We want everyone to be safe and although the risk of violence or aggression is thankfully very low you still need to be careful, especially when you are in a new environment with new people.
By taking some simple, basic precautions you can easily reduce the risks and take control of your own safety.
Expect Respect
Canterbury Christ Church University and the Students’ Union believe all staff and students have the right to live, study and work in a safe and supportive environment. We do not support discrimination, bullying or harassment of any form.We are proud of our friendly, inclusive and professional community where we value the development of the whole person, respecting and nurturing the inherent dignity and potential of each individual. Find out more.
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SafeZone app
SafeZone is a safety app which Canterbury Christ Church University is making available to all its students and staff at all its campuses.
The app allows you to alert University Security if you ever need urgent assistance, first aid or if you have an emergency while on campus via your mobile phone.
The system is privacy protected, so will never share your location unless you summon assistance or if you use the check-in function. This also means the app will not drain your mobile phone battery.
SafeZone is a simple-to-use and free to download
Once you have downloaded the SafeZone app you need to sign up using your University email. SafeZone has 3 main buttons that can be used to request assistance from Security
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First Aid
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Enquiries
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Emergency
If a button is pressed in error, the alert can be cancelled by tapping the button again, whilst the timer is winding down.
SafeZone uses high-speed push messaging to allow Security to send you important notifications in the case of an emergency or critical incident on campus.
The Check In function allows you to let Security know where you are if you are working alone or outside of normal working hours.
SafeZone does not track your location. You only become visible on the system once you have raised an alert or checked in. Read about SafeZone's privacy provisions.
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Safety Minibus
During Freshers’ week our SU minibus is in operation. Security run the minibus in the evenings from 7pm until 4am to take you back to your accommodation. It is often positioned at Club Chemistry and The Lounge.
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Safety Message from the Council
At a number of recent meetings there has been a concern raised with regards to students avoiding the subways by our library and instead crossing the ring road and jumping over the barriers.
This is happening during the day but also at night when perhaps you are coming home from Club Chemistry, the universities, the street marshals and police have highlighted concerns about this issue.
From feedback we have received it is seems to be that the subways are seen as unsafe, while no-one can guarantee that any area is completely safe, the subways have recently gone through a lighting upgrade and are well covered by CCTV so are more secure and the safer route to take. The council are keen to encourage people to use them rather than crossing the ring road.
The lit routes film below aims to highlight the lit routes with the emphasis on using the subways. You can check out this website for more information about the lit route and view the #LitRoutes map here.
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Safe Taxi
In partnership with Longleys Private Hire, a local taxi firm, the Safe Taxi scheme allows CCCU students who find themselves in a vulnerable situation to reach their student accommodation in Canterbury or another destination, such as a Police Station or local hospital, quickly and safely. Students can request a taxi through the scheme even if they do not have the funds to pay the fare at the time of booking, as fares can be paid later via the CCCU Online Store.
All students need to do is sign up to the scheme in advance - so they know that if they ever find themselves in an emergency situation they will be covered. Registration is free, quick and simple - and you are under no obligation to use them if you do not want.
If you ever need to use the scheme make sure you ask for the Student Safe Taxi Scheme when you book the taxi. You will be given 7 days to then pay the fare.
For peace of mind and for discounted taxi fares please register with your name and university email by clicking here: https://www.longleysprivatehire.co.uk/student-discount.html
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Lit Route Home
This is a Canterbury City Council Lit routes campaign encouraging people to take a safe route home after a night out. Click here for the interactive Google Map or here to download a pdf.
The Connected Routes initiative aims to encourage students to travel along specific roads and footpaths between the two University campuses and in Canterbury city centre. Refuge points along the routes enable students to request help and advice if they are feeling unsafe or in danger.
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Street Marshals
The scheme is a partnership between the University of Kent, Canterbury Christ Church University, Kent Union, Christ Church Students’ Union, Kent Police, Canterbury City Council, the Residents’ Associations of north and south Canterbury and Right Guard Security.
The scheme operates in defined residential areas with the dual aims of safeguarding students and local residents as they transit through designated areas of Canterbury at night, and promoting positive community relationships by encouraging students and local residents to behave responsibly whilst walking through these areas. The Street Marshal scheme is funded by the University of Kent and Canterbury Christ Church University.
The Canterbury Street Marshals are here to help you get home safely on your nights out. They operate in male and female pairs to be welcoming and approachable.
The street marshals cover key areas across the Canterbury area, including:
St Michael’s area
Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 23:00 – 04:00
Club Chemistry and Wincheap
Wednesday and Friday, 23:00 – 05:00
Sturry Road and Northgate
Wednesday and Friday, 23:00 – 05:00
(During Lockdown Restrictions these services will not be running)
Canterbury Christ Church University is working in partnership with Kent University and our respective student unions to provide street marshals for this academic year. For more details visit the web page here.
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Going out at night
Try to plan ahead. Make sure someone knows where you are going, who you are meeting and when you expect to return. Always plan how you are going to get home again.
