At Salford SU, our main goal is to end loneliness on campus and make sure every student has fulfilling friendships and people they can rely on to be there in the good times and the bad.
Our peer-led SU Connectors is run by students, for students. Our Connectors are friendly, approachable student-staff who facilitate our Connection Sessions, offer 1-to-1 Social Connect support, run our Connection Events and pop-up across campus to answer your questions and promote the Connection Programme.
If you see this pink and white icon on an event, on someone’s lanyard, on an email signature, on a T-Shirt, on a club or society’s social media, it means they’re affiliated with the SU Connectors Programme in some way. So, they will be a safe person to approach, a safe event to attend, a safe society to join; they’re ready to support you if you’re looking to meet new people and know how and where to get you support. Keep an eye out for this icon around campus!
Use the drop-downs below to learn more about each area of the Connectors Programme.
What are Connection Sessions?
SU Connection Sessions are peer-facilitated conversations in small groups, designed for you to form genuine friendships and develop your confidence in sharing, caring, vulnerability, venting, validating, empathy, giving and receiving compliments; all of the ingredients to make strong connections with others.
You'll join a small group, led by our SU Connectors (who are students, just like you!) and attend an in-person session every week for 4 weeks. Each session will have a different focus from getting to know each other, to getting something off your chest, to sharing and receiving positive messages.
Whether you’re looking to make friends, improve your confidence in meeting new people, or simply try something different, SU Connection Sessions are a friendly place to start. You’ll also receive a LinkedIn certificate and SU Connectors in badge to recognise your achievements!
What is 1-to-1 Social Connect?
1-to-1 Social Connect follows a social prescribing model to help you meet other students and people in the community. Social prescribing addresses health inequalities and factors contributing to loneliness through a “link worker”, supporting individuals over a period of time to help build their confidence and find new things to do. Our friendly SU Connectors (who are also students like you!) act as our link workers, and they will:
- Help you identify events and activities you want to get involved in, including encouraging you to try new things
- Attend events and activities with you, or help you get to them
- Support you with your wellbeing by helping improve your confidence and resilience in meeting new people
- Refer you to more specific support if something comes up as a barrier to you making connections on campus
This service is free but some events and activities might cost some money. Speak to your Connector if you’re struggling to afford anything you want to do, as Salford SU may be able to support you.
Sign up to be contacted about 1-to-1 Social Connect
How do I get a LinkedIn certificate?
You’ll get a LinkedIn certificate when you complete all 4 sessions of our Connection Sessions. This is to recognise your achievements in gaining skills in making friends, which will also help with interviews, in networking, and when you enter the workplace.
The certificate helps to highlight your approachability and friendliness to potential employers – a skill needed for just about every career. You’ll also receive a SU Connectors pin-badge, too, so other students on campus know you’ll be easy to approach and have a chat with if they are feeling lonely.
I want to meet new people but don’t have much money or time
Our 1-to-1 Social Connect programme might be able to help you with this – a Connector will sit down with you and help you work out when you have free time to meet new people, and Salford SU may be able to support you financially to attend some events and become more connected. Whether you’re a parent or carer, a commuting student who may not be on campus often, or you need to work a lot to be able to support yourself and/or your family, our Connectors will try their best to find something that works for you.
I want to meet people with similar interests/identities
Join a Club or Society
A good place to start is by looking at the Clubs and Societies we have at Salford SU – there are more than 90! They cover hobbies, religion, identity, culture, sport, academics and more. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, you could also think about starting a Club or Society.
Join a Connection Session
We organise the groups in our Connection Sessions by hobbies/interests/identities/faculty, so you’ll have something in common with the people you’re in the groups with.
Nervous about attending an event on your own?
Sign up for our 1-to-1 Social Connect Programme! You’ll be assigned an SU Connector who will work with you to help build your confidence in meeting new people, and will attend events with you for morale support and to help you take the first step to connecting on campus!