WalkSafe - Personal Safety for Students and Staff at University
Starting university is a very big change! Some of you are moving to completely new cities with unfamiliar surroundings and with vibrant nightlife to explore - a daunting but now a very common part of entering adult life. For some of you, this will be the first time away from loved ones, and for some of you the prospect of all of this is very overwhelming and may seem like a bit too much to handle right now.
Settling in will take time and is a very personal experience for everyone. What we want to share is how to assess your personal safety plan as a new student, existing student, mature student, or even a staff member. Your safety should NEVER be compromised while enjoying your University experience, and WalkSafe+ is an app that you can use with your family and friends who may not be near you, to make sure that you get to wherever you need to be safely! We have put together a short list of tips you can use to help create a robust and comprehensive personal safety plan for your life on campus!
Awareness and Planning: Being present and alert is one of the key principles when it comes to personal safety. If your gut tells you something is up, it’s probably right! Be mindful of your surroundings, especially during dark, late hours of the day. Try researching safe routes to learn the area better and avoid potential risks, or speak to someone familiar with the area for tips.
Campus Resources: Student Services offer a wide range of pastoral care and are your first port of call if you need assistance for anything. Make sure to also know where your campus security desk is and where you can find them around campus should you need them. If there are buses that run to the campus, make sure you know the times of the last bus to make sure you don’t end up stranded somewhere. Familiarise yourself with the campus resources you have access to.
WalkSafe+ App: WalkSafe+ serves as a reliable companion in unfamiliar environments, empowering students and staff to take control of their safety and feel more comfortable when out and about. Our free comprehensive personal safety app allows for total coverage of the safety planning you may need to do, helping you feel safer while out in public ensuring you never feel truly alone. Our safety map allows you to plan safe routes home, share journeys with your trusted friends, and choose venues with safety training for a safer night out. Using WalkSafe+ as a powerful tool for
enhancing personal safety is a game-changer; with real-time location-sharing, HomeSafe alerts, and an SOS feature that alerts your trusted friends with one tap if you require help or assistance.
The WalkSafe+ app is FREE on iOS and Android with no in-app purchases required - we want safety to be accessible to everyone! Our continued work with cities and universities to increase safety awareness will continue to grow and we can’t wait to see you join the community of Safe Walkers.
