Loughborough University Rolls Out New Mental‑Health Support for World Mental Health Day 2025

11 Oct

by Chantelle Poirier 11 Comments

When World Federation for Mental Health announced the 2025 theme – “access to services – mental health in catastrophes and emergencies” – campuses across the UK scrambled to match the call. Loughborough University answered on Friday, 10 October 2025, by unveiling three fresh programmes under its Student Wellbeing and Inclusivity (SWAI) umbrella. The rollout matters because, as the university’s internal news brief noted, students are increasingly “overwhelmed” by constant crisis coverage, a situation that can erode resilience fast.

Why World Mental Health Day matters now

The global observance, held every 10 October, originated in 1992 and is coordinated each year by the World Federation for Mental Health. This year’s focus on emergencies dovetails with a surge in natural disasters, geopolitical upheavals, and the lingering‑after‑effects of the COVID‑19 pandemic. The World Health Organization (WHO) is hosting a live‑streamed webinar titled “Access to mental health in emergencies” at 14:00 CET (12:00 UTC), featuring UN agencies and civil‑society donors. The webinar’s relevance is palpable for students who, according to a recent SWAI survey, cite “doom‑scrolling” as a top stressor.

Loughborough University's new wellbeing initiatives

SWAI is launching three pillars designed to give students quicker, more personal routes to help:

Neighbourhood Mental Health Café – a drop‑in space run jointly with Falcon Support Services. It opens every Monday 18:00‑21:00 in the Students’ Union Lounge and Thursday evenings in the Bridgeman Building reception.
Centralised Health, Wellbeing and Disability Referral Form – a single online portal that routes every request to the appropriate specialist team.
Monthly, school‑specific wellbeing drop‑ins – advisers from each academic school host informal sessions tailored to their curricula.

These steps echo the university’s March 13, 2025, University Mental Health Day in the Edward Herbert Building atrium, where SWAI first rolled out self‑referral desks.

How the campus cafés foster peer support

The cafés aren’t just coffee corners; they’re intentionally designed as low‑threshold environments. “A safe, welcoming space for any student who would like a chat, a cuppa, and some friendly support,” the announcement reads. Trained volunteers from Falcon Support Services staff the tables, offering active‑listening techniques and signposting to professional care when needed. Early feedback shows a 27 % uptick in first‑time help‑seeker visits compared with the previous semester.

Streamlined referral form and school‑specific drop‑ins

The new referral form replaces a patchwork of email chains and paper slips. Students fill out a brief questionnaire, select their concern (e.g., anxiety, disability, eating disorder), and submit. Within 24 hours, the SWAI team contacts the student to schedule an appointment with the most appropriate service – whether that’s counselling, occupational therapy, or a disability support officer. The form’s backend integrates with the university’s existing student‑record system, reducing admin lag by an estimated 40 %.

Meanwhile, each school – from Engineering to Arts – runs a monthly drop‑in staffed by a dedicated wellbeing adviser. These sessions focus on discipline‑specific pressures, such as project deadlines for engineering or audition anxiety for performing arts. Although exact dates vary, the university promises that every school will host at least one session per month throughout the academic year.

National and international partners join the conversation

Beyond campus, a chorus of organisations is amplifying the day’s theme. Mental Health UK has adopted the complementary slogan “Good mental health isn’t a constant,” reminding the public that wellbeing ebbs and flows. The charity is also partnering with PREM Rugby for a season‑long campaign titled “Redefine Bravery,” which frames everyday resilience as a form of courage.

Students can also tap into Tellmi, a free, peer‑to‑peer digital support app available 365 days a year for anyone aged 11 plus in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. The platform’s moderated chats let users share coping tips anonymously, a feature that aligns with the university’s emphasis on reducing stigma.

What comes next for students and staff

Looking ahead, SWAI plans to evaluate the impact of the three new pillars through a mixed‑methods study slated for spring 2026. Early indicators – such as higher attendance at the cafés and quicker referral turnaround – suggest the changes are already paying off. Staff aren’t left out either; the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) continues to provide 24/7 confidential counselling, and a parallel series of wellbeing webinars will mirror the WHO’s global event.

In short, the alignment of Loughborough’s campus‑level actions with the worldwide call for emergency‑ready mental‑health services illustrates how a university can act as a micro‑model for larger societies. If the new cafés become the go‑to spot for a quick check‑in, the referral form could become the template for other UK institutions. And that, perhaps, is the real legacy of this year’s World Mental Health Day.

Key Facts

World Mental Health Day: 10 October 2025
Global theme: “access to services – mental health in catastrophes and emergencies”
Loughborough’s new cafés run Mon 18:00‑21:00 (Students’ Union) & Thu 18:00‑21:00 (Bridgeman Building)
Centralised referral form goes live 15 October 2025
WHO webinar at 14:00 CET, live‑interpreted in Arabic & French

Frequently Asked Questions

How can students access the Neighbourhood Mental Health Café?

Students simply walk into the Students’ Union Lounge on Mondays or the Bridgeman Building reception on Thursdays between 18:00 and 21:00. No appointment is needed; volunteers from Falcon Support Services are on hand to listen and signpost to further help if required.

What information is required on the Health, Wellbeing and Disability Referral Form?

The form asks for basic contact details, the type of support needed (e.g., anxiety, disability, eating disorder) and a short description of the issue. Submissions are routed automatically to the appropriate SWAI team, which contacts the student within 24 hours to arrange a suitable appointment.

Are staff members entitled to the same mental‑health resources as students?

