Robinson College
Welfare
Robinson MCR Welfare Team is made up of three officers; the Female Welfare officer, the Male Welfare officer and the LGBT officer. The primary purpose of each of these roles is to provide a point of contact for all MCR members who can be spoken to in confidence about any issues they may be experiencing during their time here. The team is supported through training and advice from the CUSU/GU Welfare team who offer counseling, support and advice to all University of Cambridge students. You can contact the welfare officers via their email addresses or using this Anonymous Contact Form
Mental Health
The Welfare Team would like to promote good mental health. We are available to advise and support any students who feel they are suffering from mental health issues. Please note that we are not professionals; however, we can lend a friendly ear to assist anyone in accessing professional services or for those who just need to chat with someone who won't judge them for half an hour. You may have arrived at Robinson College with pre-existing mental health issues, be struggling to cope with a personal situation or the stresses and pressures of studying. Regardless of your personal situation, the MCR Committee would like to help in any way we can in ensuring studying at Cambridge is open and available to all.
All University of Cambridge students can access the Student Advice Service at CUSU without going via the Welfare team at Robinson College. This Service employs full-time staff members with training to support University students through their studies. Those students with known, existing mental health issues at Robinson may wish to contact the Service upon arrival. They will be able to provide you with information about the support groups in the city and the free services that are available to you. For more information please contact one of the Welfare Team or see the Student Advice Service website.
Sexual Health
The Welfare team is also keen to promote sexual health amongst all MCR members. We do this in several ways: first, we are available for advice on how to access sexual health professionals in the United Kingdom. International students should note that all varieties of contraception are available for free on the NHS via their GP or at a Sexual Health clinic. Second, the Welfare team is responsible for maintaining the dubiously named "Box of Joy" in the MCR. In here you will find free condoms and pregnancy tests should you find you need them. If the box is empty please contact a member of the Welfare team who will happily top it up. Their details can be found here.
Equal Opportunities
The MCR Committee wishes to emphasise the Equal Opportunities Policy of the College which outlines the responsibilities of the College to ensure an environment for all members which:
"Promotes good relations between people of different racial groups, between women and men and between disabled and non-disabled people. Use its best endeavors to maintain a climate in which people can work and study where they should be respected and valued for their contribution to the academic life of the college, irrespective of their sex (including gender reassignment), marital, parental or partnership status, race, ethnic or national origin, colour, disability, sexuality, religion or belief, or age. Promotes an inclusive culture."
The MCR Committee is dedicated to ensuring that all members of the College are treated with the utmost respect at all times and recognise that the College is not only a space for socialising and living but is also a professional environment in which all members should feel comfortable regardless of sexual orientation, gender, ethnicity of religion. Sexist, racist, homophobic or other prejudicial language is not tolerated at Robinson and we hope that all members of the MCR will join us in being vigilant against unacceptable language and behaviour and support all minorities in the College.
Should any member of the College feel that they are experiencing prejudice from any other member of the College or in the wider University, we encourage you to speak up and we will do our utmost to deal with issues sensitively and in a positive matter.
Disabled students
As one of the modern Colleges at the University, Robinson is proud of its accessibility for all students with mobility issues. We have four disabled access rooms in our new accommodation blocks on Sylvester Road which have a larger room and a big walk-in wet room attached. These rooms are situated on the first and second floors of 3A and 3B Sylvester Road and are reached by the lift in the lobby. The kitchens also have lowered work surfaces and hobs for those in wheelchairs or who can't not reach the high counters. The MCR in College is also accessible for those with disabilities and can be reached by using the lift found in K staircase and taken to the 1st floor. Most rooms in college regardless of which floor they are on can be reached by lift - just ask the Porters to show or tell you the best route.
The Welfare team is aware that not all students with a registered disability have mobility issues. The University offers a wide range of services for disabled students and employs a dedicated full-time team at the Disability Resource Centre on Trumpington Street.