Reference: FOI/2223/159

Dear Ms Forsyth,

I am writing to acknowledge receipt of your Freedom of Information request on 9th March 2023. We will respond to your request in due course and within the 20 working days stipulated by the Freedom of Information Act.

Should you need to contact us regarding this request, please use our reference: FOI/2223/159.

Kind regards,

Information Governance Team

Governance, Legal and Sector Regulation
Sheffield Hallam University
Howard Street
Sheffield S1 1WB

Telephone +44 (0)114 225 5555

www.shu.ac.uk
[email address]

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Reference: FOI/2223/159

Dear Ms. Forsyth,

I am writing in response to your Freedom of Information request regarding
student mental health services at Sheffield Hallam University. Please see
the information below in response to your request.

1.     What well-being/mental health support was available for students
during the COVID-19 pandemic?

During 2020 -21 the Student Wellbeing Service ran its standard offer to
students with adaptations to allow more remote support. Sheffield Hallam
University does not have separate counselling and mental health services.
There is a multi-disciplinary [1]Student Wellbeing Service where staff are
employed by the University and each provides several parts of the service
offer which includes:

• 1-1 Appointments (Counselling, Mental Health Support, Wellbeing
Support)
• Faith Advice (Multifaith Chaplaincy)
• Inclusive Support Team (mental health difficulty, AD(H)D, autism;
carers, leaving local authority care, estranged from family)
• Report and Support (sexual violence and harassment)
• Group Sessions and Events
• Active Wellbeing (exercise)

·       Self-help Resources

In addition, [2]Togetherall (free online support) is provided free to all
students and staff.

Students who have registered with the Student Wellbeing Service may be
offered an appointment to talk to a member of the team or may be directed
to self-help resources, a wellbeing group session or another service, as
appropriate.

Increasingly over the last few years, students have been encouraged to try
self-help resources, groups and Togetherall in advance of or instead of an
appointment.

During the Covid pandemic in 2020-21, the service offered appointments by
phone and video. Group sessions also took place via video. Also, a
[3]series of bite-sized wellbeing videos covering a range of subjects were
developed including, ‘[4]Coping in Uncertain Times’.

The Student Wellbeing Service also offers case management to students who
are at increased levels of risk (which might mean to themselves or others
but also their progression on the course might be at risk), coordinating
support with other teams such as Student Support Advisors and Disability
Support Advisors.

2.     Which languages other than English were the services available in? 

No languages other than English within the service. Mechanisms to utilise
interpreter provision has always been available for one-to-one support if
needed.

Please answer the following questions regarding services post-COVID
(2022-2023):

3.     Did mental health services change after the pandemic? What other
resources were made available and why?

·       We continued to make appointments available across a wider range
of contact methods – face-to-face, phone, and online.

·       We introduced and increased our range of Bitesize Wellbeing
resources – providing accessible wellbeing strategies and concepts in
video/ audio format as well as written.

·       We encouraged greater peer support and sense of wellbeing
‘community’ with specific workshops, and therapeutic groups.

·       We piloted a ‘Managing Long-term Health Conditions’ group

·       We purchased a Psychology Tools account which provides wellbeing
and psychological resources in a variety of formats and languages.

4.     Are they available in languages other than English?

We purchased a Psychology Tools account which provides wellbeing and
psychological resources in a variety of formats and languages.

This concludes the University’s response to your request. Should you be
dissatisfied with how the University has handled your request, please
consult the attached complaints procedure.

Regards,

David Goldberg

Information Governance Officer

[5]image001

Governance Services

Sheffield Hallam University

Howard Street

Sheffield S1 1WB

Telephone +44 (0)114 225 5555

Direct line +44 (0)114 225 6496

[6]www.shu.ac.uk

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