Student Wellbeing Service

With your back to the Guildhall and the Portsmouth Central Library on the right, face the pedestrian bridge that goes towards Winston Churchill Avenue. Instead of crossing the bridge, go down the flight of the stairs to the left.

At the bottom of the stairs, cross the road and follow it around to the left. Just round the corner, you’ll see a small flight of stairs on the right with a handrail.The entrance to Bateson Centre is at the top of the steps.

Cross at the traffic lights outside the Eldon Building and turn into the pedestrianised route by the Portsmouth Courts. Opposite the entrance to the Court building is a pedestrian pathway, and you’ll see a grey sign for the Bateson Centre.

Follow the arrows up ahead, and you’ll reach the entrance to the building within a few minutes.
 

Introduction:

The University of Portsmouth’s Student Wellbeing Service is dedicated to promoting the mental health, emotional wellbeing, and personal development of all students throughout their academic journey. 

We provide a range of professional services designed to help students thrive both academically and personally. Our team comprises counsellors, mental health advisers, wellbeing advisers, operational staff, and external partners who are committed to delivering compassionate, student-centred services and short-term interventions.

The Student Wellbeing Service recognises that university life can present various challenges, and we aim to provide the advice, support and resources students need to help overcome obstacles to realise their full potential and have a meaningful university experience.

Mission Statement:

To work in collaboration with the university community to enable the wellbeing, emotional and mental health of students through the delivery of quality services which are both accessible and inclusive.

Principles of Service:

• Enabling: We aim to enable students to realise their own knowledge, skills, and resources to effectively manage their wellbeing and introduce tools and strategies to optimise these.
• Inclusivity: We are committed to creating a welcoming, accessible, and inclusive environment for all students, respecting and celebrating diversity in all its forms.
• Person-centred Approach: We focus on individual needs, providing tailored short-term interventions that respects the unique circumstances and goals of each student.
• Quality and Ethical Assurance: We are committed to maintaining high standards of quality, adhering to relevant ethical and professional guidelines, and adopting best practices.
• Collaborative: We work closely with the university community and external partners to deliver a holistic approach.
• Trust: We ensure students feel safe and comfortable seeking support in a trauma-informed environment.
• Agile: We ensure services are delivered with agility, responding to student needs, the demands of the academic cycle, and providing timely access to appropriate support.
• Continuous Improvement: We are committed to ongoing evaluation and improvement of our services to meet the evolving needs of our student population.
• Boundaried: We recognise our safeguarding responsibilities and act upon these accordingly in line with university policy and procedures. We are not an NHS service (we do not diagnose and cannot prescribe medication) and will be clear as to whether presenting needs can be met by our service or whether referral to other specialist services are needed. We operate during working hours and are not a crisis service. 

How We Deliver This:

Direct Support Offer for Students:

• Group Therapeutic Spaces and Support Groups: Opportunities to connect with peers and share experiences and the provision of psychoeducation.
• Mental Health Appointments and Referrals: Professional guidance and referrals to specialised services.
• Wellbeing Advice Sessions and Short-term Intervention: Daily advice sessions to provide immediate support as well as longer-term wellbeing support utilising evidenced-based interventions. 
• One-to-one Short-Term Counselling: Personalised support from qualified counsellors. 
• Facilitate referrals to external services: ie Adult safeguarding, GP referral, secondary mental health etc. 

All of our interventions are available in person or by video and/or phone to accommodate student preferences.

Other Support: 

• Urgent Intervention and Support: Prioritised and timely assistance for students in urgent need.
• Online Self-help Resources and Tools: Accessible resources for self-guided support.
• Consultation Services for Staff and Faculty: Expert advice to support the wider university community in their support of students.
• Engagement with Internal and External Networks: Collaborative efforts to facilitate appropriate referrals and joined-up support.

Further Information and How to Access Support:

You can find more information regarding the services available and how to access them on our Student Wellbeing Service webpages - Student Wellbeing Service. 

If you are in crisis or need urgent support, please see our Urgent Support advice page.