The Wellbeing and Mental Health team are here for you throughout your studies. They can provide help and support on any issue which may be impacting on your studies. Appointments can take place over telephone, MS Teams, or in person at some sites. 

Student Wellbeing Advisers 

Student Wellbeing Advisers have a broad knowledge of university processes and the support options available. Appointments can last up to 45 minutes, and advice will vary depending on your situation, but will always be guided by you and tailored to your needs.   

During this appointment you can talk about anything that may be affecting your wellbeing or studies; the Adviser will listen, give advice, and support options, and will create a personalised action plan to support you in your next steps.   

Mental Health Advisers  

Mental Health Advisers support students who may be experiencing emotional or psychological distress that is impacting upon their university experience. Appointments can last up to an hour, and advice will vary depending on your situation, but will always be guided by you and tailored to your needs. 

During this appointment, Advisers can facilitate self-help, educate around managing mental health and develop safety plans, as well as link in with local mental health services.  

Duty Support 

In more urgent circumstances, we offer same-day appointments with an Adviser from the Wellbeing and Mental Health team. This service is used for students facing a pressing situation, for example a student who is experiencing thoughts of suicide, at risk of homelessness or is a survivor of domestic abuse or sexual violence.  

Networks and sessions  

In addition to our one-to-one support, we also host a number of Student Peer Support Networks. Our networks are safe spaces for students who may have a shared background or be going through similar experiences to connect, support, and share tips and information with each other.  

We currently have the following networks:  

• Student Parent Support Network  
• Student Menopause Network  
• Student LGBTQ+ Network 
• Men’s Network 
• Care Experienced Peer Support Group 
• Estranged Students Peer Support Group 
• Carer Peer Support Group 
• Refugee Peer Support Group 

We also offer group-based sessions, on a range of supportive topics, throughout the academic year. Click here to view upcoming sessions and to find out more about our student networks.  

Contact us 

To find out more, or ask about booking an appointment, please email our Student Services Helpdesk at studentservices@chester.ac.uk or call 01244 511550. Opening hours are Monday to Thursday 9am to 5pm, Friday 9am to 4pm.  

Our Wellbeing and Mental Health Portal page also contains lots of useful additional information.  

Student Counselling 

Counsellors offer the opportunity to talk about your concerns and share your problems in a safe and supportive environment. After a 50-minute consultation, we will help you decide on the next steps. We offer up to six 50-minute one-to-one therapy sessions either with a University Counsellor or a Student Assistance Programme Counsellor. We can also signpost you to partner agencies, if that’s more appropriate for your needs.     

During the appointment, Counsellors can talk through the issues you’re experiencing and explore coping strategies and techniques for managing your mood. They can address any personal or emotional problems which may impact your time at the University. 

You can self-refer by emailing our Student Services Helpdesk at studentservices@chester.ac.uk or calling 01244 511550. We’ll then send you an online form to fill in and return, which is a good opportunity for you to explain what’s troubling you.    

Student Assistance Programme 

Our Student Assistance Programme (SAP) offers additional support alongside our university services. It provides you with immediate advice and practical guidance 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.   

Sometimes, simply talking through your issues with someone, in the moment, can be a great relief. Call the 24/7 helpline for free: 0800 028 3766 to talk through any problem. Support includes counselling, exploring mental health concerns and also the option to obtain guidance on personal, financial and legal matters.   

If English isn’t your first language, SAP also provides a language line which connects you to an interpreter so you can chat in your preferred language.  

Wisdom app 

Anxious about talking on the phone? You can access support via Live Chat on the Wisdom app.   

Free for all students, the Wisdom app provides a Live Chat feature so you can receive virtual support when a Counsellor is online and available. 

On the app you’ll also find lots of useful wellbeing and mental health features, including:  

• Wellbeing trackers 
• Mini health checks 
• Four-week structured health plans 
• Access to lots of useful videos and podcasts, including yoga workouts, recipe ideas and guided meditation.  

Download it from your app store (App Store, Play Store) and enter the code MHA 146072 to get started. 

The University of Chester is committed to providing a supportive and inclusive environment. We value equality and diversity and promote respect.  

If you, or someone you know, has experienced or witnessed unacceptable behaviour such as harassment, discrimination, sexual violence, abuse, bullying or hate crime you can report it using our simple reporting tool: Report a Concern. 

All of this support is available free of charge to all students at the University. 
 
Our Data Processing and Privacy Notice describes how and why we collect and use personal information about you: Privacy Statement. 

Are you looking to make a difference? Want to make a positive impact in our society? If so, then the Volunteering and Mentoring team are here to help you!

Volunteering and Mentoring is a team within the Careers and Employability service who can help you to browse and apply for volunteering opportunities, log your volunteer hours, track your progress for the University of Chester Volunteering (UCV) awards and sign up to be, or be matched with, a Peer Mentor.

Who are we?

Our team forms part of the Student Success team within Careers and Employability and consists of:

• Jo (Volunteering and Mentoring Manager).
• Amy (Mentoring Admin Assistant).
• Louise (Volunteering Coordinator).
• Abbie (Volunteer Administrator).

We aim to provide students with access to volunteer opportunities in the community and the University, and support students throughout their volunteer journey.

Through our Peer Mentoring scheme, we aim to support new students as they join the University with a match to one of our Peer Mentors, helping them with the transition into Higher Education and increasing their sense of belonging at the University.

Why volunteer?

Volunteering is an amazing opportunity for all students. Volunteering can help you to meet new people, get involved in your community, improve your confidence, develop your skills, and help you to stand out from the crowd. Volunteering provides you with a brilliant opportunity to develop your employability whilst giving back to the local community through social action, such as one-off conservation trips, or more long-term opportunities such as being a Peer Mentor. Volunteering is also linked to a greater sense of wellbeing – doing good feels good!

