Mental health support is being offered to students at the University of Birmingham (UoB) and Birmingham City University (BCU) through specially created neighbourhood cafes.

November can be the busiest time for a university’s mental health and wellbeing services, as students suffer from homesickness, loneliness and relationship breakdowns as well as added academic pressures.

The cafés at UoB and BCU were established in consultation with student unions and student wellbeing teams.

Birmingham has a large and diverse student population, which can be at risk of falling through the gaps in healthcare when they leave home.

In 2022, a survey by the mental health charity Student Minds reported that 57% of respondents self-reported a mental health issue, while 27% said they had a diagnosed mental health condition.

UoB launched its mental health café in January 2020. The first university globally to offer this kind of support to students.

Its cafés are open three days a week and have on average of 2,000 interactions with students every year. Students can just drop-in, and no appointments are needed.

The cafés are located near the main library and café. The services include 1-2-1 sessions, training, and meetings with trained mental health practitioners.

The cafés at BCU were first piloted in the summer of 2023, providing support to more than 250 students that year. They were launched permanently in September 2024.

The aim of the cafes is to encourage conversations with students about their mental wellbeing, share useful bespoke resources for self-care, and provide strategies for living with low level anxiety, low mood and depressive symptoms.

Jane Thakoordin, Service Manager with The Children’s Society, which oversees the BCU cafés, said: “We have had really engaging and insightful conversations with students.

“Sometimes they are reluctant to join our therapeutic craft activities, but most of them find the activities and open dialogue refreshing once they take a moment to sit down.

“A lot of them comment on how relaxing the activities are, and they didn’t even know they needed the break. We were told multiple times that the students were looking forward to having more opportunities like these.”

Giles Tinsley, Programme Director for Mental Health at NHS England in the Midlands, said: “University can be exciting and challenging time for young people. The Mental Health Cafés are a huge support to those studying at university.”

As well as seeking support from the cafes at UoB and BCU, students can also refer themselves directly to an NHS Talking Therapies service without a referral from a GP.

A full list of mental health support  is available through the NHS website. There are also tailored services available via the NHS 111 website. Free listening services are provided by charities such as The Samaritans or Shout Crisis text line