Our Features Editor, Leah Langley, brings you a piece on the support network at Loughborough.
Starting university can seem very daunting and scary, but there are many people that will be able to support you through your journey and make it as easy as possible. This article will introduce you to everything Welfare and it will also explain more about the support available for members of the LGBTQ+ community.
The Welfare and Diversity section is run by the Executive Officer, Salomé Doré, and the office can be found on the top floor of the Students Union. There is both a Facebook page (LSU Welfare and Diversity) and Twitter page (@LSU_Welfare) which can be followed for all updates.
The Section overlooks 7 individual areas: Disabled Students Network, Ethnic Minorities Network, LGBT+ Association, Loughborough Women’s Network, Mature Students Association, International, CASH (Consent and Sexual Health), Heads Up – Mental Health, and NightLine. The section aims to represent the underrepresented students within the university and help them in any way they can.
One way to ensure your welfare is to make sure that you are registered at the University Medical Centre to ensure that you can access all treatment. This can be done by visiting the website for a registration form or going in and asking for one. All Hall Chairs and Welfare reps within student halls are trained in mental health awareness and are always available for students to talk to.
The LGBTQ+ section of the university is there to support all who fall under the LGBTQ+ umbrella. It is headed by Chris McLeod and there is a Facebook page which can be found at Loughborough LGBT+ Association and Friends. This Facebook page is an open one, but for anyone that is not yet out there is a close Facebook page that you can be added to by either messaging the open page or Chris. The association is there for people to learn about the LGBTQ+ community as well as enabling people to feel supported and make a new group of friends. They are involved in many campaigns around the university, such as the Pride March and can often be found at university events.
The journey at university may be tough, but there are people there to support you every step of the way.
Editor’s note: most societies and sections have a welfare rep, if not, you can always chat to the head of the group. Here at Label we don’t have a welfare rep, but I’m always available if you would like to talk to 🙂
