Wellbeing - Looking after ourselves and our community

Your Campus Counselling Team

Our campus-based counselling team offers confidential support to students facing various challenges, including academic stress, anxiety, depression, relationship issues, and more. Staff are here to listen and assist you in developing coping strategies to overcome difficulties. Email them directly: counselling@ucenmanchester.ac.uk 

Your 24/7 Confidential Support Service – PAM ASSIST

As a student of UCEN Manchester, you're entitled to 24-hour support, 365 days per year from our partner PAM Assist.  You can telephone them for free on 08081 963533.

Their digital platform features online CBT, mindfulness for mental health, a virtual gym, and sleep and nutrition advice for physical health.  To log in follow the instructions below:

1. Pam-assist.co.uk
2. Click ‘Activate ORG code’ in menu 
3. Organisation Code = Student1 (with uppercase ‘S’) 
4. Confirmation LTE Group Students 
5. Click on ‘Yes I Confirm’ 
6. Finally, setup your own log-in details

If you experience any difficulties accessing your Pam Assist account, please contact the Wellbeing Team: wellbeing@ucenmanchester.ac.uk 

Taking care of your well-being is vital to achieving your academic and personal goals. As well as internal support, Greater Manchester has a host of charities and specialist support dedicated to promoting positive mental health. We encourage you to explore all that is available and don’t hesitate to reach out for support whenever you need it. It’s what they are there for:

Useful contacts

This list covers just some of the services and groups running in Manchester. You can also go to Hub of Hope and enter your postcode to find other support groups and services near you. 

• AA 24-hour national helpline for support with concerns about drinking: 0800 9177 650 
• Anxiety UK for support with an anxiety condition (Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 5.30pm): 03444 775 774 
• Beat for support with and information about eating disorders (Monday to Friday 12pm to 8pm & Weekends 4pm to 8pm): 0808 801 0677 (or 0808 801 0811 for students or 0808 801 0711 for children and teens) 
• CALM for mental health support for those who identify as male, aged 15-35 (daily, 5pm to midnight): 0800 58 58 58 
• Cruse Bereavement Care for emotional support for anyone affected by bereavement (Monday and Friday, 9:30am to 5pm; Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 9:30am to 8pm): 0808 808 1677 
• Manchester Carers Centre for emotional support and practical advice for unpaid carers (Monday to Thursday 10 to 3pm): 0161 2727 270 
• Manchester Rape Crisis support for females who have experienced rape or sexual abuse (please see Safeline below if you are male) (Monday-Friday 10am to 4pm, plus 6pm to 9pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays): 0161 273 4500 
• ManKind Initiative for male domestic abuse helpline (Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm): 01823 334 244
• Marie Curie for support for people with a terminal illness and their family and friends (Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm, Saturdays 11am to 5pm): 0800 090 2309 
• Mind Infoline for questions relating to mental health (Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm): 0300 123 3393 or text 86463 
• Mind Legal Advice Service for legal advice around your mental health (Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm): 0300 466 6463 
• Mood Swings for anyone with concerns about their mood (including, but not limited to anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, psychosis) or about someone else’s mood (Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm): 0161 832 37 36 
• NA helpline for people concerned about their substance use (daily, 10am to midnight): 0300 999 1212 
• National Gambling Helpline support for concerns around gambling (daily, 8am to midnight) 0808 8020 133 
• National Stalking Helpline advice and information for anyone currently or previously affected by stalking or harassment (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 9:30am to 4pm; Wednesday 1pm to 4pm): 0808 802 0300 
• National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC) helpline to talk about your experience of abuse in childhood and how it affects you (Monday to Thursday 10am to 9pm, Friday 10am to 6pm): 0808 801 0331 NSPCC 24-hour helpline for adults concerned about a child: 0808 800 5000 
• Papyrus for under 35-year olds experiencing thoughts of suicide, or if you are concerned about someone who is (Monday to Friday 9am to 10pm & Saturday and Sunday 2pm – 10pm): call 0800 068 4141 or text 07786 209697 
• Prisoners’ Families Helpline offers practical and emotional support, information and advice to families of people who have been imprisoned (Monday to Friday 9am to 8pm, weekends 10am to 3pm): 0808 808 2003 
• Refuge for domestic violence and abuse 24-hour helpline: 0808 200 0247 
• Rethink offer practical advice for people with mental health conditions on treatment and therapy, debt, benefits, court, the police and your rights (Monday to Friday 10am to 2pm): 0300 5000 927 
• Safe Spots charity supporting females experiencing domestic abuse (also offer support in-person): 07873 889 637 
• Sane for anyone affected by a mental health problem or who is concerned about someone who is (daily, 4:30pm to 10:30pm): 0300 304 7000 
• Silverline 24-hour support line for over 55s: 0800 470 80 90 Support Line offers emotional support with any issue (opening hours vary, phone up to check): 01708 765200 
• Safeline support for males who have experienced sexual assault or rape (Monday/Wednesday/Friday 9am to 5pm; Tuesday/Thursday 8am to 8pm; Saturday 10am to 2pm): 0808 800 5005
• Switchboard help and support for those who identify as LGBT+ (daily, 10am to 10pm): 0300 330 0630 
• The Mix helpline (not crisis support – see above for crisis service) for under 25s (4pm to 11pm daily): 0808 808 4994 
• The Sanctuary available every night 6pm to 1am if you are struggling to cope: 0300 003 7029 
• Young Minds helpline offering support to parents (Monday to Friday 9:30am to 4pm): 0808 802 5544 

