Mental Health
Mental Health & Wellbeing Support
Here at Team UoP, we understand the importance of mental health and the impact it has on your life. Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being which affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices.
The University of Portsmouth’s Student Wellbeing Service has created ‘The Portsmouth 5 Ways to Wellbeing’. The well-known 5 Ways to Wellbeing list is based on research evidence supporting these 5 simple ways to improve your sense of wellbeing:
Connect – building our human connections will support and enrich us every day.
Give – recognising that our happiness is linked to the wellbeing of the wider community can be rewarding and creates lasting connections with the people around us.
Be active – engaging in regular purposeful activity, especially physical activity, will invigorate and energise us while keeping us in good health.
Take notice – becoming more aware of the world around us helps to appreciate what really matters.
Keep learning – setting ourselves challenges we will enjoy achieving can be fun and builds confidence and improves wellbeing.
As part of our Wellbeing for Learning model, we promote the 5 Ways to Wellbeing with a Portsmouth twist – linking the evidence-based 5 ways with the 5 values in our Student Charter. Read our tips to find out how to take care of yourself at university.
Student Wellbeing Service homepage: https://myport.port.ac.uk/guidance-and-support/health-and-wellbeing/student-wellbeing-service
How can I report a concern of welfare for myself or someone I know from Team UoP sports clubs?
Sport and Recreation have their own welfare reporting system for Team UoP sports clubs. We offer appointments with a member of Team UoP staff who are trained and experienced in dealing with a range of areas such as mental health, stress and anxiety, conflict resolution and issues that we know affects student life. We offer advice and support to help you with making your next steps to self help or seeking professional help with the Student Wellbeing Service. We also work with Welfare Secs and Vice Presidents from Team UoP sports clubs committees who are concerned about a team mate and would like advice.
If you’d like support from our staff for yourself, or if you’re concerned about a friend or team mate, please complete our Welfare Reporting Form. If you are reporting a welfare concern about a friend or team mate, please bear in mind that you need their consent if you would like us to contact them. If you would like to contact the University's Student Wellbeing Service directly, please see the contact details below.
What other University support can I access?
UoP’s Student Wellbeing Service
The Student Wellbeing Service is the University's very own hub for learning, advice and support for your emotional wellbeing and mental health. You can get free, confidential help from professional counsellors, to support with a wide range of personal and emotional concerns:
https://myport.port.ac.uk/guidance-and-support/health-and-wellbeing/student-wellbeing-service
For on the day advice sessions, please ring the Student Wellbeing Service on 02392 843466 (we advise you do this between 08.30-09.00 as there are limited appointments available each day).
The Student Wellbeing Service are best placed to support you in your studies if you're living with anxiety, stress or depression, or supporting someone who is. They also offer free access to workshops and courses to support your mental health, including cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) courses and workshops in compassionate mind training. You can get one to one support and guidance directly through them, or through our partnerships with wellbeing organisations across the city:
https://www.port.ac.uk/student-life/guidance-and-support/health-and-wellbeing-support
WhatsUp App
The WhatsUp app is a quick and anonymous way to chat via text with practitioners at the University’s Student Wellbeing Service (during office hours). The app also provides a personal space to monitor your mood and express thoughts, feelings, and emotions.
https://myport.port.ac.uk/guidance-and-support/health-and-wellbeing/self-help-resources/whatsup-app
24/7 Multilingual Helpline
Use our 24/7 multilingual helpline to speak to a trained mental health professional at any time. This new option is delivered by an external provider who can arrange for ongoing counselling in the language you want to use. You can also ask for a counsellor from a specific ethnicity or cultural background (e.g. LGBTQ+). Access the helpline directly via the WhatsUp app SOS Call button, or use this quick registration portal to be given the freephone helpline number.
Support in Halls of Residence and Private Accommodation
The ResLife team is also available for support in halls of residence and private accommodation by contacting 023 9284 3418 or reslife@port.ac.uk
UPSU Advice Service
The University of Portsmouth’s Students Union Advice Service offers confidential, impartial and non-judgemental support. They deliver advice and guidance on a range of academic and university issues that may affect student experience.:
-How to make a complaint
- What to do if a student is unable to complete an assessment due to extenuating circumstances.
- How to appeal a decision that has been made (i.e grades, meeting outcomes)
- Support in disciplinary meetings (like a trade union representative) - mainly course and halls
- Working with a third party to provide mediation via the Sort It Out Service
- Working with other services at UoP to signpost student issues that are not the above.
Student Minds
Student Minds empower students and members of the university community to look after their own mental health, support others and create change.
https://www.studentminds.org.uk/
Student Space
Student Space is here to make it easier for you to find the support that you need during the coronavirus pandemic. All this information has been created and written by students themselves and experts in student mental health and wellbeing.
There is a Student Space for:
Access to dedicated support services for students, by phone or text
Information and tools to help you through challenges of coronavirus
Helping you find what support is available at your place of study
Crisis support
If you need urgent support in a crisis there are a number of people who can help including the Samaritans who provide a 24-hour listening service on 116 123.
Please don’t keep things bottled up. Sharing your feelings or worries with friends, family, tutors or professional support can really help.