The North-West University (NWU) will roll out a new mental-health support system this month, bringing a national crisis network onto its campuses as demand for student support continues to rise.
The university has partnered with the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) to provide counselling, crisis intervention and support services to all registered students.
The roll-out starts at the Mahikeng Campus with crisis intervention training for residence house parents on 14 April, followed by the launch of services on 15 April. The programme will then move to the Potchefstroom and Vanderbijlpark campuses.
The partnership gives students access to a 24-hour counselling helpline and a WhatsApp chatline, along with crisis intervention and follow-up support where needed. SADAG will also offer access to more than 200 free support groups covering a range of mental and medical conditions. The system includes referrals to internal and external support services, linking students to care beyond the university where required.
University officials say the goal is to build a system that improves access to support and strengthens response to student needs across campuses. The rollout is coordinated by campus teams working with SADAG to align processes and ensure consistency.
“We are working closely with SADAG to align on processes and responsibilities so that we build a system that responds to the needs of each campus,” said, Onelihle Makedama, Mahikeng Campus SADAG helpline coordinator.
“The focus is on ensuring that students know where to go and how to access help when they need it. To also encourage help-seeking behaviour, reduce mental health stigma and reduce barriers to accessing care.”
The programme also includes psycho-education through brochures and webinars aimed at informing students about mental health and the services available. Organisers say this is part of a broader effort to encourage help-seeking behaviour and reduce barriers to accessing care.
The services of SADAG will be available to students living both on and off campus. The 24-hour helpline can be reached on 080 012 8431, while the WhatsApp chatline operates between 08:00 and 17:00 on 087 163 2050.
The initiative marks a shift toward integrating external mental-health resources into university systems, with the NWU positioning the partnership as part of its wider student support strategy.
