulnerable and needing support for other reasons. Well-being Advisors can also support you with your future work and learning options.
We aim to help you stay at College by giving you advice and support to help you deal with your situation. We will talk through options with you so you are able to make informed decisions about your life and your next steps. We can help you to develop important life skills, such as managing money. We may refer you to other agencies for specialist advice and occasionally we can come with you to appointments. Our support is tailor-made for you.
Confidentially
Everything we discuss is confidential and we will always ask your permission to talk to others involved in your support. Unless you or somebody else is at serious risk of harm, we will discuss confidentiality with you at our first meeting.
Professionally
We have a commitment to listen to you, ensure you are given relevant and accurate information, treat you with respect and take your views seriously. These are set out in the York College Code of Conduct.
Within reasonable time scales
We will aim to support you as quickly as possible and can offer same day appointments through our new booking system. We cannot be a crisis service, but we will respond to emergencies as quickly as we can.
Our staff are working closely with the experts at the UK Addiction Treatment Group in learning about the short and long term health implications of substance misuse and other behavioural disorders like gaming, gambling, eating disorders and social media dependency. The support we get from the UK Addiction Treatment Group means that we can better support our students when it comes to drugs, alcohol and other mental health disorders.
We welcome applications from trainee and qualified counsellors to join our team of volunteers.
We can offer you:
- experience of working in a busy counselling service
- the opportunity to work with a vibrant and diverse student population
- the support of an experienced and friendly Mental Health and Wellbeing Team
- a full induction
- £15 per month towards your counselling supervision
- a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificate
- an invitation to counselling in further education networking events
In return, we ask that you:
- have experience of working with young people (not just in counselling, this could also be mentoring, teaching, etc)
- have at least 40+ supervised counselling hours
- are studying/have completed a BACP-accredited counselling training course
- can offer 3+ hours of your time per week (Monday-Friday 9am-3pm, term time only)
To apply to be a volunteer counsellor at York College, please complete the enquiry form below and send us a CV outlining your training and experience. If you have any questions about the role, please email us at wellbeing@yorkcollege.ac.uk.
If you would like to contact the Wellbeing Team, please complete the form below.
Need help now?
If you need immediate support due to a mental health crisis please contact your GP or go directly to A&E.
Alternatively you can contact the NHS crisis team for York, Selby, Ryedale, North Yorkshire, Durham, Darlington and Teeside on:
In a mental health crisis:
NHS Freephone Line
for those in mental distress:
The Hub of Hope - is a first of its kind, national mental health database which brings together organisations and charities, large and small, from across the country who offer mental health advice and support, together in one place.
SHOUT : Chasing the Stigma Crisis Messenger service, a 24/7 text messaging service to provide support and help to those most in need.
Runaway Helpline - for those young people who are thinking about running away, the Runaway Helpline offers free, confidential, 24/7 support to young people at any stage of running away; before they go, while they’re away, and even when they’re back home.
Free advice and support provided for employers for apprentices who are feeling low, upset and struggling to keep up with their apprenticeship. It is confidential and run by fully trained professionals with expertise in mental health.
Childline - Get help and advice about a wide range of issues
Qwell - Access free, safe and anonymous support from NHS service provider Qwell for those aged 19+
In a housing or homeless emergency contact your local council (details are in the link):
City of York Council Housing Options. Out of office hours, contact the Emergency Duty Team on
Leeds City Council Housing Options: Out of office hours, contact the Emergency Duty Team on
East Riding of Yorkshire Council Housing Options: Call
North Yorkshire Housing Options. For out of hours support contact the Social Care Emergency Duty Team
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse:
IDAS provide a helpline and information
Supporting Victims in North Yorkshire provide a helpline and lots of useful and practical information on keeping safe.
Always phone 999 if you feel there is an imminent risk of harm.
Please access your GP or attend A&E who will be able to assess and advise.
The Samaritans www.samaritans.org provide a 24-hour helpline for people in distress and despair 116 123
York Samaritans are based at 89 Nunnery Lane, York - 01904 655888 (phone for details about visiting times). This map will help you find them. www.samaritans.org/branches/york-samaritans
HOPElineUK www.papyrus-uk.org has a specialist helpline which helps young people (35 years and under) deal with suicidal thoughts and supports those worried about others.
Useful local council websites for housing advice or if you are homeless (or are threatened with homelessness)
City of York Council
Craven District Council
Harrogate Borough Council
Hambleton District Council
Leeds City Council
North Yorkshire County Council
Richmondshire District Council
Ryedale District Council
Scarborough Borough Council
Selby District Council
Council Tax Benefit - it is unlikely that you will pay Council Tax as a full-time student, but you may have to apply for an exemption form. Seek advice from the Student Experience Hub or go to the link - Council tax exemption information for City of York residents
Money for living (If you are not living at home and/or being supported by your parents/guardians):- Universal Credit has now been introduced in most areas of York and Yorkshire to help you with living costs. More information and advice on Universal Credit and how to apply is available here. This replaces Income Support and Housing Benefit, however, in some areas you would still need to apply for these benefits. If you are unsure, please ask an Intensive Personal Adviser for advice. For funding from College - please make an appointment at the Student Experience Hub to see the Funding Team.
Paying your rent and bills
Renting a flat can be expensive, especially in York. Most students look at sharing a house which can be more economical as bills are shared out amongst all the housemates. It is important to check first that you can afford to pay your rent and living expenses. Sometimes rent includes bills, if not, remember that you will have to budget for paying for gas, electric, water, TV licence and phone bills from your part-time job or benefits claim.
If you are in shared accommodation, the responsibility for paying bills can often be stressful if housemates do not pay their share. Citizens Advice have produced a useful guide on what to do if you are having problems in shared accommodation.
You will have to pay a deposit or “bond” for most rental properties.
This is usually the equivalent of one month’s rent and is paid back to
you when you leave (providing there is no damage or outstanding rent
payments due). Find out if your local council runs a “Bond Guarantee
Scheme” , which is a written bond for landlords instead of cash.
Rent is usually paid monthly. If you are a student in further education and on a low income you may be able to get the Housing Element of Universal Credit.
Some letting agencies only offer accommodation to over 18's, however if you are under 18 it may still be possible if you can provide a financial
guarantor, i.e. someone who agrees to cover your costs if you are in financial difficulty.
Make sure where possible that you have a tenancy agreement. This specifies your rights as a tenant. It is better to have a written tenancy agreement than a verbal one in case of any disputes with your landlord.
If you do not pay your rent you run the risk of being evicted from the accommodation. Landlords are within their rights to do this but must follow a procedure. Obtain advice from your local Citizen Advice Bureau or Housing Options Team at your local council identified above.
