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Student support line set to launch next fall

February 1, 2012
By

The University Students’ Council is developing a new support service for students in need.

At Wednesday night’s USC meeting, Marissa Joffre, vice-president campus issues, announced she would be adding a peer support phone line to the campus issues portfolio. The support line, which is expected to be fully operational by September 2012, will be staffed by trained volunteers who will assist students on a variety of issues, from relationships to financial troubles.

Paul Di Santo, USC commissioner-at-large campus issues, explained the line is being established to provide more mental health service options to students. “This initiative is the result of a larger demand from students for more mental health services. This service will specifically address instances of acute mental distress, but the goal is to be able to provide both immediate peer-support and a referral to another service for long-term service,” he said.

The support line will be run through the USC Support Services Centre, which oversees other USC services like the Women’s Issues Network and EnviroWestern. Joffre plans to operate the line herself at first, until it can be established what sort of training volunteers will need. Though the line is still in its primary phase of development, Joffre expected the cost would be minimal, covering only the cost of the phone line itself and the training for volunteers.

Mental health is an issue of growing importance on university campuses, and Joffre explained she felt the campus issues portfolio should reflect that. “There is a lot of conversation right now about mental health. It is the belief of the USC, however, that our role is not to provide mental health services, but to eliminate the roadblocks, so to speak, that students face in getting help,” she said.  Joffre also noted students could call the line with more acute issues such as roommate disputes and relationship problems, which cause stress in their lives. “My hope is that this phone line could be an outlet for students who are in need to current immediate support.”

Joffre explained, “My goal is that this phone line will increase the awareness of the USC Support Services, make them more accessible, and also provide students with a level of peer-to-peer support that is not currently available on campus.”

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Julian Uzielli

Julian is a News Editor and is currently in his third year of an Honours Specialization in Media, Information and Technoculture. Twitter: @JulianAtGazette

1 Comment

  • Vote -1 Vote +1Terra MacLeod     says:

    I would caution all students who use this service against the potential for its misuse.

    I’m still not sure how my confidentiality was breached in the first place, but somewhere between my request for Special Needs exam accommodation and a sexual harassment complaint against a UWO grad student, the campus police targeted me for their brand of harassment as well. Apparently, some misinformation in the school system had left them with the impression that I was some random homeless person, and not a paying student. I WAS a paying student. I was only unhoused for 2 months out of the 18 months they spent harassing me.

    I never did get my request for accommodation met. ADD is not even a mental illness–it’s an issue with focus. I flunked out of school as a result, and suffered some serious personal hardship. I didn’t set foot on campus for 9 months after this mistreatment.

    This past September, I went back to get my T2202A, so I could file my taxes, and got the same old harassment. “You’re not supposed to be here. You’re not allowed to sleep in the UCC or the Social Science building.” “Do I look like I’m sleeping? I’m vertical and spending absurd amounts of money on my breakfast.” If the accusations weren’t so damaging, they’d be comical.

    So because of whatever misinformation was leaked out of my UWO files, I’ve been served with a No Trespass order. I put myself in over $35 000 of student loan debt–FOR THIS!! The campus police do nothing but backpedal and avoid my phone calls when I try to contact them for the reports, so I can take the matter to a higher authority.

    Way to destroy my employability. Way to ruin my chances of earning a degree at another university. Add my student loan to the pile of mismanagement that our taxpayers have every right to complain about.

    Again, UWO students should be very careful about discussing their personal problems with the management in this elitist frathole. Especially if their problems are a result of poverty. Calling out well-liked grad students is also a good way to become the victim of a Scarlet Letter campaign.

    Suffer in silence, ladies. Or better, yet, switch to a less Slacktivist, less Philanthropy-for-Profit university.

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