Welfare Phone

If you have any welfare concerns, questions or just need someone to talk to do not hesitate to call our welfare phone. It available from 9am to 10pm every day, including holidays. We will always be happy to offer all the help we can, and will endeavour to get in contact you if initially unavailable. You can get in contact with our welfare officer via email at lgbta@durham.ac.uk or ring our welfare phone if you have any issues you want to talk about, or just want someone to talk through things with.

Welfare phone: 07594640122

All conversations and communication are treated with the utmost confidentiality.

Free Safe Sex Supplies

You can pick up safer sex supplies from any drop­in session, at our regular Monday night social, or you can email us confidentially and we will send some to you through the University’s internal post. We have a good range, and can cater for specific needs, such as latex allergies. The items we can offer are:

• Condoms
• Dental dams
• Lubricant
• Latex gloves

We can also offer safe sex information in the form of leaflets and give you access to the LGBTA library. If we do not have the resources to accommodate a particular request or need, we will signpost you to other organisations or services that can give you additional answers or help.

Drop-in Hours

Drop-in hours are held twice a week, during which a welfare trained member of the exec will be available to listen to or chat about anything you want. Everything discussed in one of our drop-in hours is completely confidential. The exec members have training and practice in taking drop-ins and at all times we will be non-judgemental. You will never be pushed into a course of action; we will simply be there to provide a listening ear, an opportunity to talk through any problems and to offer you information on where you can turn next.

A member of the exec will be waiting (discreetly!) in the Riverside Café. If you’d like to meet up, check the website or any of our weekly e-mails from the start of term to find out when they are. The LGBTa has a room in the DSU which is available to us at certain times during the week, The room is labelled “Staff Room”/”St. John’s ambulance room” and is on level C opposite the Riverside Café. If you text the welfare mobile, we can check the room is available if you want to talk more privately. Alternatively, if you can’t make the drop-in hours or are uncomfortable doing so for any reason we can meet up with you at a time and place of your choosing, or converse only by email. If you would like to talk to an exec member who is not on duty at any given session we will try to accommodate your request.

If you just want more information on healthy sexual practise, STIs, LGBT organisations, events, social groups, LGBT issues we are also able to offer a large selections of leaflets and other literature – and if we don’t have what you are looking for then we will do our best to find out for you. Our little library (maintained by our Secretary) is available for your perusal – just ask a member of the exec or pop by to a drop-in. We have books and DVDs that can be borrowed for free.

Drop-in hours will alternate each week. Week 1 includes weeks starting 31/10/11, 14/11/11, 28/11/11; Week 2 includes weeks starting 7/11/11, 21/11/11, 28/11/11.

• Week 1 hours are Monday 12:00-1:30 and Wednesday 1:30-3:00.
• Week 2 hours are Tuesday 10:30-12 :00 and Thursday 12:00-1:30.