Allyship

What is ALLYSHIP?

The act of being an educated and proactive supporter and advocate for a marginalized or overlooked group of people.

Being an ally entails understanding the issue well and understanding the boundaries of when to speak and when to pass the microphone to someone who identifies with the cause. An ally does all they can to level the playing field and accommodate a person(s) who has been/is being marginalized.

professors

When a student comes to you saying they have anxiety, depression or another mental health disorder, here are some do's and don'ts that YOU can follow to be a good ally:

DO:

Thank the student for coming to you. Talking about mental health issues can be scary and it may have taken a lot for the student to come up to you.
Ask the student what they need from you. They are the only people who know what they need.
If the student gives you an accommodation sheet, accept the things that they need and work with them to find ways to implement their accommodations in ways that you both find reasonable and effective.
If the student doesn't have an accommodation sheet, suggest that they go to the TCNJ Accessibility Resource Center (formerly Disability Support Services) to get one. If that is not possible, try to work with them on your own to find effective solutions. Everyone goes through things where they need help from time to time.
Regularly check in with the student in appropriate ways. Do not single them out, but let them know that you're keeping their needs in mind.
Be compassionate.

DON'T:

Immediately dismiss the student. This will make them feel like you don't care and may make them feel worse and decrease their motivation for courses.
Deny or question the need for the student's accommodations. The student had to go to the Accessibility Resource Center/Disability Support Services to obtain this sheet and therefore it is valid.
Say things like, "I think you're just nervous," "You'll be fine," "There's nothing to worry about," "If I do it for you I have to do it for everyone," "I don't think you need it." "If you think you need those things, rethink taking this course."
- These responses invalidate feelings and experiences, and even if you don't intend to be rude, the student may interpret them as rude and insensitive.
Do or say something that you would not want done or said to you.

For more resources, such as a guide on how to support students, a referral database of mental healthcare providers, and a list of health and wellness resources at TCNJ, refer to the Resources section of the Faculty and Administration page.

Peers

The support and advocacy from peers is crucial to creating a more compassionate climate around mental health. This is an important mission because if a student feels safe in their environment, they are increasingly more likely to disclose their psychiatric disorder and receive the services and accommodations they deserve. Additionally, if members of the campus community have positive attitudes towards the College's counseling services, then other students are more likely to feel that safety. To maintain each student's mental health, it is important to, "[consider] the relationship between perceived campus attitudes and personal attitudes, if a student’s classmates or teaching assistants say that counseling services can help decrease distress, the student may perceive greater benefits for treatment leading to a greater likelihood of seeking services” (Chen & Karver). It will also apply the pressure to TCNJ administration to strengthen their mental health outreach, advocacy efforts and services. In this way, the health of each individual on campus is a responsibility of the community as a whole.

Ways to Be a Peer Ally:

1) Participate in people-first language. This includes replacing the term “disabled” for “differently-abled”. This practice allows for the alterations to, "both outer and inner perceptions of people with psychiatric disabilities” (Kain, Chin-Newman & Smith). However, always honor what descriptors the person you are talking about uses.

2) When a peer comes to you with concerns about their mental health affecting their academic success, be nothing but supportive. In self-disclosing, "many students described fragile emotions as part of their condition, feeling emotional support and understanding was reported as having contributed positively to their educational experience" (Kain, Chin-Newman & Smith). Do not judge. Do not question the truth of what they say. Trust them and believe them. Understand the vulnerability they are enduring in opening up to you.

3) Be aware of the resources afforded on campus. This way, if a concerned peer approaches you, you are equipped with a plan of action. Refer to sub-pages within the Resources page to learn more.

4) Be active in organizations that work to better campus discourse of mental health through enacting inclusion and deteriorate stigma. If this is not an opportunity on your campus, create one. Two great options that both host collegiate chapters at TCNJ are:

Active Minds: promotes dialogue on mental health issues with the goal of educating all students, eliminating stigma, and providing information about available mental health resources both on campus and within the community (Active Minds, 2019).
Art with Impact: promotes mental wellness through its “Movies for Mental Health” program by screening short films on campus in order to catalyze discussion of mental health issues (Art With Impact, 2019).
"Another approach would be to initiate a mental health aware-ness campaign on campus through ads in the campus newspaper, signs on campus, etc.; research on such a campaign in the community was found not only to improve knowledge of mental health issues, but to increase the likelihood that people would seek help,” (Kain, Chin-Newman & Smith).

5) Be open-minded and make conscious efforts to include anyone who may seem on the outskirts.

6) Check up on friends and make sure you have people that check up on you too.

You have the ability to break up the stigma surrounding mental health that is so debilitating. “Both the experience and fear of stigma have been found to lead to isolation, avoidance of physical and mental health care, and missed social opportunities. Internalized negative stereotypes of mental illness appear to lead to self-blame and the inhibition of pursuing life goals. Self-stigma has been conceptualized as the opposite of empowerment,” (Marino, Child & Krasinki). You have a role to play on our college campus. Make the conscious effort to be an ally and empower others to do the same!

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