This page was last updated on September 2021.

The Equality & Inclusion Unit (EPU) is collating useful resources on this page to support staff and students through this period of disruption, we will continue to add to this list as new resources are made available. Please visit the University of Leeds Coronavirus mini-site for further information about support for staff and students.

Page Contents

Carers

Disability

• Disabled Students

• Disabled Staff

• Mental Health

• Autism

• Blind and Partially Sighted

• Deaf Awareness

LGBT+

Religion and Belief

BAME

 

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Carers

• • • Face-to-face sessions with Carers Leeds have been cancelled until further notice but free and confidential one-to-one telephone appointments can still be booked. Email the Equality & Inclusion Unit to make a booking request. The Carers Leeds advice line is also available, 0113 380 4300 (Mon – Fri 9am – 5pm).
    • The University of Leeds coronavirus mini-site Staff Advice pages provide further information for staff with caring responsibilities.
    • The Government website has further guidance for those who provide unpaid care to friends and relatives and specific guidance for people who are providing unpaid care to adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults.
    • Leeds City Council have information on their website about support available for residents who are shielding.
    • Carers UK have comprehensive guidance on their website.

Disabled Students

• • • The University of Leeds coronavirus mini-site Student Advice pages  provide useful advice for disabled students, including information about access to one to one support from Disability Services.
    • The University of Leeds student counselling, wellbeing and mental health support service will reopen from Monday 30th March and this service will be delivered via remote online support by telephone, email and /or by Zoom.
    • The National Association of Disability Practitioners (NADP) has some excellent resources on their COVID-19 Resource Hub (Coronavirus) webpage to support disabled students.
    • 'Change for Disabled Students UK' have produced a comprehensive Googledoc Coronavirus Guide, with advice covering the following areas; stress and anxiety, housing/finance, personal and social care, assignment deadlines and DSA issues.

Disabled Staff

• • • The University of Leeds coronavirus mini-site Staff Advice pages provide information about the support and wellbeing available for staff including advice about working from home, personal support and keeping active and healthy.
    • The University of Leeds Staff Counselling and Psychological Support service are providing some remote staff counselling via video or phone. They also have online resources to help staff deal with the uncertainty and potential isolation of the current events.

Mental Health

• • • The Leeds University Union (LUU) COVID-19 Community Facebook Group has compiled some of the most useful mental health and wellbeing resources for students in one helpful post.
    • The LUU Health & Wellbeing team has launched a weekly Happiness Newsletter. The team will be sending out blogs, mini podcasts and other online resources, to help keep people's spirits up.
    • Mind have provided some practical advice to support you with taking care of your mental health whilst staying at home, including a useful checklist.
    • Mindwell have a created a Coronavirus Mental Health Information Hub to with resources and videos to help people in Leeds take care of their mental health at this challenging time.
    • AnxietyUK have compiled information about dedicated anxiety support resources, including their helpline.
    • The Mental Health Foundation have tips about looking after your mental health during the disruption caused by the Coronavirus outbreak.
    • NHS Every Mind Matters has released expert advice and top tips on how to look after your mental wellbeing if you need to stay at home during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. It also includes guidance if you’re feeling worried or anxious about the outbreak.
    • Calm is offering 'soothing meditations', a 'calm masterclass' and other free mindfulness resources.
    • Headspace are also offering free online mindfulness resources, including meditations, sleep and movement exercises.

Autism

It is important to support autistic staff and students through these uncertain times as changes to routine, the sensory challenges of increased handwashing and the general anxiety surrounding the uncertainty of current events can have a big impact on the lives of autistic people.

• • • The National Autistic Society has further information including guidance about the restrictions on leaving your home
    • The Association of Autism Practitioners in HE have created a very useful guidance document with advice for autistic students who are studying remotely (Word).
    • LeedsAIM have reported on resources for professionals and volunteers supporting autistic people including planning and self-advocacy tools.
    • Autistica has published some guidance on their webpages about the impact of Covid-19 on autistic employees and how to cope with the uncertainty of COVID-19
    • The University of Oxford has some useful advice about the language used in Government guidance including things like what a 'high temperature' and a 'continuous cough' actually means.

Blind and Partially Sighted

• Sight Advice FAQ have a Covid-19 webpage including information about how to be guided safely and how to get shopping delivered during the pandemic. 

Deaf Awareness

• As staff and students get used to changes to working arrangements it is still important to practice good deaf awareness particularly when using online remote working tools.  Microsoft Teams has a live captioning tool and recording feature, allowing people to review information that wasn’t heard the first time.
• It is important to continue to use good meeting etiquette, taking turns speaking, making sure speakers face the camera and speaking clearly to assist with lip reading. It is also important to provide a supportive approach that allows for requests for repetition if anything has been misheard or is unclear.
• The EPU has developed Deaf Awareness guidance with tips to help improve the effectiveness of your online meetings and teaching sessions for attendees with hearing loss.
• Useful guidance for using Microsoft Teams effectively has been summarised in this PDF document, including advice for team meeting chairs.

LGBT+

• The LGBT Foundation have produced a briefing sheet summarising the services they provide nationally and locally for LGBT people.
• Leeds University Union (LUU) have written about the issues that might affect LGBT+ students coping with COVID-19 and self isolation, the article includes advice about staying connected, staying active and getting involved.
• Leeds University Union (LUU) LGBT+ Society are running a number of self isolation activities including a movie night and quiz!
• Stonewall have collated a range of support, services and resources to support the LGBT+ community.

Religion and Belief

• The Chaplaincy at the Emmanuel Centre is temporarily closed but phone & e-services are open and available to all staff and students. To make a phone or video-call appointment with a chaplain for faith or pastoral support, or to attend a virtual drop-in session, please email chaplaincy@leeds.ac.uk or phone 0113 343 5071.
• The Church of England has coronavirus guidance including advice for managing your mental health and spiritual communion.
• This year the observance of Ramadan and Eid celebrations will be impacted by Government restrictions in place to prevent the spread of coronavirus, please see the Equality & Inclusion Unit (EPU) Ramadan webpages for further information.  The restrictions are going to impact on who is able to take part in daily fasting, working/studying from home arrangements and participation in communal prayers and meals.  The Muslim Council of Britain has produced useful COVID-19 guidance for #RamadanAtHome.
• The United Synagogue has useful updates about coronavirus for Jewish people. 
• City Sikhs has guidance for the Sikh community about coronavirus.

BAME

• The Race Equality Foundation have produced information about how the risk factors related to Covid-19 affect black and minority ethnic people and communities. This includes links to a number of resources.
• Migration Yorkshire have launched the Migrant Information Hub to offer information and resources to support migrants to stay safe, connected and informed, and to reduce the harmful impacts of Covid-19.
• Spark & Co. have created an online resource hub containing curated rated links to organisations and information designed to help those from BAME backgrounds.
• The Ubele Initiative have provided a strategic response to the Covid-19 situation, as well as practical support for BAME communities.