Second sensory room opened on campus

LJMU’s second on-campus sensory room has been unveiled in the James Parsons Building (room 1.39B) of its City Campus.

The open-access Sensory Resource Hub provides neurodivergent students, and anyone who might find the university environment overwhelming, the space to decompress, to regulate their senses and to recharge in a calm and supportive environment.

The new space complements the existing sensory room at the university’s Mount Pleasant Campus in the Education Building, extending access to a much wider population of its student community.

The room is a fully equipped multi-sensory environment with bubble tube, fibre optics, liquid floor tiles, adjustable lighting, a variety of small sensory fidget toys and soft furnishings. It was designed to give students a space to regulate, decompress, and re-engage, whether they are neurodivergent, managing anxiety, or simply having a hard day.

It is really important that we have a space where students can have this respite. 

Etienne Lewis-Jarvis, 25/26 Vice-President for Community and Wellbeing at John Moores Students Union

This second space was developed as part of Inclusive Calm, a staff-led, cross-departmental project with funding from the university’s Diversity and Inclusion team. Project team members include Dr Sara Muršić, Dr Ange Garden, Etienne Lewis-Jarvis, Libby Robinson and Dr Fran Tracy.  

Etienne Lewis-Jarvis, outgoing Students’ Union officer, had pledged as part of her manifesto to support neurodiverse students at LJMU. She said: “It is really important that we have a space where students can have this respite. University can be overwhelming, especially for first years, so it’s an important space where they can just chill out, and I am so happy and excited it’s finally launched.”  

Dr Sara Muršić, a Specialist Study Skills Tutor with the Student Life and Wellbeing team, and part of the Inclusive Calm project team said: “In many situations students just really want to have a space where they can exercise the skills that they have developed of helping themselves, and that includes having the right environment and having inclusive spaces, maybe a quiet corner in a busy campus to just sit down and have a minute.

“And that applies to everyone. So, yes this is a students’ room, the second sensory room we have in the university but it’s open for everyone and whoever needs that moment or a little bit of time for themselves to regulate their emotions or thoughts.”