If you find yourself in a crisis or need immediate assistance, you should call 999 and request an ambulance or go straight to A&E. You can also call NHS 111 or request an emergency GP appointment.

Samaritans and Shout can support you during a mental health crisis. Young Minds and The Mix also offer 24-hour crisis support if you are under 25.

Samaritans 24-hour crisis helpline: 116 123 

Shout 24-hour crisis support via text (not phone calls): text SHOUT to 85258 

Young Minds 24-hour crisis messenger (under 25s): text YM to 85258 

The Mix 24-hour crisis texting service (under 25s): text THEMIX to 85258 

In some areas of England, you can find a crisis house. This is a place to stay for a short time when you are in a mental health crisis and feel you would be safer staying away from home. Visit the Mind website to start looking for one in your area. Crisis houses - Mind

As part of our commitment to supporting student mental health and wellbeing, all students are asked during enrolment each year to provide additional details of a trusted individual to be their ‘Wellbeing Contact’.  By providing these details, you consent to UCEN Manchester contacting this person in non-emergency situations but where there are concerns about your wellbeing.  Full details can be found here: Download PDF 

Contact Us:

If you have any questions, concerns, or need assistance, don't hesitate to contact our well-being team:  Wellbeing@ucenmanchester.ac.uk

Your wellbeing contact

Your contact should be a person that you trust who we can contact in non-emergency situations, but when there are concerns about your wellbeing.  If you didn’t provide this information at the start of the academic year, or your Wellbeing Contact has changed, I’d like to encourage you to follow these six simple steps outlined below to ensure that we have the name of your trusted person and their contact details, should the need ever arise.

Please note, by providing a Wellbeing Contact you are giving your permission for us to contact them in non-emergency situations.  

How to provide a wellbeing contact:

1. Click on the student Portal / Payments webpage 

2. Click Student Hub

3. Once on Student Hub click on the Student Support tile

4. Click Apply Site

5. Click on the Wellbeing Contact button

6. Add your Wellbeing contact details and click Save.

UCEN Manchester is committed to providing a safe space with equal, inclusive and mutual respect for everyone. All members of our community to include students, staff, visitors and contractors are expected to take an active role in ensuring that all interpersonal relationships and interactions are underpinned by mutual respect, open communication and clear consent.

If you, or another student at UCEN Manchester, is suffering physical, emotional, psychological, financial or sexual abuse, harassment, bullying, racism, homophobia, transphobia, religious hate or any other form of mistreatment you can report it to your Personal Tutor, our Future U Student Support Team or any other member of staff whom you trust.  

Your report will be reviewed by the Head of Student Support, Advice and Wellbeing within 48 hours and they will contact you directly to advise of next steps in line with our policies and procedures. 

Please note, if you chose not to complete your personal details and report anonymously, we will be able to record the incident but can take no further action. 

For emotional and wellbeing support, please contact wellbeing@ucenmanchester.ac.uk or visit our bookings section to book an appointment directly.