World-class counselling at Leeds
A new online counselling service is enabling the University to extend its duty of care to students who cannot physically access the Student Counselling Centre on campus. This service has not been developed to replace one-to-one counselling, but to offer the centre’s services to those who were previously unable to use them.
“The service is designed for students on study abroad programmes who aren’t able to access local services, disabled students who cannot attend the centre or those who can’t visit the centre because of cultural or religious reasons,” explains James Taylor, Student Counselling Services. “The aim is to mirror the dialogue that takes place in face-to-face counselling sessions. Student and counsellor agree an initial contract then ‘meet’ online at the appointed times for a series of 50-minute sessions.”
The system is synchronous – meaning that counselling takes place in real time – and uses chat room technology that is designed to be completely confidential. Users don’t have to download any special programmes to access the service and the site won’t appear on internet use history. Students wishing to use the service register using a simple online form.
"We believe that this synchronous service is the first of its kind in higher education, and provides previously under-represented students with a safe, easy way to access counselling” says Nigel Humphrys, Head of the Student Counselling Centre. “Together with the other options available, it means Leeds is in a better position to offer all our students a world-class counselling service.”