Only attend official events as you can be sure that these are well run and managed with the correct safety in place.
Remember, alcohol can seriously affect your ability to make safe judgements.
If you are socializing with a group of people, then watch out for each other and make sure everyone stays safe.
Remember, the most common date rape drug is alcohol, so keep an eye on your drinks so that neither drugs nor extra alcohol are added.
Dates are safer and easier to leave quickly if they are in a public place.
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Safety when out and about
Stay Alert! Avoid chatting on your mobile phone or listening to music on your headphones, as this will distract you from your surroundings and prevent you from hearing any potential danger signs.
You may often be laden with books and bags but always try to keep one hand free and walk confidently and purposefully.
Safety Apps - think about installing an App on your phone such as Panic Guard that you can notify your contacts of if you're in trouble
Think about getting a personal safety alarm. Keep it in an easily accessible place and carry it in your hand if you feel at risk.
If you are out at night, try to stick to busy streets and near other people. Avoid danger spots such as poorly - lit areas, deserted parks, or quiet alleyways and walk facing oncoming traffic to avoid kerb crawlers.
Ask if there are any areas near your halls that should be avoided. Some short - cuts may be great during the day but may have a reputation for being unsafe at night.
If you see someone else in trouble, think twice about how you can help. Jumping in may aggravate the problem and you could end up hurt as well. It'll be helpful to shout for help, call the police or generally make a lot of noise to attract attention.
If you are planning to use public transport, always check the times of the last train, bus or car parking open hours.
If a bus is empty or it is after dark, it may be safer to stay on the lower deck and sit near the driver or conductor. On trains or on the underground, try to sit with other people and avoid empty carriages.
If you feel uneasy, don’t be afraid to move to another seat or carriage.
Always carry the phone number of a trusted, licensed taxi or minicab company with you. Never take an unlicensed mini cab, as these are unchecked, uninsured and can potentially be very dangerous. Christ Church Stduents' Union is partnered with Longleys Canterbury Cabs contact them on 01227 710777.
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Zero Tolerance
This is an accreditation scheme that many premises in the night time economy in Canterbury, including the Students’ Union The Lounge, have signed up to demonstrate that they have a zero tolerance to sexual harassment. The scheme will be launched in Medway in 2019.
The staff at these premises have had training on how to tackle harassment and unacceptable behaviour. They also operate the Ask Angela Scheme – this encourages people to discreetly ask for help by going to the bar and 'Ask for Angela' - a phrase aimed at alerting bar staff to the need for help so they can help defuse the situation.
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Spikies
What are they?
A brightly coloured plastic “use once only” stopper that helps prevent drinks from being spiked in pubs, bars and at parties.
Once inserted into the neck of a bottle Spikies cannot be easily removed, creating a seal that helps stop pills and illicit substances being slipped into the drink. A hole in the top of a bottle is just big enough for a straw to pass through. Again the straw cannot be easily tampered with.
What happens when a drink is spiked?
When a drink is spiked it means that alcohol or drugs have been added to the drink without the person's knowledge or approval.
Drink spiking is often done with sexual abuse in mind. The substance can be added to any drink including soft drinks, juice, water or alcohol. This is illegal and potentially deadly to the person whose drink is spiked.
If you will be drinking during Freshers' make sure you drink responsibly and be careful.
Remember don't leave your drink unattended, always keep an eye on your drink.
If your out various clubs/bars will have them to give out.
If you are out in The Lounge, or in Club Chemistry and you want a Spikey you can ask the bartender and they will happily provide one.
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Safety Pop Up Hubs
A pop up safety hub is often set up outside Macdonald's on busy nights of Freshers. We give out leaflets and advice from 7am to 3pm. It is manned by the City Council with ambassadors from University and local teams. Come and say Hi!
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Chemistry Buses
Club Chemistry free transport to their venue with pick-ups throughout Canterbury. See below timings and locations:
FOLLOW @ClubBusCT on Instagram and Twitter for live updates
- 22:10 / 23:25 - Giles Lane (UKC Campus) - Any Bus Stop
- 22:15 / 23:30 - Hales Place (Downs Road / Long Meadow Way / Farleigh Road) - Any Bus Stop
- 22:25 / 23:40 - Parham Road Accommodation
- 22:30 / 23:45 - Lanfranc Accommodation
- 22:40 / 23:55 - North Holmes Road - Gate 4
- 22:45 / 00:00 - Spring Lane - Between A257 and Pilgrims Road
- 22:50 / 00:05 - Tokyo Tea Rooms - St George's
- 23:00 / 00:15 - Thomas Ingoldsby Wetherspoons (Top Spoons)
- 23:10 / 00:25 - Westgate Inn Wetherspoons (Bottom Spoons)
(During Lockdown Restrictions these services will not be running)
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Sexual Consent
Consent means giving permission for something to happen or agreeing to do something and being comfortable with that decision.
