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#Help and Support #Wellbeing

Your LUU Wellbeing Update – 21/10/2020

The academic year is now underway and students are facing new challenges under the local and national lockdown restrictions. It’s more important than ever that everyone looks after their wellbeing and uses support systems where needed.

Here at LUU, you can find the Help and Support team in the foyer every day, and our Advice Team are available online 9am-5pm on weekdays to provide you with the advice and support you need. Below, we’ve rounded up useful resources covering everything from wellbeing classes to mindfulness resources for you to explore.

Remember, we’re available via email or on the phone (0113 3801 400) if you are in need of advice or information.

LUU Wellbeing Events

We’re delighted to announce that wellbeing classes including yoga, HIIT, kung-fu, mindfulness and meditation are resuming. All are online events with the exception of wellbeing kung-fu which will be hosted at The Edge. Alongside our wellbeing activities, we are still running The Yorkshire Cuppa event down in Pyramid every week day between 10am-6pm. All the details including how to sign up to wellbeing classes can be found on our What’s On guide.

The NHS Five Ways to Wellbeing

1.     Connect to others

–        Join the Facebook community group

–        University tips on how to connect during lockdown

–     Leeds Bereavement Network might be a useful resource for those dealing with loss

–     The Suicide Prevention Network aims to support those at risk of suicide

–     Coping with Coronavirus features lots of self-help guides on topics such as anxiety, bereavement and setting your kind goals for yourself

–     Student Space is a fantastic platform for numerous wellbeing resources

2.     Stay active

–        The Edge are posting new home workout blogs and videos every week

–        Find lots of free exercise routines on the NHS website

–        Sport England have some great advice, tips and guidance on staying active in and around the ­house

–        Get in touch with our wonderful meditation teacher James if you’d like to take part in his meditation classes online

–     Also, our brilliant Qigong teacher Xiao will be running online classes so feel free to get in touch directly to sign up

3.     Learn something new

–      Try the Thriving During Isolation quiz to get an idea of how best you can ensure your wellbeing during lockdown

–      Interested in learning some coaching skills? Try the 10 Days to Happiness course by Action for Happiness

–        Sign up to the Creative Quarantine newsletter for some daily inspiration

–        British Sign have a pay-as-you-feel course designed to teach British Sign Language

–     Learn how to grow your own vegetables or just learn more about your garden

4.     Give to others

–     You may want to check out the different volunteering opportunities with the NHS

–     Woodhouse Mutual Aid are collecting food for Rainbow Junktion. Find updates and collection points via their Twitter

–        Leeds City Council and Volunteer Action Leeds have launched a project to volunteer with them

–      Help design positive artwork for the opening of Leeds Mental Wellbeing Service in November

–        Contact We Care Leeds to find out more about how you might be able to help locally

–        Alex Sobel MP is compiling a database of volunteers to help the community in Leeds North West

5.     Helpful Mindfulness resources

–     Headspace

–     CALM app

–     Mind

–     Wellbeing and Mental Health during Covid-19 booklet

 

Community Events

This week we’re spotlighting some fantastic services running events this month. Leeds Mind are launching Young Black Minds, aiming to provide peer support to anyone across the district of Leeds aged 16-25 who identify as male.

Another brilliant service in Leeds is Rainbow Junktion café who are partnering with Woodhouse Mutual Aid to collect donations for food parcels and pre-prepared meals for the local community. They are taking donations at their collections points – Hyde Park Book Club and The Chemic Tavern – until the end of October.

Black Lives Matter and anti-racism resources

–       LUU Exec officer’s list of BLM resources

–       Official Black Lives Matter Network

–       Touchstone

–       The Racial Justice Network

–       The Black, African and Asian Therapy Network (BAATN)

–       Rachel Rickett’s Anti-racism Resources

 

Useful links

–       LUU Advice team

–       Advice FAQs and online knowledge bank

–       University FAQs

–       University counselling service

–       Government guidelines