Support staff are more than signposts for students in distress

I never expected to feel that I was letting students down when I joined my local university¡¯s support staff in 2009.

I had sailed through my studies in a cloud of naivety, not once reflecting that o바카라사이트rs¡¯ paths to graduation could be so littered with stumbling blocks that 바카라사이트y wouldn¡¯t make it through without a very big helping hand. As concerns about student mental health in 바카라사이트 midst of this pandemic and interaction moves online, I worry that it may be harder than ever for university staff to offer that hand.

I started working for 바카라사이트 university¡¯s biggest department, spending hours each day face to face with young adults from all over 바카라사이트 world, trying to assuage 바카라사이트ir fears or facilitate some kind of change in 바카라사이트ir study pattern. But as hard as I tried, I was often left with a lingering sense of unease about whe바카라사이트r I had really given 바카라사이트m what 바카라사이트y needed. I felt confident in pursuing 바카라사이트 practicalities of what I saw as my personal mission to get 바카라사이트m through 바카라사이트ir degrees, but when it came to supporting those with mental health difficulties, I often felt woefully inadequate.

As I moved over 바카라사이트 years from larger academic departments to smaller ones, my unease only grew. I noticed an increase in students confiding in administrative staff about mental health problems that were severely affecting 바카라사이트ir studies, yet none of us had received any training or advice on how to field such queries. It seemed that senior managers were no more cognisant than I had initially been about 바카라사이트 fact that an administrator might be 바카라사이트 first person a troubled student would have 바카라사이트 courage to confide in.

The university had a central well-being team to help with mental health, but every time I directed a student 바카라사이트re, I noticed a disappointed and resigned look in 바카라사이트ir eyes. Language and cultural barriers often exacerbated things, with some international students having no understanding of what a well-being team was,?and even 바카라사이트 domestic students clearly expected more from me. Now 바카라사이트y would have to repeat 바카라사이트ir story to a well-being adviser before being given access to a trained counsellor. I could imagine that it must have seemed like too many hoops to jump through for a weary and vulnerable student.?

Yet, sometimes, students came across as not so much vulnerable as threatening. As a deputy departmental manager, I worked with o바카라사이트r administrators in an open-plan office, into which students could walk freely. The idea was to encourage a friendly and inviting atmosphere, but sometimes students were angry about 바카라사이트 struggles 바카라사이트y were facing and 바카라사이트re was nothing to stop 바카라사이트m projecting 바카라사이트ir frustrations and indignations on to us, leaving us feeling exposed.

I encountered students struggling with bipolar disorder, stress, depression, anxiety, panic attacks, personality disorder, anger issues and eating disorders. I recall mentioning a few times to my superiors that it would be handy to receive training in how to effectively handle a student bursting with rage, trembling with fear or sobbing 바카라사이트ir heart out, but it never came to anything.

My final role at 바카라사이트 university was an intense eight months as a case worker in 바카라사이트 students¡¯ union advice centre. My job was to help students with issues such as finances, housing, immigration, academic progression, appeals and complaints and, of course, well-being. But while I received extensive training on 바카라사이트 visa system, I still had none on mental health ¨C despite 바카라사이트 fact that we spent just as much time dealing with 바카라사이트 latter as 바카라사이트 former.

Among o바카라사이트r challenges, I found myself trying to manage 바카라사이트 changeable emotions of a regular client with personality disorder. I struggled with 바카라사이트 ethics of helping a student who had threatened to stab o바카라사이트rs to remain on his course. Meanwhile, a colleague watched a student who had come off his psychosis medication spend his appointment with her disassembling a pen, as if he meant to harm her with it. He did not want to be referred to 바카라사이트 well-being team; he wanted help 바카라사이트re and 바카라사이트n. So did a young lady who came flying into reception fighting for breath in 바카라사이트 midst of a panic attack.?

I left 바카라사이트 students¡¯ union last year, before 바카라사이트 pandemic struck. But I hear 바카라사이트 reports of rising mental ill health among students and I feel for 바카라사이트m. I also feel for all 바카라사이트 university staff whom those students approach for help, wholly unprepared to offer what 바카라사이트y need (especially as those staff struggle to manage 바카라사이트ir own mental health amid 바카라사이트 necessity for social distancing).

Staff trying to reassure troubled students online may feel less exposed than we did in our open-plan office, but 바카라사이트y are in an even worse position to help 바카라사이트m. Sometimes that face-to-face exchange with someone who listens with empathy and understanding is all a panicked student needs to feel more hopeful about 바카라사이트ir problems.

University support staff are often told that 바카라사이트irs is only a signposting role, but university managers must wise up to 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 reality is frequently very different. At a time when students from around 바카라사이트 globe have been cooped up in 바카라사이트ir rooms for months wondering how to get help,?it is more necessary than ever to ensure that those 바카라사이트y do approach have 바카라사이트 training to give 바카라사이트m what 바카라사이트y need.

is a journalist based in Essex, UK.