Support

• Your School: If you are a student, you can talk to your Head of School, Year Tutor (UG) or Mentor (PGT) or any member of staff you feel comfortable approaching to get advice and support.
• Student Wellbeing Advisors: The Student Wellbeing Advisors within the College can offer support and advice on issues affecting your student life, including signposting and referral to more specialist services. If you’re unsure where to go, this is a good place to start. You can contact them directly at [email protected].
• Students’ Union: The RNCM SU can offer free, confidential, impartial service where you can get advice and information on academic and personal issues, including advice on procedures and representation at hearings.
• Counselling Service: The College has a team of professional counsellors who offer confidential support on a range of issues and can refer students to external services, such as the Greater Manchester Universities’ Student Mental Health Service. You can contact them directly at [email protected].
• Mental Health First Aiders: Although not trained counsellors, MHFAs are there to listen, reassure and respond, even in a crisis. Look out for their details on a poster around College or contact [email protected].
• Extenuating circumstances: If you that feel your studies have been affected by what has happened you can consider applying for mitigating circumstances. Our Academic Services Team will be able to provide more information.

• Your Line Manager: If you are a member of staff, you can talk to your Line Manager or Head of Department.
• Human Resources Team: If you are a member of staff or manager, colleagues in Human Resources will be able to identify the support that’s available to you.
• Trade Unions: There are two trade unions that represent staff at the College: Unison and UCU.
• Care First: Care First is a confidential service for information and advice or counselling provided for employees and students by the College, 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year.

If a friend or somebody close to you tells you that they have been a victim of bullying, sexual violence or harassment, it can be a difficult thing to hear. It can be stressful; you might feel that you have to immediately resolve the issue for them, or you may have conflicting views if you know the person who has perpetrated the harassment. But by providing a calm, encouraging space for them to tell their story in their own words, you can really make a difference.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Allow them to say what they need to say in their own time and at their own pace. Don’t try and be a counsellor and don’t feel like you have to reply – often just listening is enough.
• Tell them it’s not their fault. Nothing they have done or not done has resulted in the experience they have been through.
• Remember not to trivialise or minimise what someone is telling you, even if it’s hard to hear.
• Stay calm, don’t judge or give your opinion. Make sure your friend knows that you fully accept them and will support whatever they need you to do
• Help your friend to make their own choices. Don’t try and push them into making decisions – empower them to be in control of their own decision making
• You can’t expect people to react in any one way. Every individual’s experience, and their response to that experience, is unique to them.
• Let them know that you care. This experience has not changed who they are or how you feel about them.
• It’s important to take care of yourself too.

Remember:

• You are not a trained counsellor: Your job as a friend is to be supportive and understanding, not to give professional help. If you feel out of your depth, signpost your friend to professional support services or contact them yourself for advice.
• Don’t feel responsible for resolving the issue: Survivors are the experts of their own lives and you should trust them to make the right choices and decisions for themselves
• Take your needs seriously: If you need to, take a supporter’s break and get some support for yourself. Not taking care of yourself can be damaging to and your friend.