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There are several apps and online resources to help you remain safe, look after your mental health and general wellbeing, and support others.
On this page:
- UCLcares
- 'Here to Support You' guide
- Wellbeing workshops series and 1-to-1 peer support
- Active Bystander training
- 'Let's talk about consent': online module
- General mental health and wellbeing
- Anxiety and worry
- Bereavement
- Self-harm
- Sexual misconduct, domestic violence, bullying and harassment
- Suicidal thoughts
UCLcares
Our UCLcares blogs provide hacks, tips, and more about how you can look after your mind and body, as well as those around you. Topics include connecting with others (building your personal networks), keeping active, dealing with anxiety including around exams season, managing low marks and failed exams, and observing religious holidays, among other things. Read our UCLcares blogs.
Here to Support You Guide
Our 'Here to Support You Guide' provides information about UCL's support services and those offered in our Students' Union and elsewhere. Please visit the Here to Support You Guide webpage to access the e-booklet.
Wellbeing workshops and 1-to-1 peer support
UCL's Students' Union and PsychUP for Wellbeing have peer support programmes where you can book 1-to-1 support with trained Peer Link Workers, view pre-recorded wellbeing material, and join live online follow-up sessions. Topics vary and cover stress and relaxation, assertiveness, and perfectionism among others. For more information and to sign up, visit the SU website.
If you have any questions, please contact su.peerlink@ucl.ac.uk.
Active Bystander training
UCL has a zero-tolerance policy and says Full Stop to all forms of bullying, harassment, and sexual misconduct. You can play a role in ensuring our campus is safe and respectful for all.
An active bystander is someone who not only witnesses unacceptable behaviour, but who chooses to act and challenge that behaviour in order to disrupt a potentially problematic situation or keep it from escalating. A bystander can prevent as well as deal with the potential outcome.
If you are a student, you can participate in the Active Bystander program delivered by the UCL Students Union.
'Let's talk about consent': online module
You can help put an end to sexual violence at UCL by learning about consent and ensuring you always get consent from your sexual partners. Join UCL and Students’ Union UCL in the ‘I ❤ Consent’ campaign, complete the sexual consent online training below, and encourage your friends to complete the course too.
The training is relevant for everyone, regardless of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, race, religion or belief. The aim of this training is to empower us to shape healthy, positive and respectful relationships with others in the UCL community and beyond.
- What's covered
Topics covered in the training include:
- definitions of sexual consent
- myths and facts
- capacity to consent
- freedom to consent
- legal definitions
- responding for survival
The module should take no longer than 15 minutes to complete. Complete the training now (Moodle).
If for any reason you’re unable to access Moodle, you can also complete the training through this web version.
General mental health and wellbeing
The resources below can help you with things such as stress, anxiety, and depression. You can also find guided programmes on mindfulness to help you improve your self-care practice.
- 10 Minute Mind
Sign up to the free 10 Minute Mind programme and receive daily guided mindfulness practice to help you manage your stress levels and increase your focus and overall feeling of wellbeing and happiness. 10 Minute Mind was developed by staff from UCL Student Psychological and Counselling Services.
- Anxiety: Beat it and Regain your Peace
This course, free to UCL students, is self-paced and available to you until the end of the academic year. The course aims to provide you with: knowledge to help you understand what anxiety is and where it comes from; an explanation of anxiety triggers and help to recognise your own; and insight to enable you to learn how you can win your fight with anxiety, beating it once and for all.
Sign up to Anxiety: Beat it and Regain Peace using your UCL email address.
- Calm
Calm is a free app that teaches mindfulness, calming techniques, and meditation with the aim of helping you improve your mood. (Includes in-app purchases.)
- Every Mind Matters
Every Mind Matters is a NHS campaign promoting positive mental health and wellbeing across all different communities, Every Mind Matters includes a personalised mind plan based on your responses to a quick 5-minute survey. You'll then be sent a variety of information and resources and regular reminders to help you look after your mental wellbeing.
Visit the Every Mind Matters website and complete your mind plan.
- MindSET
MindSET is a free, interactive online resource to help young people (16-30yrs) manage their feelings of anxiety and distress and when feeling overwhelmed. It’s hosted by young mental health advocates and experienced therapists, sharing concrete skills and tools that can be used immediately.
MindSET provides...
- A weekly ‘MindSET Hour’ – a live session hosted by young people working alongside experienced and qualified mental health professionals
- Access to recorded highlights each week in the MindSET Library
Take a look at our previous sessions on YouTube and gain insights into the kind of skills and approach being offered. Find out more and access MindSET:
- The MindSET Workout – Illustrations sharing skills, exercises and ideas to help regulate emotions and manage distress.
