Help For Students
Being a student is a time of many firsts and changes. It is an exciting time in your life, but also a time that can bring challenges for some.
Our students are a significant and important part of the G2 family, and we want to do all we can to support you through your studies and time with G2. We can always provide a listening ear and spiritual support but there are certain practical challenges you may face for which others within and beyond your university can provide more effective assistance. We’ve put this page together so you can quickly connect to those who can assist with common student challenges.
Wherever you are studying you will be allocated a personal supervisor (University of York) or academic tutor (York St John University). This person is individually assigned to provide you with guidance and assistance throughout your time as a student. We recommend that you take time to get to know them. They can do so much more for you than just help you address challenges that you face. But if you do experience challenges of any sort you should contact your personal supervisor or academic tutor first as they can easily connect you to others within your university who can help you.
Getting Medical Assistance
One thing you should do – and which your university requires you to do – is to register with a local GP practice. This makes it easier for you to access medical services in the local area should you need to. If you have a pre-existing (mental) health condition it is really important that you register with a local medical practice so that you can continue to receive the care that you need whilst you are at university.
For University of York students, the closest GP to campus is Unity Health.
York St John University students can register with the Student Health Centre.
Money and Finance
If you are facing financial hardship (e.g. because your student loan is late arriving) and don’t have money to buy food, your university will have a student hardship fund and/or short-term loans that you can access to provide temporary financial support. See the following sections for specific information about the student hardship fund and other financial support available to you from your university.
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The University of York has a cost of living hub to provide information and resources to help you cope with rising costs of living. The Student Support Fund provides longer term financial help to students who are experiencing unexpected financial difficulty due to an unforeseen change in their circumstances. The University also provides Emergency Loans. Speak to a Student Adviser at the Student Hub if you are experiencing urgent financial hardship.
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The YSJ Student Support Fund provides financial assistance to students in financial need. Contact fundingadvice@yorksj.ac.uk. York St John students also have access to Blackbullion, a suite of online financial wellbeing resource and money management tools to help you take control of your finances and improve your financial skills. Register online at www.blackbullion.com.
Feeding Yourself
One of the challenges and joys of student life is cooking for and feeding yourself – and if you get good at cooking you will never be short of friends! But at the current time, the cost of living and the price of food are rising rapidly, so the greatest challenge can sometimes be affording to feed yourself. You can reduce your costs by what you choose to eat but if you cannot afford to feed yourself, don’t go hungry. There are seven foodbank locations in York including Tang Hall, Fishergate, and Gillygate (https://www.trusselltrust.org/get-help/find-a-foodbank/york/). There is no shame in obtaining food from a foodbank if you cannot afford to feed yourself.
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If you are a University of York student, you may also be able to get food vouchers through the university.
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York St John students can access the YSJ larder, which offers basic necessities and toiletries to help support students facing short-term financial hardship. Contact the Student Funding Advice team at fundingadvice@yorksj.ac.uk to access the larder.
Health and Wellbeing
If you have any health or wellbeing issues, both universities provide a wide range of health and wellbeing support services, either directly through the university or through links to community providers. Organisations such as Student Minds can provide mental health support for you or your friends.
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There are lots of Health and Wellbeing support and resources available through the university for a range of academic, personal and medical concerns including academic pressures, stress, sleep, anxiety, depression, relationships, eating issues and many more.
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The wellbeing team comprises different specialist practitioners, including counsellors and other mental health specialists. You can access the service by completing the online self-referral form. All students can access the Health Assured Service for videos, factsheets, 4 week plan templates, and live chat and support from counsellors. The university also has a range of self-help resources covering issues such as stress, sleep, anxiety, depression, living with others, eating issues.
Accommodation
If you need somewhere to live or are having trouble with your accommodation, your landlord or your housemates, the accommodation office at your university can help.
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See the information on Campus Accommodation and Private Sector Accommodation. The Student Support & Advice Team in the Student Hub can also help.
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See the Accommodation information or contact accommodation@yorksj.ac.uk. If you are in private rented accommodation, you can also get advice and support from the Wellbeing Team by contacting wellbeing@yorksj.ac.uk.
Other Issues
This guide only offers a brief overview of some of the most commonly-accessed forms of support, but your university can help you in many other ways. For support with other issues not described here:
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Speak to a Student Adviser at the Student Hub
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See https://www.yorksj.ac.uk/students/holgate-student-centre to find out how to access other services
Student Unions
Don’t forget that you are automatically a member of your university’s student union. The Student Unions at both universities provide help and support to students through their own trained advisors. The services they offer complement those offered by your university and they can offer support in other ways too, such as helping you find opportunities for part-time work.
