SU president Ffion responds to the announcement of the funding to support Welsh students through coronavirus.
Universities in Wales are receiving an additional funding package worth £10 million to support students and staff during the 2020/21 academic year.
The funding, from the Welsh Government, is designed to bolster mental health services and student financial hardship funds during the coronavirus pandemic.
In addition to boosting student hardship funds, the investment will:
· Provide extra support for students more likely to be affected, disabled students, and those with caring responsibilities, including helping to address digital poverty.
· Increase the capacity of students’ unions to provide advice and support services for students and staff. This includes online support, with a focus on mental health support and suicide-safer measures, and support in Welsh.
· Extend universities’ contracted services with providers of mental health support.
· Provide support and services, including food services, for students required to self-isolate.
Each Student Union in Wales will receive £50,000.
Ffion Davies, Swansea University Students’ Union President, said:
“Settling into student life and being away from family is difficult enough, without the added pressure of a pandemic.
“Students over the past few months have faced, and continue to face many unique challenges, and it’s our priority to be there for them and ensure sufficient support is available.
“Our trained advisors have been on hand throughout, and we have delivered many mental health workshops and resources, as well as working closely with the University to care for students who are self-isolating, which has been well received by our students.
“This funding is so valuable and will enable us to take this a step further, enhance our support service and tackle concerns around student hardship and digital poverty.”
Cyllid Llywodraeth Cymru gwerth £10 miliwn
Mae llywydd UM, Ffion, yn ymateb i'r cyhoeddiad am yr arian i gefnogi myfyrwyr Cymru trwy coronafirws.
Mae prifysgolion yng Nghymru yn derbyn pecyn cyllido ychwanegol gwerth £10 miliwn i gefnogi myfyrwyr a staff yn ystod blwyddyn academaidd 2020/21.
Mae'r cyllid, gan Lywodraeth Cymru, wedi'i gynllunio i gryfhau gwasanaethau iechyd meddwl a chronfeydd caledi ariannol myfyrwyr yn ystod pandemig y coronafirws.
Yn ogystal â rhoi hwb i gronfeydd caledi myfyrwyr, bydd y buddsoddiad yn:
· Darparu cefnogaeth ychwanegol i fyfyrwyr sy'n fwy tebygol o gael eu heffeithio, myfyrwyr anabl, a'r rheini â chyfrifoldebau gofalu, gan gynnwys helpu i fynd i'r afael â thlodi digidol.
· Cynyddu gallu undebau myfyrwyr i ddarparu gwasanaethau cyngor a chymorth i fyfyrwyr a staff. Mae hyn yn cynnwys cefnogaeth ar-lein, gyda ffocws ar gymorth iechyd meddwl a mesurau hunanladdiad mwy diogel, a chefnogaeth yn Gymraeg.
· Ymestyn gwasanaethau dan gontract prifysgolion gyda darparwyr cymorth iechyd meddwl.
· Darparu cefnogaeth a gwasanaethau, gan gynnwys gwasanaethau bwyd, i fyfyrwyr sy'n hunan-ynysu.
Bydd pob Undeb Myfyrwyr yng Nghymru yn derbyn £50,000.
Dywedodd Ffion Davies, Llywydd Undeb Myfyrwyr Prifysgol Abertawe:
“Mae setlo i mewn i fywyd fel myfyriwr a bod yn bell o deulu yn ddigon anodd, heb bwysau ychwanegol pandemig.
“Mae myfyrwyr dros y misoedd diwethaf wedi wynebu, ac yn parhau i wynebu sawl her unigryw, a'n blaenoriaeth yw bod ar gael a sicrhau bod cefnogaeth ddigonol ar gael.
“Mae ein cynghorwyr hyfforddedig wedi bod wrth law drwy gydol y cyfnod, ac rydyn ni wedi cyflwyno llawer o weithdai ac adnoddau iechyd meddwl, yn ogystal â gweithio’n agos gyda’r Brifysgol i ofalu am fyfyrwyr sy’n hunan-ynysu, sydd wedi cael ymateb da gan ein myfyrwyr."