Thursday 03-12-2020 - 08:29

By: Emily Sykes. Disabled Students’ Part Time Officer, Lampeter Campus

 

Hello all!

 

Before starting, I would like to remind you about the survey our Lampeter SU has put out! If you haven’t filled it in yet, I really encourage you to! We want to make sure this campus is accessible, and your input is valuable, so please take a few minutes out of your day to fill it in and let us know about your experiences on campus!

 

Please fill in the survey here and share with your friends.

Lampeter Campus Accessibility Survey

 

The 3rd December is a very important day. Today is International Day of People with Disabilities (IDPWD), and the theme for 2020 is ‘Not all Disabilities are Visible’. IDPWD has chosen this theme to bring awareness to hidden disabilities, which includes those with mental illnesses, sight/hearing impairments, learning disabilities, and more. 

 

The IDPWD website reports that in the WHO World Report on Disability, 15% of the world’s population have a disability, and in this, 450 million have a mental or neurological condition. What really struck me was that two-thirds of these people don’t and won’t seek professional medical help, because of discrimination, stigmas, and neglect. (https://idpwd.org/)

 

This statistic really hit me, and so I decided it was important to raise awareness on what is available here in Lampeter for those who would like to look into the process of applying for help, and to also make it a bit easier to find all the information you could need about Student Services. 

 

The team here in Lampeter are extremely helpful and friendly. I have been receiving support since week two of first year, and I am eternally grateful to my team. When I first visited Lampeter, I had an overload because I wasn’t comfortable with sitting in on a lecture. The university were really supportive of my needs, and instead, immediately set my dad and I up with an appointment to talk with the student services staff. The summer before my first year, they set me up with a Needs Assessment so I was ready to go when I arrived. The staff are really approachable, so if you are curious, don’t be afraid to get in contact!

 

Part of my support team help me with my essays, and over the years here I have developed my critical voice through this. My team help me in staying organised with my dyspraxia, making sure I am keeping up with the deadlines and goals I set myself, and make sure I know when to take a break from the university life. This has been especially helpful since I don’t realise I’m burning out until I am fully burned out.

 

My support has also helped me in teaching myself my limits and figuring out what works best for me. My confidence has increased so much, and I have to thank my support team for helping me over these years in Lampeter. I feel confident about going into the real world one day, and this is something I never saw in myself when starting university.

 

Remember, if you have any questions about anything, pop me a message or an email! I am very open about my disabilities and how they affect me day-to-day, and the process I went through with getting support!

You can reach me on Facebook or my student email: 1700547@student.uwtsd.ac.uk

 

I hope this can help anyone in need and those who are curious of what might be out there, I know this is something I would have found beneficial.