Accessibility statement

Support for staff following recent events

Posted on 7 August 2024

The University of York strongly condemns incidents of hate, racism and the targeting of individuals or groups for their religious, political or cultural beliefs.

We understand that the recent disorder in the UK is deeply upsetting and distressing but it has been reassuring to see, in many areas, the local communities working together to repair damage and support each other. 

We are a welcoming community built on the values of respect, fairness and compassion. Staff concerned by these events can find the following help and support.

Travelling to campus

Check local transport links for any travel updates. If you are worried about getting to work, please contact your line manager for advice on whether working from home would be suitable.

Working on campus

Whilst working on campus, you can get 24/7 access to the Campus Safety team via the SafeZone app. 

Use the Emergency call in the SafeZone app if your personal safety or that of others is - or has been - threatened. 

SafeZone tracks your location if you request assistance so that responding officers can locate you. If you are outside of campus boundaries, you will be offered a connection to 999 for emergency services.

SafeZone is free to download. Register using your University email address.

You can also contact Campus Safety directly on +44 (0)1904 32 3333 if it's urgent or +44 (0)1904 32 4444 for general security and safety questions.

Find out about Campus Safety

After any incident

We would encourage you to report a hate crime or incident if you witness or experience it. Report any criminal matters to the police and notify the University using our Report + Support tool.

If you report with contact details, an appropriate member of staff will get in touch to discuss what you would like to happen next and discuss the support available for you. 

You can also choose to report anonymously. We will use this information to better understand the issues impacting our University community, to monitor trends and inform proactive and preventative work, as we do with reports that include contact details.

Report + Support

Staff support

If you have any concerns, there are many people ready to provide help and support. 

  • You have access to an advice line and a range of free resources if you need help, as part of our Employee Assistance scheme. Depending on the nature of your call, you will be put through to either a qualified counsellor or a legal advisor.
  • You may wish to contact the University Chaplaincy or various faith communities contacts for guidance and support. 
  • Our colleagues at the Staff Race Equality Network (SREF) provide mutual support for each other. You can join SREF to receive more information by emailing equailty@york.ac.uk. 

Support, health and wellbeing

External resources and support

City of Sanctuary: 

Tell Mama supports victims of anti-Muslim hate and measures anti-Muslim attacks.

York Anti-Racist Collective and its associate Teapot Collective provide support for Global Majority communities to heal from trauma, creating local networks of support in York.

Victim Support provides free and confidential advice after crime.

When you feel safe, you can support other people by speaking up and being an active bystander when witnessing inappropriate behaviour or language:

Information for students

We have also provided advice and information for students.