- MindH@ck – a 1 minute ‘how to’ video showing skills in action
- Student Health App
Developed by Expert Self Care, the Student Health App provides easy access to a wealth of information on mental health and wellbeing, as well as physical health and other subjects. This app provides information tailored to UCL students.
Download the Student Health App for iOS from the App Store.
Download the Student Health App for Android from Google Play.
- Wellmind app
The free WellMind app from the NHS that provides advice and tips on how to improve mental health and wellbeing. The app allows you to monitor moods, get crisis help and use relaxation audio tracks.
Anxiety and worry
Anxiety UK
Supporting those who experience an anxiety disorder with a range of services and resources, online peer support groups and therapist-led anxiety management courses. Visit the Anxiety UK website.
Read more about support for anxiety from external organisations.
Bereavement
- Restoring Hope leaflet
This leaflet is about what you can do to help yourself, how others can help you, how you can help other people who may be struggling to cope after the death of someone close, and where you can get more advice and support.
- Child Bereavement UK
Support for young people, up to the age of 25, who have experienced a bereavement. This site also includes Android and Apple apps that help you cope with bereavement.
- What's Your Grief?
What's Your Grief? offers an online supportive community, resources including online short courses, and discussion about grief.
Self-harm
distrACT app
Developed by Expert Self Care, the distrACT app provides easy, quick, and discreet access to general health information and advice about self-harm. It was created by practising medical doctors together with young adults and experts in self-harm and suicide prevention.
- What's in the app?
The distrACT app has the several sections, with reliable answers to your questions in plain language – anywhere, anytime, and in private, including:
- About self-harm: Check out what self-harm is, why people self-harm, and how to spot the warning signs.
- Self-help: Learn how to identify your needs, manage the urge to self-harm, and use safer alternatives.
- Support: Find out how to get support, where to go for further help, and what to say.
- Chill zone: Discover new resources that may help you feel better when you're struggling or feeling tense, including art, books, films, music, poems, quotes, stories, and online videos.
- Emergency: Know what to do in an emergency, how to access help, and how best to work together with health professionals.
The distrACT app has been created by practicing medical doctors together with young adults and experts in self-harm and suicide prevention.
Sexual misconduct, domestic violence, bullying and harassment
- Bright Sky
Sky is a mobile app and website for anyone experiencing domestic abuse, or who is worried about someone who might be. Includes a questionnaire to assess the safety of a relationship, plus a section on dispelling myths about domestic and sexual abuse.
- Report + Support
If you’ve witnessed or experienced harassment, discrimination or sexual misconduct, you can report this anonymously on Report + Support. You can also find information and resources about support available here.
If you are comfortable with providing more details about the incident and your contact details, you will receive a follow-up and will be guided to access further support from advisers, who can:
- talk through UCL's procedures
- inform you on how to make a complaint
- let you know what support is available
For advice and support on filling out these reports, you can contact the Students’ Union UCL’s Advice Service.
You can also get in touch with the Students’ Union UCL Women’s Officer, who leads campaigns to support women students across the university and can also advocate on your behalf.
Suicidal thoughts
Below is a list of useful resources to support those experiencing suicidal thoughts, along with suggestions for training to help you support others.
Download a safety plan template (PDF 250KB)
- Apps
Stay Alive app
A free Apple or Android app that provides access to national helplines, a personalised mini-safety plan, and guidance on how to help others who may be suicidal.
Find out more about the Stay Alive app and download.
Jason Foundation - 'A Friend Asks' app
A free information and resources app for Apple and Android to help yourself or to prevent the suicide of someone you know. Includes a ‘Get Support Now’ section for crisis situations.
Find out more about the Jason Foundation - 'A Friend Asks' app and download.
- Recommended training
'Let's Talk' suicide awareness training
This is a free training course from Zero Suicide Alliance focussing on suicide awareness, including the following:
- how to spot the signs
- how to have a conversation about suicide using scenarios
- personal stories to further reinforce the importance of being suicide aware
The training takes approximately 20 minutes to complete Take the 'Let's Talk' suicide awareness training.
Public Health England (PHE) e-module
This new training resource hopes to raise vital awareness of suicide for the wider public health workforce, including those in health, social care, the charitable sector and the public. This e-learning package provides information about suicide and what we can do to help prevent it.
Launched on World Mental Health Day, the 'We Need to Talk about Suicide' initiative, developed jointly by Health Education England and PHE, highlights the impact of suicide on individuals, families and communities.
Everyone has a role to play in asking about suicide .You don’t need to be an expert in mental health to do it. If you are worried about someone don’t be afraid to talk to them, you won’t make things worse, and you can only help.
The training takes approximately 1 hour to complete. Visit the Public Health England (PHE) e-module.