Mental Health Support Team ethos

Everyone has the right to feel safe, respected and able to access support without fear of discrimination or prejudice.

We are committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for all members of our University community. As part of this commitment, we use recognised symbols of inclusion, including the LGBTQ+ Pride flag and the red umbrella – an international symbol of solidarity with sex workers.

The imagery used throughout our materials reflects our support for LGBTQ+ communities, including trans people and LGBTQ+ people of colour, as well as sex workers, all of whom continue to experience discrimination, stigma and barriers to accessing support.

To help ensure our services are inclusive and responsive to diverse needs, team members are encouraged to share their pronouns where appropriate. Our team has also undertaken LGBTQ+ awareness training delivered by the LGBT Society. We are proud of our diverse workforce and remain committed to fostering an environment where everyone feels valued, respected and able to be themselves.

LGBTQ+

LGBTQ+ people are disproportionately more likely to have a long standing mental health difficulty.

We understand that many people from under-represented groups may have been abused, excluded or discriminated against based solely on who they are. Here at the Mental Health Support Team we want under-represented groups in society to feel seen and acknowledged.

Student sex workers

We know there has been a steady increase in students who work in the sex work industry (which has a broad range of occupations, including online work, escort work and many others), yet the stigma remains high.

Support for Student Sex Workers is a confidential sex worker-led peer support organisation that advocates on behalf of all sex workers and anyone who identifies with the sex work community. They offer tailored support with a wide choice of practical and mental health support. The team qincludes people with professional mental health experience and people with lived experience.

If you are involved in the sex work industry seek confidential support.