2.3 HASS Welfare Team
The welfare team can also be a point of contact if you have concerns about a fellow student, and feel unable to speak to them yourself.
You can contact our Welfare Team directly at welfare.penryn@exeter.ac.uk, or via the phone on 01326 371847 or 01326 371875.
Or if you’re on campus ask at the Penryn Info Point in Peter Lanyon to speak to a Welfare Advisor.
If you are worried about anything, please tell us. No concern is too small, and we are here to help. It is normal for most students to go through periods of feeling overwhelmed or unhappy at some point, and although you may feel that you can cope alone it always helps to talk to somebody. We will never judge you, and all conversations are confidential. In most cases we can offer reassurance and put measures in place to help you, or signpost you to others with more expertise. Where issues are more serious, you may be able to interrupt your studies. The worst thing you can do is suffer in silence!
Pastoral Mentors
There’s lots of support available to you throughout your time at here at the university, but it can be tricky to know when and what type of support you may need to move forward, and what actions you can take to move through any challenges you may experience. We have a dedicated Pastoral Mentor, Hannah Lyons, who works with students in our department to help them feel empowered to understand what’s going on for them, what their next steps may be, and enact the change that needs to happen.
Hannah can work with you to untangle complex challenges that may be creating barriers to engagement or may be impacting your experience. Hannah will work with you along your end-to-end journey of support, making sure you have what you need, when you need it – until you feel confident and in-control of your studies!
Your Pastoral Mentor may reach out to offer support if a concern is flagged – this could be through data (e.g; non-submission of work or non-attendance for a period) or staff referral (staff may refer you to her if they feel you could benefit from a chat).
Hannah will be holding drop-ins during term time: Tues and Thurs 12:00-13:30 in A168b, Peter Lanyon Building. You can also contact Hannah at any time for an appointment: pastoralmentors.hass@exeter.ac.uk.
A note for parents or carers
We work hard to support all of our students, and encourage them to develop their independence in a way that recognises that asking for help is a sign of maturity. The transition into UK higher education can be challenging for even the most well-prepared students, so we try to put in place support structures that provide multiple ways to access information and to seek advice. Our Academic Personal Tutoring system provides every student with a dedicated member of academic staff who oversees their wellbeing and progress throughout their degree. They will be asked to meet with their Academic Personal Tutor several times each year, and they will normally be the first point of contact should your son or daughter have any concerns, but as detailed above there are many alternative individuals and services available to them.
We are unable to share any information directly with parents and carers about an individual student unless we have clear and direct permission from them (usually in writing). Where that permission is in place, we are in most cases happy to work with families to resolve issues but we do encourage students to approach us directly in the first instance. You can find out more in our Information for parents webpage.
We may have already met you at our Open Days and Offer Holder Visit Days, where it’s always a pleasure to see your enthusiasm and pride for your children - we look forward to seeing you again on Graduation Day!