Wellbeing Support for Researchers
Below, you'll find links to support across the University:
- Researcher Development
- Researcher Development works with ECR representatives, colleagues in schools and professional services across the university to champion the needs of ECRs. They implement policy and projects to enhance researcher experiences and to support the professional development of ECRs at each stage of their research career at Sussex and offer a range of training and development workshops.
The Researcher Development web pages have been designed as a source of practical information, guidance and resources that will be useful to postdoctoral researchers, research fellows and research assistants from all disciplines and at all career stages.
Contact information
Email: researchstaffoffice@sussex.ac.uk
Twitter: @SussexResearchr
- Health and Wellbeing
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The Health and Safety Team are available to support, advise and guide you with any Health & Safety queries/advice that you might require. For example through the Staff Wellbeing web page you will find links to information around workplace stress, new and expectant mothers, lone working, A-Z of health and safety (policies & forms).
Please find below information for various health and wellbeing provision offered across the University aswell as external apps and services.
Apps, Podcasts and Other Internet Tools
- NHS Mental Health tools
- Silver Cloud
Online therapeutic programmes which aim to offer information and self-help support for students & staff experiencing problems aniety, depression, stress and eating issues. - Headspace
A mobile app which makes practicing mindfulness easier. Helps you to learn easy techniques that you can transfer from the session into your everyday life. - MoodGYM
Learn cognitive behavioural therapy skills for preventing and coping with depression with MoodGYM, for free.
- Occupational Health
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The Occupational Health Service offers advice on health, safety and wellbeing at work. The service works to prevent work related ill health, reduce risks to health from occupational hazards and promote health and safety.
The Occupational Health Department can provide referrals to counselling services to employees, where this is deemed to be of benefit to the individual.
Counselling provision is available through Occupational Health, and individuals should contact their HR adviser or their line manager if they wish to be referred.
Find key Maternity information, policies and guidance including:
- Guide for new & expectant mothers
- Risk Assessment form
- Parental & Paternity leave
- Childcare vouchers
- University Counselling Services
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Although the University counselling provision is primarily aimed at students, staff can be seen for a consultation should there be an incident at Sussex where a one-off session with a University counsellor might be helpful.
01273 678156
If out of office hours you can leave a message on the confidential 24-hour answer phone.
- Employee Assistance Programme
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The University of Sussex is not just a internationally renowned, research-led institution, it is a community of colleagues that are support each other across all of our activities. Sometimes we can all find it a struggle to balance the demands of work, family and relationships.
As a member of staff you have access to a range of benefits that can be found on the Staff Reward and Benefits page.
There you will find a link to our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) partners Care First. Care First are a specialist highly professional organisation that can provide a range of help at difficult times. There is a 24 hour / 365 days-a-year telephone help line that can provide counselling and specialist advice on a range of matters - and a lifestyle ‘App’ that has been clinically approved. In some circumstances, if face-to-face counselling is appropriate this will be arranged with a suitable counsellor that is convenient to you. You can call the EAP helpline on 0800 015 5630.
The service is confidential and staff can self-refer themselves. There is no need to inform your line manager and Care First will keep all their contact with you to themselves. Whether is it a family matter, moving house, moving job, a major life event, neighbourhood concerns, consumer rights, or even a brush with the law, they can provide advice and help - and signpost you to more specialist services if they think that you need to access them. - Chaplaincy and the Meeting House
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Chaplains at the Meeting House do not just provide a service for members of their faith group but are here for the whole campus community, whether this means having a chat about faith issues or matters unrelated to religion and faith.
You may just want to sit in the beautiful chapel on the first floor, whatever your religious persuasion - or lack of one and be quiet for a time. The Meeting House also provide regular opportunities through the week for staff and students to de-stress and relax through mindfulness and meditation sessions.
Vitae
Vitae is an international programme led by the UK charity, Careers Research and Advisory Centre, working to enhance the potential of researchers.
Vitae's website has many useful resources and professional development advice for researchers on topics related to personal effectiveness.
The most popular resources surrounding personal effectivness are linked to below.
- Vitae: Researchers' Personal Effectiveness
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All our staff and students get full access to the Vitae website and resources if you register with your Sussex email address.
Other resources
Words of Wisdom: Cherished advice from academic mentors, published by the Global Young Academy brings together outstanding examples of supervisors' words of wisdom, and makes them accessible to all. There are quotes relating to a broad range of themes including: confidence, work-life balance, writing, mindset, working with others and many more. Whatever challenge you are facing in your research career you are likely to find a message to provide motivation within this uplifting book.
The collection includes 76 contributions from 31 countries on 6 continents with the hope that they will be a source of inspiration and support to early-career researchers worldwide.