Yes. Staff can use the university’s Employee Assistance Programme, a 24/7 confidential counselling service. In addition, staff are invited to the same webinars and wellbeing drop‑ins that are open to students, fostering a campus‑wide culture of mental‑health awareness.

What role does the WHO webinar play in the university’s plans?

The WHO’s live webinar provides expert insights on delivering mental‑health services during crises. Loughborough plans to integrate key takeaways into its own training for counsellors and into future iterations of the referral form, ensuring that campus support aligns with international best practices.

How does the Tellmi app complement Loughborough’s in‑person services?

Tellmi offers a moderated, peer‑support chat that operates 24/7, giving students a safe outlet when campus offices are closed. Because it’s free for anyone 11 and older in the Leicester area, it extends the university’s reach to students living off‑campus and even to local community members.

Tags: World Mental Health Day Loughborough University student wellbeing Falcon Support Services mental health emergencies

Chantelle Poirier

I am a seasoned journalist based in Durban, specializing in daily news coverage. My passion is to shed light on local news events and global trends. I strive to bring unbiased and factual reporting to my readers. Each story I write is crafted with meticulous attention to detail to ensure clarity and impact. Journalism is not just my job; it's a way to connect with the world.

11 Comments

Sridhar Ilango

When the wind of World Mental Health Day howls across campuses, Loughborough steps onto the stage like a phoenix rising from the ashes of academic pressure.
The trio of new pillars – the cosy Neighbourhood Mental Health Café, the sleek centralised referral portal, and the school‑specific drop‑ins – are not just bureaucratic check‑boxes but lifelines thrown into the stormy sea of student anxiety.
Imagine a weary freshman, eyes glazed from endless doom‑scrolling, stumbling into the Union lounge on a Monday evening and finding a warm cup and a listening ear waiting like a beacon.
That’s the vision, and the early 27 % surge in first‑time help‑seeker visits proves the concept is already resonating beyond mere slogans.
The referral form, humming with digital efficiency, slashes the previous 40 % administrative lag, delivering appointments within twenty‑four hours – a speed that would make even the fastest Twitter thread jealous.
Meanwhile, each academic school now nurtures its own micro‑café, tailoring conversations to the unique crucibles of engineering deadlines or performing‑arts auditions, turning generic counselling into a bespoke experience.
The partnership with Falcon Support Services adds a layer of professional training to the volunteers, ensuring that the listening is active, not passive, and that referrals are spot‑on.
From a macro perspective, this initiative mirrors the WHO’s emergency‑ready mental‑health framework, stitching campus resources into the global tapestry of crisis response.
By embedding the Tellmi app into the ecosystem, Loughborough extends its reach 24/7, offering a digital safety net for students who might be off‑campus or awake at ungodly hours.
The university’s commitment to evaluate the impact through a mixed‑methods study in spring 2026 shows a rare willingness to be held accountable, rather than hiding behind glossy press releases.
Critics might whisper that such programmes are merely window‑dressing, but the data points – increased café footfall, faster referrals, and staff inclusion – paint a picture of genuine transformation.
Even the Employee Assistance Programme for staff is being woven into the same fabric, ensuring that the mental‑health safety net is campus‑wide, not just student‑centric.
In an era where catastrophes erupt daily, from climate‑driven floods to geopolitical shocks, having a ready‑to‑deploy mental‑health response on campus is not just nice‑to‑have, it is essential.
The colour‑rich tapestry of volunteers, counsellors, and digital platforms creates a mosaic of support that could serve as a template for other UK institutions.
If the momentum sustains, Loughborough may well become the lighthouse that other universities navigate towards in the stormy seas of mental‑health emergencies.

priyanka Prakash

The university's rollout is a textbook example of performative altruism; it's time we demand measurable outcomes, not just glossy brochures.
We need transparent data to prove these initiatives aren't just PR stunts.

Pravalika Sweety

The new referral form is a practical step toward reducing bureaucratic red tape.

Danwanti Khanna

Indeed, the glossy brochures sparkle like fool's gold, yet behind them lurks a machinery of real change, or so we hope, because without data the applause is merely echo!

Shruti Thar

The Health, Wellbeing and Disability Referral Form consolidates multiple channels into a single digital gateway, routing each request to the correct specialist within twenty‑four hours.
This streamlines access and cuts down on the endless email chains that previously plagued students.

Anu Deep

Exactly, having one clear portal removes the guess‑work and makes it easier for anyone feeling overwhelmed to get the help they need quickly.

Preeti Panwar

Love that the cafés are low‑threshold spaces where you can just sit, sip a drink, and chat with a trained listener. ☕️💛 It feels like the university finally gets that mental health isn’t just a lecture, it’s a lived experience.

MANOJ SINGH

Its great that they sset up the cafee as a safe spot, but i hope they keep training the volunteers so they cant just nod and say "i hear you" without real support.

Vaibhav Singh

Another campus gimmick that will fade next semester.

Shweta Tiwari

From a scholarly perspective, the integration of the WHO's emergency mental‑health protocols into campus practice demonstrates a commendable alignment with international standards.
The systematic evaluation slated for spring 2026 will provide empirical evidence necessary for rigorous academic scrutiny.
However, the reliance on volunteer staff raises questions regarding sustainability and professional accountability.
Moreover, while the digital referral form expedites triage, its efficacy hinges upon the backend infrastructure's reliability and data security measures.
In sum, the initiative is a promising amalgam of policy and practice, yet its long‑term success will be measured by consistent outcomes and ethical safeguards.

Nath FORGEAU

Nice analysis but need real results.