Soft Market Testing for Student Counselling

Descriptions

Background We have 15 000 students across 3 campuses and 20 different academic departments in Colchester, Southend and Loughton; we are ranked in the top 20 for the most international student community (Source: Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2018). Students study at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, in both Taught and Research contexts. Students live both on and off campus and represent a truly diverse community, including some under the age of 18. At Essex, in line with the national picture, we have seen a significant growth in the demand for student mental health services. Our student wellbeing services work to provide a professional and proactive service for students within a wider safe, healthy and inclusive environment. It is our ambition to support our students to fulfil their potential as individuals and to enable them to be active participants in their own educational experiences and the transformational opportunities available to them at the University of Essex. The appointed service provider would need to have an understanding of the educational context, including the student journey and be able to demonstrate competency in applying that knowledge in order to deliver those services set out in this invitation to tender. Current Service Students can access the counselling service by completing an online form which is reviewed by the student wellbeing and inclusivity service or by directly contacting our current partner organisation for student counselling. Students are able to receive four sessions of face-to-face, telephone, or video-based counselling. There is also a 24-hour student wellbeing support line that students can ring for ad-hoc support or for their counselling assessments.