Student Welfare
Counselling
The Student Counselling Service is free and available to all students.
Counselling offers the opportunity to explore personal difficulties in a private and confidential setting with an experienced counsellor.
Many different issues or difficulties may bring you to counselling, these may include:
• Problems with personal relationships
• Anxiety, stress or depression
• Disability
• Academic pressures
• Drugs or alcohol addictions
• Eating disorders
• Sexual concerns/ sexuality
• Supporting friends
You don't have to bring a specific problem to benefit from talking to someone who will listen and support you and help you to find a way forward.
WELFARE ISSUES
Bullying
There are many forms of bullying:
• Verbal
• Physical
• Emotional
• Racial
• Sexual
• Online/Cyber
Bullying is unacceptable at any age and if you are experiencing bullying whilst enrolled on a course here at the college, please speak to someone you feel comfortable talking too, this maybe a tutor or learning support assistant (lsa), key worker or a member of staff from student services so that help can be offered. The College Code of Conduct clearly states that bullying will not be tolerated.
College Policy Documents For further information regarding this subject, please see a list of websites available:
• http://cybermentors.org.uk/
• http://www.childline.org.uk/Info/Pages/Bullying.aspx
• http://www.bullying.co.uk/young_people/index.aspx
Homelessness and Benefits
If you are a student and find yourself homeless or "sofa surfing", then call Student Services whose staff can signpost and advocate for younger students to the relevant agencies for help and advice, completing any applications as necessary. Student Services direct line telephone number is 01761 438539 Or email student.services@nortcoll.ac.uk
Here is a list of contact details for authorities in our locality:
HOUSING - Bath and North East Somerset
BANES Lewis House, Bath 01225 396296 Link to BANES Council website
SHAPE supporting young people and the homeless. Link to SHAPE website
Pathways BANES 01225 339330 Link to Pathways website
Bath Foyer 01225 405004 Link to Bath Foyer website
SWAN Advice Network serve the BANES area and can offer advice and support on any benefit issues, housing and deposit bond schemes. They have three sites and their opening hours are as follows:
• Radstock Office Tuesday - Friday 10 - 12 noon
• Keynsham Office Tuesday 10 - 12 noon
• Somer Local Service Centre, Rosewell Court, Bath Monday 10 - 12 noon, Tuesday & Thursday 1:30 - 3:30 pm
Contact: 01761 432445
Email: swan_housing@dial.pipex.com
Link to SWAN website
HOUSING - Mendip
Mendip Council Cannards Grave Road, Shepton Mallet 01749 648999. Link to Mendip Council Website
Mendip Council The Old Glass House, Wells 01749 679553
Frome YMCA (Housing), 16 Bath Street, Frome 01373 467293 Link to Mendip YMCA website
Mendip YMCA Spencer House , Wells 01749 677793
HOUSING - Bristol
The Council House, College Green, BS1 5TRV
Tel: 0117 922 2000
(Switchboard hours 8.30am - 5.00pm Monday to Thursday, 8.30am - 4.30pm Friday)
Textphone: (for deaf people only) 0117 357 4444
The Hub, 13-17 Cumberland St, Bristol, BS2 8NL 0117 914 1188
Link to Bristol Council website
BENEFITS
If you need to make a claim for benefit - call 0800 055 6688 (8am - 6pm Monday to Friday).
A textphone service is available if you have a speech or hearing impairment 0800 023 4888.
Calls to 0800 numbers are free from BT land lines, but you may have to pay if you use another phone company, a mobile phone, or if you are calling from abroad. Your details will be taken at this main call centre and passed to your nearest benefit office, an adviser from that office should ring you within 24 hours if you are 18 and over. However for 16 and 17 year olds you will be contacted by an under a specialist adviser for young people within 4 hours.
More information on benefits for young people are available from this link.
Benefits - Job Centre Plus Bath 01225 303206
Benefits - Job Centre Plus Frome 01373 405900
Benefits - Job Centre Plus Bristol, The Pithay, Bristol 0117 945 6600
Bristol 1 Monks Pk Av, Bristol 0117 979 4800
College Chaplaincy
Is there a God? What’s my purpose in life? What happens after death? Why do bad things happen? How can I keep my faith going at college?
Rachma Bush is College Chaplain and a Christian minister in the Church of England. If you have questions like these she is here to listen and support you - whatever you believe; if you are a member of a different faith or have no religious belief.
Rachma is normally available at the Main college site on Mondays, Wednesdays and Tuesday afternoon (when she runs the Spirituality Group for Enrichment). She also tutors on Functional Skills. Contact her through Student Services.
Student Forum
The Forum is a sub committee of the Governing Body of the College, whose membership consists of student representatives, college staff and governors and the college chaplain, who is presently the chairman of the committee. We discuss relevant issues about the college and make decisions which both affect students and staff alike. We encourage new ideas and try to bring in new innovations and hopefully together we can create an atmosphere of motivation and enthusiasm throughout the college. If you are planning to join us as a student, why not come and join us on the Forum. Have a voice in the decisions being taken on your behalf at Norton Radstock College. More information on the Student Forum>>
National Union of Students (NUS) Cards
We don't currently have a student union, but a forum as above, however if you are or planning to become a student enrolled at the college you can still purchase an NUS Extra Card. The card will initially cost you £10, however the discounts you can obtain using you card will mean you can get your initial outlay back very soon. Here is just a sample of discounts available in 2009.
• Travel across the UK by coach for only £1 one way, when you book at www.nationalexpress.com/nus .
• Discounts on mobile phones, at www.phonecitydirect.com/nusextra
• 10% discount at Warehouse clothing
• 25% discount off all orders made from PapaJohns Pizzas
You can sign up at the college main site at Student Services in the Westside Building on Mondays or Thursday mornings, or for our alternative sites please contact Student Services for times. You can also apply for the card at home, if you have access to the internet, go to www.nusextra.co.uk and sign up for a card. However, you will need an online photograph, to upload and you will also need to pay the £10 by credit/debit card. Once completed, the card is delivered to the college main site, for us to check you are enrolled and you will have to sign for the card to receive it. Please allow 14 days for the card to be delivered.
Safeguarding
We want you to be and feel safe both in College and out. This means:
• Following health and safety instructions
• Leading a healthy lifestyle
• Preventing bullying and harassment both in person and in places such as the Internet
• Preventing abuse and neglect
For more information on the college Safeguarding Policy click here>>
E-Learning Portal (Moodle)
