PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM

Peer Support Programme - Counselling Cell

What is the meaning of peer support?

Peer support occurs when people provide knowledge, experience, emotional, social, or practical help to each other.  It is about instilling hope, role modeling, and supporting to reclaim a meaningful, self-determined life. In addition to using one’s experiential knowledge, peer support can involve training in values, knowledge, and skills to provide support. It may involve timely support and also referral to the counselling cell. Peer support is also used to refer to initiatives where students in person as equals give each other connection and support on a reciprocal basis.

Why is peer support helpful?

Research suggests that peer support is a critical and effective strategy to enhance mental health awareness, reduce campus-wide mental health stigma, and help people receive necessary support and services. 

The IISERB peer support training programme actively works to educate students about self-awareness and is designed to develop skills in peers to reduce the stigma often associated with seeking help for emotional or psychological problems. This is important as students are more likely to receive needed services if they feel the climate on their college campus is more positive with respect to mental health.

Objectives of the IISERB peer support programme 

• The programme aims to create sensitivity amongst students regarding the entire student  community and their concerns.

• It aims to enhance self-awareness among students who enroll in the programme as peer supporters

• It would train students in basic values, knowledge, and skills necessary for support work.

• It would train students in making appropriate referrals and providing information about resources that exist on campus for student support

• The programme hopes to create a stronger and more dependable peer support network.

• The students who enrol for this programme could help the Counselling Centre in other preventive work of the center.  

What are the component of a peer support programme?

Trainings for the peer supporters

Peer Outreach

Debriefing

Referral

Trainings for peer supporters would focus on,

Self-awareness, understanding and reflexivity of one’s social location, understanding prejudice

Values such as non-judgemental ways of being, unconditional positive regard, empathy

Skills of basic counselling such as listening, attending skills; communication and problem-solving skills; assertiveness training, referral skills

Who can become a peer supporter?

Any student of IISERB willing to invest their time in the training and activities organised by the Peer Support program can become a Peer supporter.

Peer support programme aims to support students in their academic and social adjustment to college life. For student volunteers, peer support contributes to their social, emotional and cognitive development as they have an opportunity to develop skills, adopt responsibility, meet new people and contribute to the welfare of a community. Students experiencing difficulties often reap numerous benefits, including talking with a fellow student in a casual setting, seeking support for transitional difficulties, and receiving referrals to professional services if necessary. Through the training, it is hoped that participants will learn and practice skills that will benefit them throughout their life.

Thus, to reiterate once again, anyone who is committed to the above stated objectives of the programme could become a peer supporter.

Know your Peer Supporters: