Student Update: Wellbeing: Tuesday 21 April 2020

Please be aware that this information was shared with students by email and correct at the time of sending. For the latest Covid-19 guidance, please visit our coronavirus webpages: www.wlv.ac.uk/coronavirus. If you are a student who has a query or needs support, please log a helpcall with ASK@WLV in e:Vision (www.wlv.ac.uk/evision).

Student Update: Wellbeing: Tuesday 21 April 2020

Live Wellbeing Student Question & Answer Event: Friday 24 April 2020

The ever changing nature of the COVID-19 crisis is affecting people in all kinds of different ways.  Your health and wellbeing is a priority for us and we also realise that you are reaching a crucial stage in your studies and need all the support that you can get – both with your learning and with your wellbeing, especially as lockdown restrictions continue.

We will be holding a Live Wellbeing Question & Answer Event on the Chatify platform on Friday 24 April 2020 between 2.00 pm and 4.00 pm for any students who have questions relating to wellbeing issues you may be experiencing that might be affecting your learning or your ability to study.

To take part in the Live Wellbeing Q&A Event, all you need to do is follow this link https://www.wlv.ac.uk/current-students/student-live-qa-/ and we will have a team of specialists on hand to answer your query, whether it be about your mental health, a disability, funding, additional needs or just an enquiry about support.

WLV Gym and Technogym bring you free fitness in your home

It really does help to try to stay active during the lockdown period and WLV Gym is taking steps to help you keep fit and healthy in your home by partnering with Technogym. All students can download a fully interactive app to your smart-device that will provide you with daily home workouts and challenges, and will motivate you with leader boards and milestone records.

To benefit from this FREE app, visit www.mywellness.com/wlvgym and sign up for an account then download the “mywellness” app and sign in to get started.

You can also follow WLV Gym’s social media channels (@wlvgym, @wlv_sport) to keep you informed about the latest Gym and Sport updates, as well as other great tips and guides for staying healthy. If you have any questions please email: gym@wlv.ac.uk.

Coaches’ Kitchen

Academic Coaches and Graduate Teaching Assistants have created a virtual social hub for students who are experiencing lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new online facility has been created as a new topic on the student learning portal, Canvas, where a range of regular activities are being hosted.  The idea is based around an initiative called Coaches Kitchen which was held in the University’s Chaplaincy which encouraged students to cook and eat together, creating a safe space with community focus.

The activities on offer include weekly ‘cookalongs’ where students can log on and watch Academic Coaches cook their lunch or follow recipes.  A list of ingredients is provided and students can add recipes, tips and pictures of their food.  Everyone then eats lunch together virtually.

The team is also hosting Netflix watch parties where students can gather virtually to watch the latest films or series.

Samaritans

Anyone can contact the Samaritans for free either by calling or emailing them. If you need someone to talk to you can call them on 116123. The phone is answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week. At some times of the day, there are lots of calls, but if your call is put into a queue it WILL be answered. If you don’t feel able to talk on the phone you can email them on jo@samaritans.org. They aim to respond to your email in 24 hours and will support you for as long as needed. When people ring, they can't see your phone number and when you email they can't see your email address.

Their service is strictly confidential so they are providing a safe space for callers to talk to them about how they are feeling.  There is more on the Samaritans website https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/support-and-information/if-youre-having-difficult-time/if-youre-worried-about-your-mental-health-during-coronavirus-outbreak/

Welfare Website Pages & FAQs

There is also a wealth of other information that you may find useful if you are looking for support in other areas: https://www.wlv.ac.uk/current-students/student-support/student-support-and-wellbeing-ssw/.  Please also refer to the dedicated website Coronavirus page for FAQs on a wide range of subjects: https://www.wlv.ac.uk/news-and-events/coronavirus/coronavirus-faq/

I look forward to answering some of your questions at the Live Q&A Event on Friday but in the meantime, I hope you enjoyed the Easter break and please do continue to follow government guidelines about social distancing and staying at home.

Julia Clarke

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Student Experience)