By Courtney Stevens
Mental health and wellbeing service Life Links has partnered with the students’ union at De Montfort University to offer student support groups every Thursday.
The groups take place every Thursday between 2pm and 3pm in The Pod room which is located in the campus main building.
Each session has a different focus and they teach students self help tools and coping strategies to be able to manage their mental health independently.
The groups are run by two trained recovery workers and are open to all students who may need help with their mental health.
Daisy B, a volunteer coordinator at Life Links, highlighted why it’s important for services like this to be available to people:
“There are long waiting lists across the country for people to access mental health support.
“With our free service, people are not just able to access one-to-one support without joining a waiting list, but they can also access group support and meet like-minded individuals.”
Life Links is aimed at those 18+ who are experiencing poor mental health and help is available through peer support groups, free workshops and courses and one-to-one support.
Kate D, a service volunteer at Life Links, explained why she got involved with the organisation and why she recommends others to get involved too: “I’m planning on becoming a therapist in the future and I wanted to gain the necessary skills and knowledge, while at the same time help those in need of support with their mental health.
“I would recommend other people get involved, especially those pursuing a career in psychology or counselling.
“Volunteering is very rewarding as you can help those in need for four hours a week of your time which can then potentially make a big difference in someone else’s life.”
Information about upcoming Life Links sessions at DMU can be found on the DSU events page https://events.demontfortsu.com/
More information about the services available through Life Links and how you can get involved can be found on its website www.rflifelinks.co.uk/
