Here are some resources, tools, and helplines available to students any time during term time and vacations.
The list aims to provide a quick reference guide to the different types of support available and is not exhaustive.
Here are some resources, tools, and helplines available to students any time during term time and vacations.
The list aims to provide a quick reference guide to the different types of support available and is not exhaustive.
24/7 Student Support Service is a confidential in-the-moment support service that provides support to students. The service is available 24/7, 365 days a year covering numerous topics such as stress, anxiety, low mood, loss and grief, relationship problems, substance abuse issues and much more.
You can access the service through a confidential, freephone telephone line, an online chat function through the platform or by requesting a call back.
Access this service directly by phone or register online:
myWellbeing makes looking after your wellbeing fun, interactive and stimulating.
Centered around the five ways to wellbeing (Be Active, Connect, Take Notice, Keep Learning and Give), myWellbeing provides you with the tools to start building healthy, positive habits into your everyday life. Creating small daily habits in each area can boost your wellbeing and help you to become a happier, healthier you.
Our feed of weekly posts acts as a wellbeing programme, providing you with advice and support to help you through your journey as a student, and our self-help catalogue gives you the tools at your fingertips to help manage your wellbeing positively and effectively.
You can take part in challenges with other students and become part of a global wellbeing community! Track your progress along the way and gain awards to recognise the positive steps you're taking to boost your wellbeing.
Take care and download myWellbeing through iOS or Google Play.
Togetherall is a safe place where you can connect with other about what is going on in your life.
Togetherall is:
On Togetherall you can:
NHS 111 provides 24-hour information and advice on any health problems or services. For support for your mental health dial 111 and select option 2.
The Samaritans provide 24-hour support to anyone who needs it:
The Student Space provides access to dedicated support services for students by text or webchat. For information on what to expect from each of these services, please visit the Student Space website.
If you're outside the UK, Befrienders Worldwide has a tool to search by country for emotional support helplines around the world.
Listed below are a number of useful organisation and charity helplines that support individuals experiencing emotional difficulties (including mental health crisis).
The list aims to provide a quick reference guide to the different types of support available and is not exhaustive.
The charity Mind has also put together a list of some of the different types of mental health issues people may encounter. Each issue has a ‘Useful Contacts’ section.
Beat supports people affected by eating disorders. The helplines are open 365 days a year, 15.00 – 20.00, Monday to Friday. They also have a one-to-one web chat service available on their website.
The Campaign Against Living Miserably offers a helpline and website for young men. Their helpline and webchat are open between 17.00 – midnight all year round.
A private and confidential service for children and young people up to the age of 19.
CRUSE Bereavement Care provide a helpline which is open Monday – Friday, 9.30 – 17.00 (Tuesdays, 13.00 – 20.00).
Drinkline runs a free, confidential helpline for people who are concerned about their drinking or someone else’s. Their helpline is open between Monday – Friday, 9.00 – 20.00 and at weekends between 11.00 – 16.00.
London Nightline provides confidential listening, support and information for students by students. Their helpline is available between 18.00 – 8.00 every night of term.
Provides a helpline for advice and support for men experiencing domestic violence and abuse. Helpline is available Monday – Friday, 10.00 – 17.00 and webchat is available Wednesdays, 10.00 – 11.30 and Thursdays, 14.00 – 16.00.
24-hour helpline providing advice and support to women experiencing domestic violence/abuse.
No Panic provides help to those experiencing panic and anxiety-related problems. The main helpline is open every day between 10.00 – 22.00 (charges may apply). They also have a 24-hour crisis line.
NSPCC provides a 24-hour helpline for anyone concerned about a child or young person at risk of abuse.
HOPELINE247 provides a specialist telephone service giving support, practical advice and information to anyone who is worried about how they are feeling or to anyone who is concerned about another person. The telephone service is available 24/7.
Rape Crisis provides a national helpline which is open 24/7 or you can contact your nearest Rape Crisis Centre.
SANE provide emotional support and information to anyone affected by mental illness, including families, friends and carers. The helpline is open between 16.00 – 22.00 every evening.
Provides a helpline between 10.00 – 22.00, 365 days a year, giving advice, information and support to lesbians, gay men, bisexual and trans people.
Talk To Frank provides 24-hour confidential information and advice to those affected by drugs and substance abuse.
For help contact your GP surgery first if possible. You can still call your GP outside normal surgery hours, but you will usually be directed to an out-of-hours service.
For urgent medical help call or go online to NHS 111; they can give you advice or direct you to the best local service to treat your injury or medical condition. For emergency medical help (ie. life threatening) go to the nearest accident and emergency hospital (A&E) or call the emergency services on 999.
For local Mental Health Service helplines in Kent and Surrey:
Safe Havens provide out of hours mental health and emotional support if you are in crisis or feel you are heading towards a crisis situation. Check the website for your local safe haven:
You can also look up your local NHS urgent mental health helpline (England only) near you visit.
There are a number of external organisations which provide a great deal of information and resources which might help you find out more about mental health issues.
If you are still unsure or worried about your mental health, please speak to a professional.
A charity aimed at improving the lives of those with mental health problems or learning difficulties.
A charity providing advice and support to anyone experiencing a mental health problem.
Available 24 hours a day to provide confidential emotional support for people who are experiencing feelings of distress, despair or suicidal thoughts.
Student Minds is the UK’s student mental health charity. They empower students and members of the university community to look after their own mental health, support others and create change.
Offers advice, information, guidance and resources to those affected by low mood, depression and suicidal thinking.
Student Space is here to make it easier for you to find the support that you need.
The UK’s leading support service for young people.
Information from UKCISA for international students including links to useful organisations.
This document contains a number of useful organisation and charity helplines that support individuals experiencing emotional difficulties (including mental health crises).
This app can be used to help the user manage urges to self-harm. It's a private app and can be password protected. The help and advice provides suggestions of 5-15 minute categorised activities that can help the user 'ride the wave' of an urge to self-harm. The user is signposted to resources that the app determines may be helpful. These suggestions are based on the user's answers to questions about what triggered their urge to self-harm.
This app is helpful for helping the user manage their anxiety. The anxiety tracker can help the user better understand things that make them anxious, whilst the self-help toolkit allows them to learn new skills around anxiety management. Some people have found this app helpful to use whilst waiting to access further long-term support or to build on their existing anxiety management skills.
Stay Alive is a free suicide prevention app that helps its users to stay safe from acting on their thoughts of suicide. Downloading this app means that the help and information someone may need when managing thoughts of suicide is easily accessible, helping them to stay safe.
If you're a student with a physical or mental health problem and are not sure what to do next, simply open the app to learn when it's safe to manage self-treatable health problems yourself, find out how to spot warning signs and know when to seek medical advice and become more confident in navigating the NHS and get the support you need.
Addiction Advocates provide a free and confidential service that enables those struggling with or affected by addiction to secure the support they need.
These postcards provide five simple things that you can do in your daily life to maintain wellbeing.
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. It is currently the biggest and most comprehensive resource of its kind, with more than 1,200 validated support networks already registered.
Provides information on lots of mental health related topics, from alcohol to work-life balance.
Another alphabetical list of mental health related topics.
For more information or to book appointments for any of our services, please contact the Gateway Desk.
Canterbury
Anna Mepstead
Email: advicecant@uca.ac.uk
Tel: 01227 817307
Epsom
Khristine Alvaro
Email: adviceeps@uca.ac.uk
Tel: 01372 202441
Farnham
Andrea Beattie & Rosie Parker
Email: advicefarn@uca.ac.uk
Tel: 01252 892612