Published: 10 October 2023
Today, 10 October 2023, is World Mental Health Day. We want to highlight how the generosity of our alumni continues to help St George’s provide emotional support to those students who need it most.
“I cannot believe how much I have changed”
Lon Teija’s role of Education and Welfare Support Officer in the Students’ Union is part-funded by alumni donations. Lon provides students with flexible and accessible support as part of the Union’s welfare service. In the past six months alone Lon has personally supported 128 students in person with more supported remotely.
Second year Physiotherapy student Hana Omar who met with Lon during this period said of the service she provides:
“I cannot thank Lon enough for the time she spent talking through my emotions so patiently, the hurdle I feel like I have overcome is huge. I have much more clarity and understanding as well as confidence.”
- Hana Omar -
Another student who utilised the service and wished to remain anonymous added:
“Sometimes I cannot believe how much I have changed since meeting Lon.”
- Anonymous -
“This bout of counselling has honestly changed my life”
St George’s also has a dedicated Counselling Service which your donations are helping to transform. Thanks to your generosity the service, which provides confidential support to students who need it from within the university, is having its facilities reimagined to provide a more effective provision. An image of the refurbished spaces funded by you is shown below.
Your donations are also helping St George’s Counselling Service manage an increase in demand. The service has experienced an upsurge in requests for support of 32% over the past two years. The money provided by you has meant that the service continues to provide a timely response to those in distress.
One anonymous student user of the Counselling Service said:
“Counselling helped me work through so many issues and this bout of counselling has honestly changed my life. I can now tackle the issues I had prior to counselling much more easily.”
- Anonymous -
Head of the Counselling Service, Julia Hutchinson, says:
“The refurbishment of the counselling space is the latest way in which Alumni donations support our students through the Counselling Service. As well as the changes to the physical space, alumni generosity is helping us reach ever more members of our student body so that all those who need support at St George’s receive it. Thank you.”
- Julia Hutchinson, Head of the Counselling Service -
While Lon added:
“It’s so gratifying to be able to support students and help them with their journey through university so that they can thrive and go on to have long and fruitful careers. Thank you to all our alumni donors who make this possible.”
- Lon Teija’s, Education and Welfare Support Officer, St George's Students' Union -
A sincere thank you on behalf of everyone at St George’s, University of London for the support you are helping us provide to our students.
Learn more about fundraising at St George's or email giving@sgul.ac.uk.