Welfare Officer
For support, advice, and guidance.
What do I do for you? I’m here to help make your time in UCD some of the best years of your life so far, to promote and support positive mental health on campus and to strive for the equality of every single student here.
I can help you with financial assistance, your well- being and your sexual health. Basically anything that you need, just come along and pop into my office for a chat and I’ll help get things back on track.
To contact your student welfare officer, email [email protected] or pop down to the SU corridor in the old student centre!
Student Counselling Service
For counselling and personal development
When we are in need of support, we often turn to friends and family for help. Sometimes this is enough, but there can be times we feel we need additional support, or it may be that we feel we cannot ask for support from friends or family. Sometimes it is easier to talk to someone outside of friends/family about what we are experiencing, rather than someone close to us.
Counselling provides an invitation to speak privately with a professional about any problems that are worrying or upsetting. Talking to people who are trained in a special way to listen to problems can deepen a person’s understanding of what is happening and develop alternative ways of dealing with the situation.
If you are unsure whether you need counselling or whether counselling would be helpful for you, do not hesitate to contact the service and/or make an appointment, so you can discuss this with a counsellor and have your questions answered.
By seeing a counsellor for a first appointment, you do not commit yourself to further sessions of counselling.
Making an Appointment & Opening Hours We encourage students to contact the service themselves directly to make an appointment, either:
- by phone at 01-7163133 or
- by calling into the Student Health Centre in the Students Centre and make an appointment at reception. It would be helpful if you could print out and complete the Student Counselling Registration Form beforehand and bring it with you to reception.
- Our opening hours are Mon – Fri 9.30 am to 1.00 pm and 2.00pm to 5.00 pm. Appointments are offered during these times. A limited number of evening appointments are available during the year.
There is no charge for our service.
Student Advisers
Support you through your degree
The Student Advisers provide support for all students throughout their university experience, particularly during their first year. We are located in the five Colleges and either attached to particular programmes or to specific groups of students. We work closely with the administrative and academic staff as well as with the chaplains and other support staff. We are here to help you make your time at UCD as fulfilling and enjoyable as possible. You can call to see us in relation to personal, social or practical issues. From simple requests for information to more confidential and serious matters, we will give you the time and space to talk things through.
To find your student adviser: http://www.ucd.ie/studentadvisers/
Education Officers
For academic support, advice, and guidance.
UCDSU has two education Officers. The Undergraduate Education Officer and the Graduate Education Officer. They both work to represent students on issues that affect their education here in UCDSU. Whether that is helping you get grinds, discussing financial issues, helping with extensions, to ensuring that modules are properly structured so you get the best education possible.
If you want to get in touch with your education officers, head down to the SU corridor in the Old Student Centre or else visit the UCDSU website!
Email: [email protected]
Financial Assistance
Financial support services in UCD
UCD itself has a range of financial supports to help students most in need. From the Welfare Fund to the Student Assistance Fund, there are a few different options to choose from. If you think you might qualify, get in touch with your faculty student adviser, or else the Students’ Union welfare officer ([email protected]) , who can provide you with more information.
http://www.ucdsu.ie/canwehelp/money/
Chaplains
For personal worries and spirituality
Chaplains are often asked what chaplains do! We offer personal support and advice in complete confidence to students who come to us. We have excellent facilities at St. Stephen’s where students can meet and make friends and form a community of like-minded people. (Nobody need be lonely or isolated in UCD). We all need a listening ear at times, someone who will not sit in judgement on us, but just be there to offer support and care or practical help, in complete confidence. A problem shared is a problem solved! Do come and talk to us when you need to. That is what we are here for. To contact the UCD Chaplaincy team, click here!
UCD Access Centre
For support, services, and facilities for students with disabilities
The Disability Service provides a wider range of supports to students who are registered with the service. If you feel that you are eligible for this service, follow this link for more information:
http://www.ucd.ie/openingworlds/ucdaccesscentre/
Crèche
Childcare within UCD
Opening Hours: 7.45am-6.15pm
Age groups catered for: 4mths-8yrs
Centre Fees: For more details please ring (01) 2695143 or email www.ucd.ie/creche
Student Subsidy: Can be applied for by contacting Ms Fran Rooney by emailing [email protected] . Each case is taken on its own individual merit and is means tested. A maximum of 50% towards crèche fees can be given.
