Peer support involves students giving support and advice to one another. Find out about the different peer support schemes at SOAS!
Peer support involves people providing support to one another, whether in the form of emotional, social or practical help. In a university setting this involves students providing support and sharing experiences and knowledge with one another.
Peer support schemes at SOAS:
- SOAS New Student Scheme
- Mental Health Support Group
- Bereavement Support Group
- Cancer Support Group
- Peer support training on 22nd November and 6th December
SOAS New Student Scheme:
The SOAS New Student Scheme introduces current students to new first year students to offer support and signposting as they settle into SOAS.
Join our weekly drop-ins every Friday 12-2 in the Russell Room (lower ground floor of Main Building)!
The Scheme also matches up students for one to one's, when students request it. If you'd like to meet up with a student whose been at SOAS for more than a year, or who is a Postgrad Taught or Research student, please email newstudentsscheme@soas.ac.uk
If you'd like to volunteer for the New Student Scheme and your in your second year or above, or are a Postgrad Taught student or Postgrad Research student, please email newstudentsscheme@soas.ac.uk
Mental Health Support Group:
Our new mental health support group is intended to be a place where people who experience mental health difficulties, or who have friends or family who do, or who are carers of someone with mental health difficulties, can meet together and support one another. It is intended to be as inclusive as possible and is open to both students and staff of SOAS.
We are not mental health professionals and the group is not intended to be a replacement for mental health services but rather a space for people to get together, discuss their issues and solutions, to come up with practical ideas for supporting one another, and also to share with one another about what it is like to be affected by mental health difficulties.
We will book a room for two hours. For the first 15 minutes people may be coming along, and we will try to be as welcoming as possible. We will then have an hour of guided discussion where one of us will ask questions to stimulate conversation. Everyone will be free to contribute to the discussion if they would like to, or to keep quiet if they would like to. We will stress that everything discussed in the group is confidential and must not be shared outside of the group. We might discuss topics like "what is it like to be affected by mental health difficulties?" "how does mental health difficulties affect your relationships with your family or friends?" "how does living with mental health difficulties affect studying and working? How can we better deal with any problems that arise?"
For the next 5-15 minutes, if everyone is interested, we will wrap up the conversation and then put on some calming music to give everyone time to reflect.
We will then leave the room open for the final half an hour in case anyone wants a space to sit and think, or to ask questions, before going back where other people are going about their business!
If you are interested please contact the Students' Union Disability Officers, Roisin Crowley and Karmel Carey at
sudisabilities@soas.ac.uk
Bereavement Support Group:
Our new bereavement support group is intended to be a place where people who have lost someone, such as a friend, family member or colleague, can meet together and support one another. It is intended to be as inclusive as possible and is open to both students and staff of SOAS.
We are not trained counsellors but rather facilitators of a space for people to get together, discuss their issues and solutions, to come up with practical ideas for supporting one another, and also to share with one another about what it is like to be affected by loss.
We will book a room for two hours. For the first 15 minutes people may be coming along, and we will try to be as welcoming as possible. We will then have an hour of guided discussion where one of us will ask questions to stimulate conversation. Everyone will be free to contribute to the discussion if they would like to, or to keep quiet if they would like to. We will stress that everything discussed in the group is confidential and must not be shared outside of the group. We might discuss topics like "what was it like when you found out that you had lost someone?" "how did you feel when you first heard/after 2 weeks/after a year?" "how do you talk to people about your loss?" "how do you relate to others in your family/friendship group also affected by the same loss?"
For the next 5-15 minutes, if everyone is interested, we will wrap up the conversation and then put on some calming music to give everyone time to reflect.
We will then leave the room open for the final half an hour in case anyone wants a space to sit and think, or to ask questions, before going back where other people are going about their business!
If you are interested please contact the Students' Union Disability Officers, Roisin Crowley and Karmel Carey at
sudisabilities@soas.ac.uk
Cancer Support Group:
Our cancer support group has been running since the start of 2014. It is intended to be a place where people who are affected by cancer either by personally having the condition, or knowing someone with cancer (now or in the past) can meet together and support one another. It is intended to be as inclusive as possible and is open to both students and staff of SOAS.
We are not trained counsellors or medical professionals but rather facilitators of a space for people to get together, discuss their issues and solutions, to come up with practical ideas for supporting one another, and also to share with one another about what it is like to be affected by cancer.
We will book a room for two hours. For the first 15 minutes people may be coming along, and we will try to be as welcoming as possible. We will then have an hour of guided discussion where one of us will ask questions to stimulate conversation. Everyone will be free to contribute to the discussion if they would like to, or to keep quiet if they would like to. We will stress that everything discussed in the group is confidential and must not be shared outside of the group. We might discuss topics like "how did you view cancer prior to being personally affected and how has your outlook changed?" "how has cancer affected your relationships with friends and family?" "how do you tell people about your/your family member's/friend's cancer? Do you ever choose not to tell people?" "how do people react to the idea of cancer?" "how does cancer affect your studies or work?"
For the next 5-15 minutes, if everyone is interested, we will wrap up the conversation and then put on some calming music to give everyone time to reflect.
We will then leave the room open for the final half an hour in case anyone wants a space to sit and think, or to ask questions, before going back where other people are going about their business!
If you are interested please contact the Students' Union Disability Officers, Roisin Crowley and Karmel Carey at
sudisabilities@soas.ac.uk
Chronic Support Group:
Do you have a long-term condition or illness? Does it ever "get in the way" or stop you getting on with your studies at SOAS? Want some informal advice, support, or just to come along for a chat and meet other students in a similar position?
Drop in! Come and Join us! Our first Meeting of the Academic Year 2014: this Wednesday the 19th of November, 2.00pm -3:00. Room 467 (main building, Russell square)
For further information contact chronic.soas@gmail.com
We look forward to seeing you there.
Talk For Health peer support training:
Talk For Health is a programme that trains you in the skills to give and receive effective peer support. Good peer support leads to greater confidence and reduced anxiety. If you're interested in receiving peer support training and helping to facilitate peer support groups, contact sudisabilities@soas.ac.uk or gr14@soas.ac.uk and contact Talk For Health (below) to sign up for the training!
WHERE & WHEN?
VENUE: SOAS University of London, Room 443 in the Main Building.
TRAINING DAYS: Two Saturdays – 22nd November and 6th December, from 11.00 am to 5.00 pm each day.
BOOK YOUR PLACE TODAY by emailing INFO@TALKFORHEALTH.CO.UK
OR TEXT “call me” to 07826 148 461