SRC to appoint extra Advice Centre staff and GBV Counsellor
Published: 6 May 2022
Extra funding received from the University to enhance the services delivered by the SRC Advice Centre
The University has committed extra funding to enhance the services delivered by the SRC Advice Centre, recognising the vital work of the service and its contribution to students.
A new full-time Advice Worker will begin work before the next academic session, as well as a part-time Gender-based Violence Counsellor.
The funding has been made available on the basis of rising student numbers and demand for services, with Advice Workers providing professional, confidential, and impartial advice on a range of subjects from accommodation and finance to academic and conduct issues.
In addition to a new Advice Worker, the University have also agreed to fund a part-time GBV Counsellor who will run a one day a week drop-in clinic out of the Advice Centre. The Counsellor, Aimee McGurn is employed by the University’s Counselling and Psychological Services (CAPs) and will help bolster the SRC’s work around GBV, following on from the launch of their compulsory Moodle module in October 2021.
Ella McCabe, SRC President 2021-22, said: “We are delighted to receive this extra funding from the University. For us it is a recognition of the instrumental role that the Advice Centre have played in delivering student support over the last number of years, particularly in response to increasingly challenging circumstances. As we continue to deal with the impact of the pandemic, coupled with the large increases in student numbers in recent times, this funding of an additional advice worker will prove crucial for the service ensuring that the team will be equipped to respond with the same high quality of support to all students going forward.
"Being able to announce the introduction of our Gender-Based Violence drop-in clinic is also a very proud moment for the SRC. The issue has sadly been extremely topical across the last number of years both on and off campus, and alongside launching our GBV Module earlier this year, adding this to our campaign efforts feels like a major achievement. Whilst any form of GBV is something no one should have to experience, we recognise the existing urgency to provide support to those in our community who are unfortunately impacted, and we continue to be committed to advocating for this support.”
First published: 6 May 2022
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