Your Welfare

We work closely with the various other services within the university and the community.

Our welfare support is confidential and non judgmental.

We are here to listen, provide advice and make referrals to specialist services so that you are able to succeed in your studies.

We understand that there are times when you need some support.

Wellbeing

We work closely with Wellbeing. Your wellbeing is important to us and we want to ensure you feel well so that you can achieve your potential.

Should you need support around your mental health there are a range of advisers offering support such as counselling and a variety of other therapies.

Should you need out of hours support we have partnered up with Home Group in order to provide you with a support service during the evening, through the night and over weekends. They are a team of experts who are there to listen and make appropriate referrals to support services.

For more information on this and the various other support available through Wellbeing please look at their webpages - Wellbeing

Staying active

Physical activity is good for your wellbeing and mental health. It might involve walking, participating in competitive sports or swimming.

It may simply be going for a walk. There are so many beautiful places to visit in and around Sunderland. Many are accessible by public transport or by walking.

Why not visit the National Glass Centre, there are exhibitions throughout the year – and a great café to catch up with friends over a coffee. You can also check out the Winter Gardens and Museum and have a stroll around Mowbray Park afterwards for some fresh air.

If you’re a football fan, or have seen the Netflix series and can’t resist attending a game, the Stadium of Light is a fantastic venue to take in professional football. Get tickets directly from the club and remember to wrap up warm in the winter!

For more fun ideas about what to do in your free time, click here.

Luckily, Sunderland has great transport links to other cities such as Newcastle and Durham which make for great day trips. TimeOut Magazine have listed the best places to visit in Newcastle that you can make you way through, and the same for Durham.

The university has excellent sports facilities sport and fitness. Memberships are cheap and the equipment is outstanding. City Space gym is central to City Campus, with changing spaces and shower facilities, it makes it easy to use at any time of day.

There are also numerous sports teams and clubs you can join. They will give you opportunities to meet new people and keep active. If you like the competition a team or club is definitely worth a go!

Belonging

Joining a student society will be beneficial for your welfare and wellbeing.

Being part of a society will help you settle into student life and will give you opportunities to meet new people who share similar interests to you.

You may even want to join a society which is something completely new and different to what you have experienced before.

No matter what it will give you positive experiences and a chance to develop.

Our Student Union has various societies to choose from. Why not have a look, if there is something which interests you get in touch and if you enjoy it, join!

Culture shock

You have chosen to study in a different country with a different way of life and culture to your own.

You might find that there are some similarities. But sometimes you might find it difficult to adjust.

Different weather, food, clothing, pace of life can sometimes be difficult to adapt to.

There are so many ways of making it easier to settle into a new culture. It could be getting involved with clubs and societies, accessing university support services or it could be by accessing support from within the community, such as faith groups.

You might even want to link in with other students who can offer one to one advice to you and help you through difficult times.

Or it might be that you need some suggestions for where to visit, or some hints and tips.

The university have partnered with UMII which is a free online platform which allows you to connect with other like minded students. You need to download the app and once you have built your profile you can start connecting with others. It is great if you are feeling lonely and it also can help you settle into student life in the UK.