Local Welfare and Support Services

The SU Student Advice Team offer free, independent, confidential support service to students – contact them at advice@oxfordsu.ox.ac.uk or come along to their drop-in sessions.

The University Counseling Service can be reached at counselling@admin.ox.ac.uk or 01865 270300, and offer 1-1 appointments or group sessions. The service also offers supportive resources, such as podcasts and pamphlets.

Find out more www.ox.ac.uk/students/welfare/counselling

Peer Supporters are trained by the University Counselling Service. There should be at least 1 in each College, and there are also a few cross-university networks, such as Peers of Colour and Rainbow Peers (for anyone who is BME or LGBTQ respectively). www.ox.ac.uk/students/welfare/counselling/peersupport?wssl=1

The Disability Advisory Service can be reached on disability@admin.ox.ac.uk or 01865 289850. Around a third of students registered with the DAS have a mental health condition, one third have specific learning difficulties, and the final third have physical impairments / mobility issues. The DAS can help you with anything from lecture accessibility to special considerations for exams – get in touch sooner rather than later!

Oxford SU's campaigns work to support and campaign for students. Join their mailing lists to get updates on events and key lobbying priorities: www.oxfordsu.org/campaigns/

Nightline (trained volunteer-led listening service) operates from 8pm to 8am every night in term time: contact them online http://oxfordnightline.org/ or call on 01865 270270.

For personal safety and security issues, contact Belinda Hopkins (belinda.hopkins@admin.ox.ac.uk) in the University Security Office, who is able to put together personal safety plans: www.admin.ox.ac.uk/ouss/cra/

Gambling- Students can fall into problem gambling for any number of reasons. The financial pressures facing students continue to mount and gambling can be seen as a quick fix for money problems.

But gambling can quickly escalate out of control, and addiction can cause you to lose huge amounts of money in a very short amount of time. This can be a particular problem for students with existing mental health issues.

You can try to use Gamban which blocks access to gambling websites. You can download it here.

Hardship Funding

Financial constraints can lead to welfare concerns, so please reach out to the numerous forums across the Collegiate University that may be able to assist.

University Fees and Funding Office – where there are also a list of available scholarships www.ox.ac.uk/students/fees-funding/search?wssl=1, student.funding@admin.ox.ac.uk
University Hardship Fund www.ox.ac.uk/students/fees-funding/assistance/hardship/uhf?wssl=1
Access to Learning Fund www.ox.ac.uk/students/fees-funding/assistance/hardship/alf?wssl=1

Departments

Departments may be able to provide specific funding for your course / research, so do have a quick search around on your department’s website or have a chat with departmental staff for more information.

For example, if you are a graduate student, studying American history, politics & IR, or literature and culture, and encounter financial difficulties: Rothermere American Institute has a hardship fund www.rai.ox.ac.uk/students/hardship-fund

College / Permanent Private Halls

Each college / PPH will likely have their own hardship funds that you are able to apply to – you should be able to get in touch with your Common Room committee or a financial bursar to find out more.

Colleges / PPHs may also provide access to specific scholarships for certain groups, for example:

Regents Park provides a scholarship for Muslim applicants, with the Aziz Foundation
Balliol provides a students’ scholarship (for tuition and living costs) for refugees / asylum-seekers.

External Resources

The Oxford Mental Health Network has recently launched, helping to find mental health resources that work for you, in the Oxford area: www.omhn.org

This includes events and information for:

Rethink: www.rethink.org
Student Minds have hold regular information sessions and resources at www.studentminds.org.uk
Students Against Depression: www.studentsagainstdepression.org.uk
Oxfordshire Mind: 01865 263730 www.oxfordshire-mind.org.uk
B-eat- Eating Disorders: www.b-eat.co.uk
Enough! SRSH: informal and confidential group for students suffering from disordered eating www.srsh.co.uk

Alcoholics Anonymous: 0845 769 7555 www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk

FRANK- Drugs Advice: 0800 776600 www.talktofrank.com

Oxford Friend LGBTQ+ Support (with links to the Oxford Homophobia Awareness Liaison Team): 01865 726893, confidential@oxfordfriend.co.uk

Stonewall www.stonewall.org.uk

Drug Science www.drugscience.org.uk/

Disability Rights UK www.disabilityrightsuk.org

Sexual Health:

GUM clinic (Churchill Hospital)
Your College / PPH is able to purchase contraception at cost-price from Oxford SU

The Samaritans (a national listening service) can be contacted at 01865 722122

Counselling Directory was set up by a team who know how difficult it can be to find support. Through their own experiences of mental health issues, they have learnt how important having relevant information is and how the right support can help transform lives. You can find infomation about their service here, www.counselling-directory.org.uk

Resources for Sexual Violence

Oxford University will eventually launch a sexual violence reporting centre, which will be run under Student Welfare and Support Services – talk to director.swss@admin.ox.ac.uk for more info.

The Oxford Sexual Abuse and Rape Crisis Centre at 0800 783 6294 or support@osarcc.org.uk

SARC – Solace Centre: www.solacesarc.org.uk/find-solace

National Rape Crisis Helpline: 0808 802 9999

National Domestic Violence Helpline: 0808 2000 247

Reducing the Risk of Domestic Abuse: www.reducingtherisk.org.uk/cms/

Remember in an emergency, always call 999. If you want to contact the police in a non-emergency, call 101, and if you want to contact health services in a non-emergency, call 111.

