Student mental health worker appointed
Claire Newton has started work today as the University’s student mental health worker.
While this new role is based in the University's Equality Service (which also houses the Disability Team, Equality & Diversity Team and RNIB & University of Leeds Transcription Centre), Claire will be working closely with other services and with schools and faculties. This post has been created on an initial two-year pilot basis.
It is anticipated that this new role will attract a significant amount of interest across the University.
Once Claire has had the opportunity to familiarise herself with the existing measures in place to offer support to students both on and beyond our campus, it is likely that her main responsibilities will lie in meeting with individual students who are experiencing mental health difficulties and arranging or referring to appropriate sources of support.
Claire will also be available to offer advice to staff on how to meet the needs of individual students with mental health conditions, as well as offering training opportunities to increase staff awareness of mental health issues and of ways of signposting students to appropriate help.
Claire is a registered mental health nurse, and has a range of experience in both in-patient and community mental health care. Prior to taking up the post, Claire has been working directly with young people experiencing their first contact with mental health services.
It is recognised that this is an evolving role, and Claire will be keen to hear suggestions from both students and staff members as to how her post might best impact upon mental health management for students.
Information on when and how staff should refer students to the Student Mental Health Worker will be drawn up and published in due course.
In the meantime, we would draw colleagues' attention to our Student Mental Health Policy - as well as guidance, devised by the Student Counselling Centre, on helping students with mental health difficulties.
Posted in: Student education