Ask for support
If you’re going through a difficult time, it’s good to ask for help.
Coming to college can be exciting and rewarding. But it can also bring extra challenges and stress. This can affect how you feel. We are here to help.
As well as help from your your Guidance Tutor, you’ll get one-to-one emotional support from the Head of Student Services, Depute Head of Student Services and Guidance and Support Adviser.
Please visit the Advice Centre or email student.support@slc.ac.uk. The team can help you find services in the college and through other agencies.
Find out more about some of the mental health and wellbeing support
Mental health and wellbeing
There is a mental health and wellbeing area in the library, where you will find information on mental health topics. The college has staff trained in mental health first aid and ASIST – suicide intervention and prevention.
For information and support, speak to your guidance tutor or contact student services by emailing student.support@slc.ac.uk.
To find out more about the support available at the college, use the links below:
Student Mental Health and Wellbeing - Supported Pathways to Wellness
Finding support
There are various ways to get support:
- speak to your GP
- speak to your Guidance Tutor, the Student Association or a member of the student services team
- email student.support@slc.ac.uk
- talk to family and friends
- use the pastoral support team and college counselling service
- attend the free mindfulness and yoga classes available through the student wellbeing team
- speak to an ASIST suicide prevention trained member of staff
If you need urgent medical assistance dial 999, or go to A&E
Student counselling service
The student counselling service is a free service for students who may be having a difficult time and would like one-to-one support. To book a place, speak to your Guidance Tutor or a member of the student services team in the Advice Centre or email student.support@slc.ac.uk.
Several members of the college staff have undertaken Safe Talk, Suicide Talk and ASIST suicide prevention training. If you or someone close to you may be thinking of suicide, please visit the Advice Centre where you will be able to speak to staff in confidence or email student.support@slc.ac.uk.
Community Pastoral Support Team
Community Pastoral Support Team
Our Community Pastoral Support Team is made up of multifaith volunteers who support the students and staff within the college. The team support all students and staff regardless of faith or not and one to one sessions can be arranged. Members of the team can help with Bereavement support, relationship issues and emotional support when life gets difficult. The team can be contacted via their own email address or through student.support@slc.ac.uk
Evonne McLaughlin – Humanist
evonne@humanistassociationscotland.com
Father Frank Dougan – Catholic Church
ourladyoflourdes@rcdom.org.uk
George Sneddon – Church of Scotland
GSneddon@churchofscotland.org.uk
Kevin Boland – Humanist
kevin.boland@humanism.scot
Ruari O’Brien – Baptist Church
ruari@eastmainsbc.co.uk
Shindo Kaur – Sikh
shindokaur90@gmail.com
Weekly yoga and mindfulness classes
We provide free weekly mindfulness and yoga classes throughout term time. To find out more, speak to student services in the Advice Centre or go to the student wellbeing team page. Classes are recorded so you can do them in your own time.
Free sanitary products
Free sanitary products, including reusable options, are available to all students and staff through vending machines in the toilets, and other collection points in the campus. Holiday packs are also available.
Collection points include:
Advice Centre, Annexe Reception, Hair & Beauty Reception and Student Association.
Statement on Exercise of Functions Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act 2021
Foodbank support
If you are struggling with food costs, you can get foodbank vouchers from the Guidance and Support Advisor based in the Advice Centre. Check the Trussell Trust website for information about foodbank locations and opening hours.
For more information about help from a foodbank, speak to a member of student services in the Advice Centre.
Student mental health agreement
We want to support the mental health and wellbeing of all our students and reduce the stigma around accessing mental health support services. The Student Association works closely with college staff to continually renew our Student Mental Health Agreement (SMHA).
Student Mental Health Agreement 2018/2019
Student Mental Health Agreement 2019/2020
Looking after your mental health
Ten ways to build your emotional resilience:
- See crises as challenges to overcome, not insurmountable problems.
- Surround yourself with a supportive network of friends and family.
- Accept that change is part of life, not a disaster.
- Take control and be decisive in difficult situations.
- Nurture a positive view of yourself – don’t talk yourself down or focus on flaws.
- Look for opportunities to improve yourself: a new challenge, social situation or interest outside college. Set goals and plan ways to reach them.
- Keep things in perspective: learn from your mistakes and think long-term.
- Practise optimism and actively seek the good side of a bad situation.
- Practise emotional awareness: can you identify what you are feeling and why?
- Look after yourself, through healthy eating, exercise, sleep and relaxation.
Help from external organisations
Mental health
- Breathing Space: free and confidential phone and web-based service for people experiencing low mood, depression or anxiety. https://breathingspace.scot/ Tel: 0800 83 85 87
- Living Life to the Full (LLTF) www.llttf.com
- Sane: www.sane.org.uk Tel: 0300 304 7000
- SAMH: community-based services offering support, training and recovery for those experiencing mental health problems, addictions, homelessness and other forms of social exclusion. https://www.samh.org.uk/ Tel: 0141 530 1000
- Samaritans: 24 hours a day confidential emotional support for people who are experiencing feelings of despair, distress, or suicidal thoughts. https://www.samaritans.org/wales/samaritans-in-scotland/ Tel: 116 123
- Mind: advice and support to anyone experiencing a mental health problem. https://www.mind.org.uk Tel: 0300 123 3393
- Young Minds: mental health support for children and young people. Support for parents and young people by phone and text. https://youngminds.org.uk/
- Chris’s House: Centre for Help, Response and Intervention Surrounding Suicide: 24-hour, non-medical crisis care in Scotland. https://chrisshouse.org Tel: 01236 766755
- e-Lanarkshire mental health resources: online resources for mental health and wellbeing. Self-help booklets to understand problems and learn new ways of dealing with them. http://www.elament.org.uk/self-help-resources/
- See Me Scotland: emotional resilience toolkit with practical guidance for young people. https://www.seemescotland.org/media/8155/resiliance-toolkit.pdf
- Aye Mind: online digital resources for youth wellbeing. http://ayemind.com/
NHS support
To find your nearest GP, pharmacy, sexual health clinic, travel clinic and dentist in your area go to: https://www.nhsinform.scot/scotlands-service-directory/#maincontent
NHS 24 provides self-care advice for people in Scotland. If you’re ill and it can’t wait until your GP surgery opens call 111. The phoneline is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
NHS inform: information service