(LONDON) – Hines, the international real estate firm, via its aparto brand, has become the first purpose-built student accommodation provider in the UK and Ireland to partner with Kooth Plc, to make its personalised digital mental health platform freely available to all residents.
The Kooth platform provides free, safe and anonymous access to drop-in chats, counselling, content and self-help tools, 365 days a year. It includes peer-to-peer support, mood journey mapping, research and insights, and self-care help and advice. In addition, it’s the only digital mental health provider to hold UK-wide accreditation from the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).
aparto selected Kooth as it delivers an anonymous, integrated and holistic approach to accessing multiple pathways to care with immediate access to help and advice. In addition, Kooth has also focused on supporting young adults during the C-19 pandemic with wider mental health and wellbeing services under acute pressure.
During the UK lockdown, and as a result of limited access to the classroom, children and young adults have struggled with isolation, loneliness and lack of social connection. As a result, there was a rise in demand for peer-to-peer support on the Kooth platform. Data from Kooth shows that on average children and young adults were creating 38% more articles and forum questions, and there was a 55% rise in comments, per service user.
Alongside providing best-in-class accommodation and facilities for students, aparto focuses on providing great holistic experiences for its residents such as DIY interior days, cook alongs, yoga and Pilates sessions, calligraphy and networking clubs. This experience includes mental health and wellbeing with many of aparto’s on-site staff trained counsellors. This provision now extends further with the introduction of Kooth.
aparto’s residents will be able to access the Kooth platform via the following website providing a safe, secure and anonymous space for the guidance sought.
Kooth is commissioned by the NHS, Local Authorities, charities and businesses to provide anonymous and personalised mental health support for children and young adults. With over 4000 logins per day, it provides end-to-end support whatever the need.
Tom Rix, Managing Director – Operations, at aparto, said: “We’re delighted to announce our partnership with Kooth which is a forward-thinking platform, fit for the digital age, providing and delivering crucial support to students and staff alike. We really care about our residents’ mental health and wellbeing and, for us, this is a fundamental pillar of what we stand for as an organisation. Working with Kooth, we will reach all students who are experiencing mental health concerns who may be currently ‘locked-out’ of traditional routes or experiencing a delay in care. This will be a complementary tool to help support universities in their drive to address this pressing issue.”
Dr Lynne Green, Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Chief Clinical Officer at Kooth Plc, commented: “We’re delighted that aparto has taken this innovative step in providing mental health support to its student residents. It’s never been more important to offer safe and confidential help for those struggling with their emotional health and wellbeing whilst at University. Students can easily log on to Kooth, which has no thresholds to meet to gain access to support.”
James Murray, Director at Kooth Plc added: "University should be fun but that transition from school, and to work, can be stressful. Young people go from being 'children' to 'adults' in the space of 10 weeks. Some struggle to connect, miss the support structure at home and won’t disclose their stress and anxiety. Kooth is delighted that aparto will be offering anonymous counselling and digital self-help to improve the student experience in their home from home."
About aparto
aparto is the student accommodation brand of Hines which comprises c100 staff running 13 sites across the UK and Ireland. Its vision is to be the leading student living operator in Europe, with a focus on great service and genuine community creation. The platform creates a residential experience tailored to each asset’s unique location including hosting on-site events and networking, operations and design services, a wide-range of amenity provision and extensive health and safety management.
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About Kooth
We are the UK’s leading digital mental health platform. Our mission is to provide accessible and safe spaces for everyone to achieve better mental health. Our platform is clinically robust and accredited to provide a range of therapeutic support and interventions. All our services are predicated on easy access to make early intervention and prevention a reality.
Our three services are:
- Kooth: for children and young persons
- Kooth Student: for university students
- Kooth Work: for adults
Kooth is commissioned across the UK by organisations, employers and government. It is a fully safeguarded and pre-moderated community with a library of peer and professional created content, alongside access to experienced counsellors. There are no thresholds for support and no waiting lists. Currently, Kooth sees over 4,000 logins a day.
About Hines
Hines is a privately owned global real estate investment firm founded in 1957 with a presence in 240 cities in 27 countries. Hines oversees a portfolio of assets under management valued at approximately $160.9 billion¹, including $81.7 billion in assets under management for which Hines serves as investment manager, and $79.2 billion representing more than 172.9 million square feet of assets for which Hines provides third-party property-level services. Historically, Hines has developed, redeveloped or acquired approximately 1,450 properties, totaling over 485 million square feet. The firm has more than 180 developments currently underway around the world. With extensive experience in investments across the risk spectrum and all property types, and a pioneering commitment to ESG, Hines is one of the largest and most-respected real estate organizations in the world. Visit www.hines.com for more information. ¹Includes both the global Hines organization as well as RIA AUM as of December 31, 2020.