Welfare Team and Peer Support
The JCR welfare team exists to provide members of college with emotional support on any kind of issue they may be having. The Welfare reps on the JCR committee work alongside members of the peer support team to ensure the wellbeing of the college. Each member of the peer support team, and the welfare reps themselves, are students at Worcester college who have received 30 hours of training in effective listening and peer support from the Oxford University Counselling Service. The welfare and peer support teams run two drop-in sessions run every week. Alternatively, you can get in touch with one of the welfare reps on the JCR committee, who will be happy to talk to you about anything at a convenient time, or put you in contact with another peer supporter.
Sessions are one-to-one and strictly confidential, and with the Worcester peer support team also having links to Keble College, we can put you in touch with a peer supporter from another college if that would make you more comfortable.
In addition to the listening service, the welfare team also runs weekly sessions of Tea at Three in the Memorial Room. Traditionally these have taken place at 3pm on a Thursday (with a second wave of food at 3.30pm), but the day may be set to alternate in order to accommodate more of the JCR body. You don’t need to bring a worry or a welfare issue to Tea at Three: of course the welfare team will be present to talk to but many members of the college also use Tea at Three as a relaxing break from work to meet with friends and enjoy some free snacks!
In addition to Tea at Three, welfare will put on a few one-off events throughout the year (arts and crafts, welfare walks etc.).
Finally, in the interest of promoting sexual health, the welfare team fills jars with condoms and lube which you can find in the pidge room. Feel free to let one of the reps know if the jars need refilling!
The Dean Team
The College Dean, Paul Azzopardi has overall responsibility for student welfare. The Dean is supported by the Student Welfare Officer. Their contact details are:
- College Dean: paul.azzopardi@psy.ox.ac.uk
- Student Welfare Officer: welfare@worc.ox.ac.uk
The Dean is also supported in his role by the Assistant Dean, Dr Neva Kandžija, and the resident Junior Deans, Thomas Fernandez Debets (Warden of Beaumont Street), Hollie Parsons (Warden of Mitchell Building), Edward Jones (Warden of Earl Building) and James Altunkayal (Warden of Canal Building). The Assistant Dean is a Junior Research Fellow. The Junior Deans also live on site and are postgraduate students of the College.
Their contact details are:
- Dr Neva Kandžija assistant.dean@worc.ox.ac.uk
- Edward Jones jd.earl@worc.ox.ac.uk
- James Altunkaya jd.canal@worc.ox.ac.uk
- Thomas Fernandez Debets jd.beaumont@worc.ox.ac.uk
- Hollie Parsons jd.mitchell@worc.ox.ac.uk
In the event of an emergency a member of the Dean Team should be contacted, via the Lodge if necessary:
- Porters’ Lodge: 01865 278300 (internal: 78300)
- Duty dean mobile: 07809 209517
If you cannot phone, email: lodge@worc.ox.ac.uk
College Nurse
The College Nurse is available at varying times during term for consultation about health matters. She is based in Staircase 15.2, Pump Quad, or she can be contacted by telephone (2)88323 or email pml.worcesternurse@nhs.net.
The only dentist in Oxford currently accepting new patients is Damira Dental, located on the Brookes campus in Headington, although other non NHS dentists are available in the city centre.
Other contacts
- College Doctor: 27 Beaumont Street, tel. 01865311500
- University Counselling Service: 3 Worcester Street, tel. 01865270300
- Nightline: Tel. 01865 270270
- Samaritans: Tel. 116 123
- College counsellor: counselling@worc.ox.ac.uk