Student support: UCD Parents Society ([email protected])
Students’ Union Welfare Officer ([email protected])
Outside UCD
Support services outside UCD
Samaritans
Samaritans provides confidential non-judgemental emotional support, 24 hours a day for people who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those which could lead to suicide.
They offer their service by telephone, email, letter and face to face in most of their branches.
Helpline: 1850 60 90 90
Email Support Service: [email protected]
Aware
Aware is a voluntary organisation formed in 1985 by a group of interested patients, relatives and mental health professionals, whose aim was to assist that section of the population whoses lives are directly affected by depression. 400,000 different people suffer from depression in Ireland at any one time.
Phone: 1890 303 302
e-mail: [email protected]
Reachout.com
Reachout.com can help you get through the tough times by offer information and guidance about Mental Health.
Emial: i[email protected]
Phone: 01 764 5666
Console
Console provides Professional Therapeutic Counselling, support and helpline services to those bereaved through suicide with respect, dignoty and compassion.
Phone: 1800 201 890
www.console.ie
email: [email protected]
Pieta House
Pieta House is a non-profit organisation providing a specialised treatment programme for people who have suicidal ideation or who participate in self-harming behaviors.
Phone: 01 601 0000
E-mail: [email protected]
Belong To
www.belongto.org
Belong To supports LGBT young people in Ireland
Phone 01-670 6223
Bodywhys
www.bodywhys.ie
Bodywhys is the national voluntary organization dedicated to supporting the 200,000 people in Ireland affected by eating disorders.
Email : [email protected]
E-Mail Support: [email protected]
Phone:01-2834963
Helpline: 1890 200 444
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for A.A.
Tel: 01-8420700
Email: [email protected]
Adult Education Centre
Support, services, and facilities for mature students
This is a centre that provides supports and facilities for mature students in UCD. Check out the website here: http://www.ucd.ie/adulted/
Ronan Murphy is the Mature Students’ Advisor and can help you out with most college related queries!
Contact Ronan at [email protected] or 01 716 8245
or can be located at:
Ronan Murphy,
Access & Lifelong Learning
Mature Students’ Adviser
Room G101, Newman Bldg.
Helping a Friend
How to help a friend
Active Listening Skills
Friends often know the most about whatever’s going on in our lives – from the hilarious/mortifying/scandalous events of the night before to the more serious stuff, like what’s getting us down. If one of your friends is going through a tough time, you can help just by being there to listen.
Let them talk
Giving your friend the chance to talk can help them get stuff off their chest and manage how they’re feeling. Sometimes if you’ve had a similar experience, it can be tempting to tell them your own story. This mightn’t be the right time to do that – it might be better just to let them talk and tell them about your own experiences later on.
Don’t judge
Try and be as supportive as possible towards your friend. Keep a really open-mind and help them figure out the best solution to their problem.
Avoid giving advice
Advice is a tricky thing. If you’ve been through something similar, it can be helpful to let them know what worked for you, but everyone’s different. They might need to find a different way of dealing with what’s happening. Let them know your opinion is just an opinion, and they shouldn’t feel they have to agree.
Use open-ended questions
Open-ended question, like the name suggests, let people open up a bit more. They often start with ‘how’ or ‘what’. For example ‘How do you feel about …?’ can open people up more than ‘ Do you feel like…’ What you’re then doing is letting them get whatever’s bothering them out in the open and figure it out. Another good way to approach this is to ask ‘Can you tell me about…?’
Let them know you’re listening
Show you’re listening – it lets them know you care. There’s a few ways of doing this: ask questions to get a better understanding of what they’ve been talking about say what you think, feel or sense about what they’ve said repeat back in your own words what they’ve been saying.
Body language
Open body language can make someone feel more comfortable speaking to you what’s worrying them. Try and keep eye contact with the person you’re speaking with. Try not to look over their shoulder. Sit with your arms by your side or in your lap rather than crossed and stretch out rather than being squished up in a chair. Think about the cultural background that your friend comes from – this can change what’s considered to be warm and friendly body language. Check out body language to find out more about this.
Be supportive
Reassure your friend that their feelings are ok and that there’ll be a way through whatever’s going on.
Getting help
Your friend might find it helpful to talk with someone like a counsellor, psychologist or doctor has more information about how these people can help. You can also help them find someone to talk to. You could offer to go to with them when they go to see someone if that would be appropriate. All the supports above are very accessible, or you can contact Please Talk at: [email protected]
“Talking is a sign of Strength”, Please Talk
#TalkToMe