**NOTE: Please include your matric number in the comments section if you're happy to do so**

Over the last year, the University’s Student Counselling Service has seen a 45% increase in demand, with waiting times currently at around 7 weeks. To cope with this increased demand, the number of counselling sessions offered to students has been reduced from 6 to 4, with an exception for students considered to be “at risk”, who will continue to receive up to 6 sessions. As a result, students whose mental health is suffering cannot access the help they need at the time they need it, often having to wait weeks in crisis before counselling is available.

We don't think this is good enough. At the moment, resources for the Counselling Service fall far short of what is necessary; we believe the University must take responsibility for the welfare of its students, and a fully resourced Counselling Service is essential to ensure students are supported while they study.

We're calling on the University to increase funding to the Student Counselling Service, so it can provide the additional counsellors and space needed to improve the support offered to students.