Student Welfare advice during the COVID-19 outbreak
This list of resources and guidance has been created with input from welfare staff across the colleges and the wider University.
Sources of Information
The following websites offer details and updates around the rapidly changing public health situation in the UK and abroad, including advice on what to do if you develop symptoms of coronavirus:
- The University’s FAQ page is regularly updated following government advice
- The Public Health England website and Twitter page
- The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) website
- The GOV.UK government response website
The following websites provide a range of online resources and advice for managing your mental health during this challenging time:
- Big White Wall – free to use service giving access to a global welfare community, moderated by mental health professionals (available to students with an active University of Oxford e-mail address: register under "I’m from a university or college")
- Mind – advice for everyone from charity Mind, which focusses on how to cope with self-isolation/ staying at home
- Student Minds – a range of resources for people with existing health conditions, and who are struggling with social distancing, or have experienced xenophobia
- Centre for Disease Control and Prevention – advice around managing anxiety and stress
- The Mental Health Foundation
- BBC advice on protecting your mental health
- World Health Organisation – mental health considerations and coping with stress during the outbreak
- NHS advice on self-isolation and dealing with stress, anxiety or depression.
- NHS mental health apps – the majority of which are free
- COVID-19 and Anxiety – advice from the charity Anxiety UK
- COVID-19 and OCD – advice from the charity OCD-UK
- COVID-19 and working from home – advice from MHFA England
- Advice from The Blurt Foundation who support people with depression and anxiety
- Eating Disorders and Coronavirus – advice from Beat, the UK’s eating disorder charity
- Advice from UK charity The Mix – The Mix provides free, confidential support for young people under 25 via online, social and mobile
- Suggestions for looking after yourself from the Oxford Centre for Anxiety Disorders and Trauma – part of the University’s Experimental Psychology department
The Student Welfare and Support Services are open but have transitioned all services, including Counselling, the Disability Advisory Services and Sexual Harassment and Violence Support, to a remote service. The building on Worcester Street is closed with all staff working remotely. Online and telephone appointments are being offered, and students should continue to refer themselves to the relevant services through the existing routes. Students can also make use of the free self-help resources available on the website.
Details of college chaplains and contacts for other faith groups are available on the University website here.
Oxford University Coffee Ambassadors offer 1:1 meetups (online) with a trained peer supporter, many of whom are DPhil students.
Covid Mutual Aid UK is a group of volunteers supporting local community groups organising mutual aid throughout the Covid-19 outbreak in the UK. Focusing on providing resources and connecting people to their nearest local groups, willing volunteers and those in need.
If you are still in Oxford, Oxford Together run by the Oxford Hub is working on building a community response to Covid-19. Become a community champion and help others across the city by checking in on those who are at high-risk on your street or making phone calls to check in on those who are self-isolating. Click here to sign up and support your local community.
Students Against Corona is working to provide support to local communities both nationally and internationally. As part of this there is a specific OxfordAgainstCorona Facebook group.
The Oxford Psychological Interventions for Children Group, have created an online advice resource about supporting children and young people with worries about Covid-19.
We appreciate that the uncertainty around academic arrangements for the coming months will be a key concern for students. You can keep up to date with the latest announcements from the University under the “Advice for students” section of the University website here. During this period of uncertainty, it remains important to take care of your physical and mental well-being so with that in mind, here are some suggestions of free activities to keep you occupied in your spare time.
- Podcasts are available on the University website, the BBC, and many other outlets
- Audiobooks are available on the BBC or elsewhere online
- Practice Mindfulness with an audio session from the Oxford Mindfulness Centre, or explore the resources on the Ten Percent Happier website
- See if your local library has an app that allows you to borrow eBooks, audiobooks or magazines from home for free
- Take a Virtual Tour around one of these museums
- Enjoy streams from world-class opera houses that are being shared in response to the outbreak – have a look at the Metropolitan Opera and Paris Opera websites
- Get outside and enjoy some fresh air – go for a walk or take the opportunity to try out running with the NHS Couch to 5k app
- Try out some free online yoga
- Learn how to make a home gym from household items while self-isolating
- Read 100 useful things you can do to kill boredom if you're quarantined at home because of Coronavirus