Consent has to be given freely and no one can be forced to consent to something. It’s not consent if someone does something because they feel they have to.
Consent is an essential part of a positive relationship and it’s really important to know what it is and know if it has been given.
Fumble, make sure that young people have the skills and knowledge to successfully manage their sexual health, mental health and relationships through co-created online digital content.
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CCCU Student Wellbeing Services (SWS)
The Student Support Advisers are here should you need someone to talk to. The advisers support students in making informed decisions through one to one conversations, be it related to personal, general wellbeing, financial, housing, or academic matters.
The Student Support Advisers can be a triage service to other more specialist areas within the Student Wellbeing Service, including Mental Wellbeing and Disability Services. If we cannot help, we can link in with the other departments within the University who can and any external services and resources, where possible.
The main aim of the department is to support our students to ensure they are enjoying their student experience and progressing with their studies.
Thier friendly service is free, impartial, non-judgemental and confidential.
Drop-in Times and Locations
(During Lockdown Restrictions these services will often be available virtually)
CANTERBURY - Augustine House, AHg59
Monday to Friday : 10:30-16:30
MEDWAY - Cathedral Court (CCg03 for the Student Support Advisor and CCg04 for the Disability Advisor)
Bookable appointment Mondays between 10:00 and 13:00
Drop- Ins Mondays between 13:00 and 16:00.
You can also phone 01227 922675 or email studentsupport@canterbury.ac.uk.
You can talk to our Mental Wellbeing Team at drop-in sessions
In Canterbury:
Monday - Friday, 12:00 - 13:00 in AHg59, Augustine House
Wednesday, 10.00-16.00 in Ag26, North Holmes Road
In term time only:
Chooseday Chill,17.00-19.00, Augustine House
Out of Hours, Saturday 14.00-16.00 in AHg59, Augustine House
In Medway:
You can talk to our Mental Wellbeing Team at drop-in sessions at Medway on Monday, 13.00-16.00, Catherdral Court, as above. When you arrive at the drop-in, you will find a booking in sheet to secure your slot. Please place your initials next to your preferred time slot and we will come and find you near the booking in sheet at that time.
If you would like to book an appointment, please complete a referral form with us.
Telephone: 01227 923056 Email: studentsupport@canterbury.ac.uk
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Nightline
A student-run listening and information service supporting students throughout the night.
Nightline is a non-judgmental listening service for students, run by trained student volunteers. Any student from The University of Kent or Canterbury Christ Church University can call us. You can talk about anything and all calls are confidential and anonymous; so you don’t have to tell us anything about yourself, not even your name, and the content of the call never leaves Nightline.
You can talk to us about any problem, big or small as well as ask us for details of services that can offer you advice.
Talk to them on 01227 824848
(8pm - 8am, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday)
Send an email at listening@canterbury.nightline.ac.uk
(During Lockdown Restrictions these services may be reduced)
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Chooseday Chill
Chooseday Chill is a joint initiative between the Students’ Union and the University Student Support team working with – Sports, Accommodation, Catering and Chaplaincy as well as Student Minds.
Research shows that a big issue facing many students, particularly when they start University, is a sense of loneliness and isolation. Some students were looking for alternative ways beyond sports and societies to connect with each other and many wanted more non-alcoholic events.
In addition, our students were telling us that they sometimes felt it was too daunting to ask for help or reach out to the Mental Wellbeing Team. And for some students it was difficult to access Student Support Services during normal office working hours.
So Chooseday Chill was all about creating a relaxed and informal setting where students could take time out of their busy uni lives to discuss what is going on over tea and toast, meet other students and have a friendly chat with Student Support.
(This service is resuming from 21 September 2021. During Lockdown Restrictions this will not be running).
Held every Tuesday at Augustine House, between 5-7pm, each week there are a range of different activities from board games, music, crafts or sports on offer but students are also welcome to just to come along and chill. Since being launched in September the event has grown in popularity with 40 -60 students attending every week.
Jamie Harris, Students’ Union President for Wellbeing explains “We set up Chooseday Chill to create a relaxed space for students to make friends and feel comfortable to chat about what is on their mind. We hope to build on its success and look at other ways to create opportunities for students to connect with each other and find the support they need.”
Neli, a first year Creative Writing student, has been coming along to Chooseday Chill from the start and now offers peer support at the event. When she started University in September, she was struggling to settle in and was experiencing depression. It was her tutor who recommended she give Chooseday Chill a try. She explains that “Chooseday Chill has been great at making me feel part of a community. It makes you feel supported not only by the University but also by other students. It is good to know that at least once a week there is a place you can go to, to relax and to connect with others. It is a place where you feel a sense of belonging – it is a sanctuary.”
The University Mental Health and Wellbeing Framework wants to enable all students and staff to thrive and realise their potential in a mentally healthy environment. By sharing some of the stories behind current projects already taking place, we hope to generate discussion about what is working and what more together we need to do. So please join our conversation, share your story – www.canterbury.ac.uk/mentalhealthframework
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