Harassment in the University:

The University will this year be opening a modernised centre for the provision of advice and to ensure the well-being of those reporting harassment or sexual violence. The centre will be run under Student Welfare and Support Services – talk to director.swss@admin.ox.ac.uk for more info.

The central university has an excellent harassment policy – however, this applies only to the University, with each college having their own independent policy. The majority of colleges have now adopted the University’s policy as standard, however not all have.

To read the University’s current Harassment Policy, please follow this link:

http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/eop/harassmentadvice/policyandprocedure/

The University’s Equality and Diversity Unit run a Harassment Advice service. At least 2 trained harassment advisors are appointed in each department and faculty. If you have recently experienced an incident of harassment, the University recommends that you discuss the situation with a harassment advisor before taking any other steps in response to the alleged harassment. Talking through the events and your feelings with the advisor will help you decide on the best way to deal with the behaviour and will clarify the options available to you. To find out more about harassment advisors, what they can do, and how to contact them, follow this link:

https://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/eop/harassmentadvice/

For support dealing with sexual harassment and/or violence:

At Oxford SU, your Student Advisors and your VP for Women are trained in dealing with disclosures of sexual violence and can be a supportive and understanding point of contact for any student who has experienced sexual harassment and/or violence. They are able to provide resources for, and assistance with, accessing Oxford services, so that you do not have to go through the process alone.

OSARCC

The Oxford Sexual Assault and Rape Crisis Centre is a charitable organization, which provides listening services and support groups for survivors of sexual violence who self-identify as women.

https://www.oxfordrapecrisis.net/

For helpline support 0800 783 6294 or 01865 726 295 or email support@osarcc.org.uk

For appointments, referrals, and enquiries 01865 725 311 admin@osarcc.org.uk

REFUGE

REFUGE is a charitable organization providing a range of services for abused women and children.

http://www.refuge.org.uk/what-we-do/our-services/refuges/

REFUGE provides safe houses for women and children escaping domestic violence. If you or a dependent are experiencing, or are at risk of experiencing, domestic violence, you can contact the 24 hour national domestic violence helpline on 0808 2000 247. The helpline is run in partnership between Refuge and Women’s Aid. It is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week for women experiencing domestic violence. All calls are confidential.

The Thames Valley REFUGE advisory service supports anyone in the area who has experienced or is at risk of experiencing sexual violence: http://www.refugesexualviolenceservice.org.uk/

Survivors’ Network

Survivors’ Network is a charity operating in Sussex. Students of the University of Oxford are welcome to use their helpline services. Survivors’ network has a specific helpline for trans and non-binary survivors of sexual violence which operates every Sunday from 1-5pm.

01273 204050

http://www.survivorsnetwork.org.uk/tags/trans

SurvivorsUK

SurvivorsUK is a London-based service for male survivors. They are an inclusive service welcoming anyone who identifies as male, trans, non-binary, has identified as male in the past, or anyone who feels that SurvivorsUK are the right fit for them. They provide a variety of services for survivors including an online helpline service accessible via their website:

https://www.survivorsuk.org/

Stay Brave

Stay Brave is a new charity which focuses on campaigning and working with legislatures and services to develop better policies for all survivors to ensure that any survivor of abuse, regardless of gender or orientation, gets the help they need and respect they deserve.

https://www.staybrave.org.uk/

National Rape Crisis Helpline: 0808 802 9999

National Domestic Violence Helpline: 0808 2000 247

Reducing the Risk of Domestic Abuse: www.reducingtherisk.org.uk/cms/

Emergency Action for Survivors

In most incidents of sexual violence, DNA evidence needs to be collected within 72 hours in order to be viable —but a sexual assault forensic exam can reveal other forms of evidence beyond this time frame that can be useful if a survivor decides to report.

Sexual Assault Referral Centre:

Who is this for?

Anyone regardless of gender or age can seek help

What do they do?

SARC centres perform forensic examinations, provide crisis support and independent advocacy and support with practical matters, and can also give telephone advice

Where is the nearest centre?

Solace Centre – Bletchley

Buckingham Road

Bletchley

Milton Keynes, MK3 6TP

08455 197 638

Depending on which college you are affiliated with, you may be able to travel to and from SOLACE through a pre-paid taxi available to book through your junior deans or head porter. Information on this service in your college should be found through your junior deans.

Hospital

After an incident of sexual violence, students can attend thr GUM clinic in the Churchill Hospital for assistance.

Churchill Hospital

Old Road

Headington

Oxford OX3 7LE

t: 01865 231231

Unlike other GUM clinics in Oxford, the Churchill offers full STI screenings and can prescribe PEPSE (post-exposure prophylaxis following sexual exposure to HIV). The Churchill also has Sexual Health Advisors who are trained to provide support for survivors.

Please be aware that GUM clinics or hospitals in general cannot collect forensic evidence, but may be able to record other evidence of sexual assault (e.g. bruising)

The Police

The police can provide a Specially Trained Officer (STO) to work specifically with survivors, an STO can:

Take the survivor to a SARC centre
Attend & support through the SARC forensic medical examination
Advise on options in facilitating decision to press charges or not
Maintain contact through investigation and legal procedures.

The Thames Valley REFUGE advisory service supports anyone in the area who has experienced or is at risk of experiencing sexual violence:

http://www.refuge.org.uk/our-work/our-services/thames-valley-isva-service/