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Foothold helps you with wellbeing, neurodivergent support, mentoring and guidance so you can study with confidence.
Wellbeing help, neurodiversity support, student volunteering, and practical tools to thrive
Student? Engineer? Let’s make your journey easier
Join a community that helps you study with confidence, build your portfolio, access wellbeing support, and take part in real projects that strengthen your future career.
Get Support Now
Volunteer with Us
Whether you are in your first term or close to graduating, this is your community and your support network.
Sign Up for Updates
Build your portfolio through volunteering, join webinars, and gain practical tools that help you become the engineer you want to be.
Why We’re Here for Loughborough Students
We’ve created this space for engineering students at Loughborough University, because your journey matters to us. Whether you’re just starting out, deep in your studies, or preparing for your next move, we want to make sure you have the support, tools and opportunities to succeed.
We’re also looking to build a student rep community at Loughborough. Interested? Let us know.
Why Loughborough?
What We Offer
Financial Support
Help with essentials like equipment, unexpected costs, or ongoing challenges. You don’t have to struggle alone.
Mental Health Support
Access free, confidential counselling and digital wellbeing tools to manage stress, anxiety and burnout.
Neurodiversity Support
Not sure if ADHD, autism or another condition is affecting your studies? We help fund diagnosis and ongoing support through our Engineering Neurodiverse Futures programme.
Engineering Neurodiverse Futures Programme
If you’re studying engineering for the first time and finding it difficult to stay focused, manage deadlines, or keep your energy up, you’re not the only one.
Many students first notice these challenges during university. You may be neurodivergent, which could include ADHD, autism, dyslexia or another condition that affects the way you think, process information, or interact with the world.
Engineering Neurodiverse Futures is a fully funded support programme created for engineering students and apprentices like you. It offers quick access to diagnosis, counselling, and mentoring so that you can make sense of what’s happening and move forward with confidence.
ENF Support
In 2024-2025 we have helped x amount of students
Joined the ENF
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Students asked for support
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Slots available
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What's the Differently Wired Hub?
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1 in 7 people worldwide are considered to have a neurodiverse condition
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47% of students with autism were undiagnosed upon starting their studies
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80% of people aged 18-24 in the UK have waited more than six months for an NHS autism assessment
The Hub is your free online resource for neurodivergent engineers, students and apprentices - full of expert advice, tools, and a community that understands how you might think differently.
- Free access to articles, webinars and resources on neurodiversity in engineering.
- Support for students and apprentices navigating studies or early career challenges.
- A place where employers, educators and peers can also learn how to support neurodiverse engineers.
Join the Differently Wired Hub
Studying engineering can be demanding. Exams, placements, money worries, health, family responsibilities, and sometimes feeling like you have to handle everything on your own. Foothold is here to make that easier.
We give students and apprentices in engineering a place to turn to for wellbeing support, neurodivergent guidance, help with money worries, and real opportunities to build your portfolio through volunteering and projects.
Join our mailing list to hear about new webinars, volunteering roles, and support programmes like Engineering Neurodiverse Futures and the Differently Wired Hub as soon as they open.
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Webinar & Events
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Staying informed and developing your skills is a key part of becoming the engineer you want to be. Our live webinars give you the chance to learn directly from experts, hear from members of the engineering community, and gain practical guidance that supports both your studies and your wellbeing.
We host sessions throughout the year covering a wide mix of topics. Some focus on mental health and building resilience. Others explore life skills such as money management, career planning and navigating the early stages of your engineering journey. We also run sessions shaped by the needs of neurodivergent students, including understanding diagnoses, study strategies and how to advocate for yourself at university or in the workplace.
What students gain from our webinars:
• Clear, practical advice you can apply straight away
• Guidance on topics that directly affect your studies and early career
• A safe space to learn about mental health, neurodiversity and wellbeing
• Opportunities to ask questions and get reassurance from professionals
• Access to recordings so you can catch up at your own pace
Volunteer with Us & Build Your Portfolio
Want engineering experience that stands out? By volunteering with Foothold you can support real-world projects, work alongside professionals, and build skills that power your CV and your future career.
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Placement-style roles for students and apprentices (remote or in-person) in engineering support, content creation or community outreach.
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Portfolio-ready deliverables (case study, photos, testimonial) you can show to employers.
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Mentoring and peer-support built in so you both learn and contribute.
STUDENT FAQ
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Snapshot Foothold
Get Support
Our student webinars cover mental health, money guidance, career planning, neurodiversity and day to day challenges faced by engineering students. Signing up means you are automatically invited, and you can access recordings if you ever miss a session.
Volunteer
We provide practical wellbeing support, from mental health and emotional resilience, to help with money worries, disability and caring responsibilities. You can access online hubs, free webinars, and specialist programmes such as our Engineering Neurodiverse Futures and Differently Wired Hub, as well as financial and practical guidance when you need it.
Subscribe
By joining our student network and staying in touch, you become part of a wider engineering community that looks out for one another. You will hear about new support, events and opportunities as they open, and you will always know there is a trusted charity ready to listen and help you plan your next step.
Support we offer
Whatever challenges you're going through - big or small - we have varied and tailored support we can offer. We like to take a holistic approach to our support and we know nothing happens in isolation. So we'll talk you through how we can give you a helping hand to get you back on your feet. And if there's something you're struggling with and can't see the solution below, get in touch with us and we'll figure out the best way forward - together. We've been here for the engineering community, current and former IET members and their families since 1890 and we'll be here you whenever you're ready.
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