This is a safe space: “Talking benches” installed across South Kensington campus

The College is installing benches painted mint green around campus as an initiative to promote honest, no-judgement conversations about mental health amongst students. 

This is part of an initiative from Imperial to create a more welcoming and sociable environment as they look to provide “ ‘sociable places’ which gently encourage people to sit and have a conversation with others”. The benches have been painted throughout 30 October, with installation to follow in the coming days.

Two benches will be installed outside, one in Beit Quad, and one in Queen’s Lawn; three internal seating vinyls will be installed inside, in the Senior and Junior Common Rooms, and near Loudbird in SAF. Installing  more benches in areas such as communal spaces is being explored. 

Some signs that will be near the benches include: “Sociable Bench – if you sit here, you’re welcome to chat with others” or “Fancy a chat? Take a seat and see who joins you.”

The project in its entirety is financed by maintenance contractor Smart, who also provided the benches. 

Deputy Campus Director Jolene Burger, at the front of this project, comments on Imperial’s intention to advocate and support student mental health: “mental health is at the forefront of the younger’s generation daily thinking. You deal with it a lot better than previous generations have”. 

The Talking Benches are “a relatively simple intervention that could potentially make a surprisingly positive difference to the campus experience.”