We know that grief can be overwhelming and lonely, but we also believe that it’s possible to build compassionate communities that are equipped to respond to the challenges of death, bereavement and grief.
We provide support directly to bereaved individuals, as well as helping institutions create a healthier grief culture and build effective support systems. Our work helps students continue with their studies and thrive at university even in the most difficult circumstances.
Founded by Anna May while she was experiencing grief as a student herself, and shaped by conversations with hundreds of students and staff over the years, SGN is now part of Kaplan International.
What’s the need?
An estimated 10% of students will have lost a close friend or family member by the time they finish university. That’s approximately 280,000 bereaved students across the UK in a given year.
Grief can be highly stressful with emotional, social, physical and practical impacts. When people are not properly supported, it can lead to serious health and wellbeing challenges, as well as having a knock-on effect in education and employment outcomes.
But we also recognise that it is a notoriously difficult subject, and one of many challenges in the sector. University teams can’t specialise in everything. We help bridge the gap by raising awareness and delivering affordable training, consultancy, workshops and events.
A note from our founder
SGN has grown from my personal experiences of loss, alongside years of research, training, and development, not to mention hundreds of important conversations with students, staff and mental health professionals.
My brother died when I was ten. I know from this that loss can really shatter someone’s world. But I’ve also seen another side to grief, when my Dad died in my final year at university. While still incredibly painful, this acted like a catalyst to self-discovery and connection to the world around me. You can read more about my experiences here, or listen to the podcast below.
With gratitude to all involved with the Bereaved Student Network at the University of Leeds, especially Andrew Durham, who helped lay the foundations of this work.
– Anna May
Some of the faces behind The Student Grief Network