Rifa volunteers with Chester Sports Association with the Disabled and shared their experience:

What type of support is available?

There is plenty of support available for those wishing to volunteer. Whether you’re volunteering in a student-led project, for the Students in Schools scheme, or as part of the Peer Mentoring initiative, the team are here to support students at any stage of their volunteer journey.

Students can access our services via our Volunteer Hub. Here you can set up your online volunteer profile, which you can use to browse for volunteer opportunities, log your volunteer hours, and apply for our UCV award scheme. You can also choose to receive regular emails with the latest opportunities, based on your preferences.

The team also delivers regular events throughout the year to showcase volunteer opportunities and celebrate our student volunteers. Students can visit our Volunteer and Skills Fair, held annually in October, to meet some of our local charities and discover opportunities. You can also get involved in our campaigns, including Give Back month in December and Student Volunteering Week in February.

We can also offer 30-minute Volunteer appointments to help you explore the available opportunities, talk through how to get involved, and provide information on our volunteer schemes.

Any student that volunteers on one of our projects will also receive further support from the team. We provide full training, resources, and ongoing support for Peer Mentors, Project Coordinators, Students in Schools participants and any other project volunteers.

Finally, student volunteers can receive recognition through our UCV (University of Chester Volunteer) awards. These awards are based on the number of hours you log and encourage you to reflect on your skills and experiences. These awards will be recognised on your HEAR (Higher Education Achievement Record) and you are provided with certificates and invites to our Celebration Event.

Who can access the service?

Students of all backgrounds and years of study can access the service – have a look at what our student volunteers had to say about their experiences:

What types of projects can students volunteer for?

Students can access a huge range of community volunteering opportunities through our Volunteer Hub, where we have over 100 charities registered and looking for volunteers.

We also provide opportunities to volunteer through our own projects:

• Student-Led Projects are volunteering projects run by students, for students.
• Students in Schools is an opportunity for students to offer one-to-one mentoring, tutoring, classroom support, and much more to primary and secondary school pupils in Cheshire and the Wirral.
• Peer Mentoring is where we match current students with similar new students to acclimatise them to the University.

There are a range of student-led projects that a student can sign up for including; dog walking, environmental conservation, creating cooking videos that share tips on healthy eating on a budget, and joining a virtual book club for primary schools.

Keep in touch

You can keep up to date with Volunteering and Mentoring news by:

• Following us on Instagram @uocvolunteering
• Setting up your online volunteer profile on our Volunteer Hub
• Email: volunteering@chester.ac.uk.
• Telephone: 01244 513066.
• Visit: Careers Building, Exton Park site (Chester).

We also send out regular newsletters to our Mentors and Mentees which you can access if you sign up to be a Peer Mentor or a Mentee. For information and about this scheme, please email peermentoring@chester.ac.uk.

We look forward to supporting you on your volunteer journey!

Thinking of starting your own business or pursuing a freelance career? The Venture Programme consists of a series of events, support and guidance to help you do just that. It can help you develop the skills, knowledge, confidence and connections to be your own boss.

Venture events will challenge your thinking, expose you to the business world and give you the opportunity to make something happen for yourself. Venture is here to inspire you and to support you to be enterprising. Take a look at some start-up stories from students and graduates who have been through the programme and successfully launched a business.

You may not have a business idea just yet and be looking to explore the different aspects of starting up- or you may already be running a business and wish to hone and develop some key skills – it doesn’t matter what stage of your business you’re at, you can still get involved.

What type of support can I access?

We offer a range of support, including one-to-one surgeries and online workshops in the following areas:

• Setting up
• Sales and Marketing
• Finance and Funding
• Enterprise Skills
• Business Planning
• Legal Matters
• Online Marketing

All sessions are delivered by entrepreneurs, industry experts and business consultants and coaches. Find out more here.

What business have started from the Venture Programme?

Whatever your business idea, you can use the Venture Programme. In the past 10 years, we’ve had businesses use the programme in a range of areas and sectors including:

• Photography
• Animal care
• Food manufacture
• Wheelchair design
• Photography
• Illustration
• PR
• Custom clothing

You can check out a selection of the businesses we’ve helped to support through the Venture Programme here.

How many sessions do I have to attend?

It’s completely up to you how many sessions you attend. Some students choose to attend all sessions because they feel need help with all of the topics listed above, but some only choose to attend certain sessions depending on how far along they are with their business.

You can drop in at any stage of the Venture Programme and create a bespoke package of the support you need.

How do I get involved?

• For events and sessions, you can book on CareerHub here.
• If you want to have a chat about the programme or your business idea, you can book an appointment here.
• If you have missed one of our sessions, you can view all of our recorded sessions here.

What else do I need to know?

• Venture is open to students and graduates of the University of Chester
• Venture is for any student, studying any course – it’s not just for Business students
• You can gain recognition for taking part in Venture events through The Chester Difference Award‘s Enterprise Pathway
• Your attendance at Venture sessions will be noted on your Higher Education Achievement Record

What’s The Venture Pitch?

At the end of the year, we hold a ‘Dragon’s Den’ style pitch event. So, if you’ve attended 12 hours’ worth of Venture, have a valid business idea and want to pitch it, you can apply to do so. Ten selected businesses then have a chance to pitch to a panel of judges for their share of £5,000 of start-up funding and over £7,000 worth of business prizes including a website, business grants, iPads, office space, and business coaching to help you launch your business. Over the past ten years, we have awarded over £60,000 to student start-ups and freelancers.

Click here to check out highlights of this year’s event, including a full list of all the winners.