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TalkCampus Frequently Asked Questions

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  • How do I apply to be a TalkCampus buddy?
    We're frequently looking for volunteers! Applications for Buddy roles are open once a month so keep an eye out within the app for our Volunteer Application announcements. You must be 16+ to be a Buddy. Applicants will be required to fill out a short questionnaire, participate in a scheduled video call interview, and if selected, undergo training to fulfil the role of a TalkCampus Buddy.
  • Can I stop whenever I want?
    Yes, you are free to leave the volunteer position at any time. We also encourage you to take breaks where needed so that you can prioritize your own mental health. We are able to temporarily remove your volunteer status if you need a break so that you don’t feel any pressure to continue whilst you take care of yourself.
  • What is a TalkCampus buddy?
    A TalkCampus buddy takes part in our unique online training course in peer support. We’ll teach you how to support others online including how to encourage people to open up, how to respond to someone who is struggling, how to know your own boundaries and critically, how to look after yourself and practice self-care. You will be required to spend 5-6 hours per week performing your buddy duties on TalkCampus.
  • Do I get paid being a TalkCampus buddy?
    No, being a buddy is a voluntary role.
  • What is TalkCampus?
    TalkCampus is your safe community to talk to other students around the world like you! Our peer support app is available on both mobile and desktop, giving you an anonymous space for getting support and sharing how you really feel.
  • Can I still get support on TalkCampus if I'm a volunteer?
    Absolutely! We encourage all our volunteers to continue to use TalkCampus to get support as well as to give support.
  • What do I get from being a volunteer?
    As a volunteer at TalkCampus you will get: To become part of an awesome volunteer community A free unlimited hero subscription Certificates for your time as a volunteer Access to plenty of fun workshops and volunteer sessions
  • Why do I have to do a video call on Zoom to become a volunteer?
    We ask you to do a face to face Zoom meeting so that we can verify your identity and get to know you better. If you do not want to do a video meeting, unfortunately we cannot take your application any further.
  • Is there any training available on TalkCampus?
    TalkCampus buddy training is carried out in small groups and is made up of several modules, completed in your own time, at your own pace. The modules consist of videos, written information and a quiz to help you put into practice what you have learnt. You can log on at any time, day or night, to complete the online training and support will be on hand if you have any queries. Depending on the pace and size of the group, training can take anywhere between 1-2 weeks.
  • Does TalkCampus support mature students?
    Yes! There are many mature students in the community, often studying part-time or remotely. TalkCampus is a great way to help people feel connected to their place of study and foster communities, making it easier for mature students to feel included and connected. The fact that TalkCampus is accessible on desktop and mobile and available round the clock can also help those students juggling busy lives.
  • Can you tell me more about the student volunteering program?
    Becoming a mental health volunteer is a fantastic opportunity for your students. Whether as part of their course or as a desire to learn new skills and give something back, students can take part in our online peer support training and become buddies on TalkCampus. This is a flexible, enjoyable way for students to give back by volunteering whilst juggling the demands of student life. We teach valuable life skills across active listening, conveying empathy online, boundaries, and self-care. We offer full training, ongoing support, and clinical supervision as standard.
  • Can your mental health service support students overseas?
    Yes! TalkCampus is a global platform for students from all over the world. We can support your entire student population wherever they are. TalkCampus works well for students who are studying overseas as they can often feel isolated and struggle being away from home.
  • Does peer support work for students?
    The benefits of peer support are wide-ranging and well-evidenced. Peer support can be an effective mechanism to support people with anxiety, depression, addiction and many other mental health issues. Participating in peer-to-peer support has been linked to an increased ability to cope, a greater sense of wellbeing and resilience, higher levels of self-esteem and confidence. Since using our platform: Over 70% of students feel less isolated 79% feel more able to cope with life 82% feel more understood
  • How is the student platform kept safe?
    TalkCampus combines unique machine-learning classifiers with a combination of Trust & Safety experts and clinical staff to provide real-time escalation and moderation at a massive scale. We identify within milliseconds whether a student is at risk and use this information to provide timely, relevant support.
  • Will this put additional pressure on our counselors or student services?
    Rather the contrary! In our experience, TalkCampus takes the pressure off existing services, providing upstream support for students and ensuring that they receive help while waiting for counseling services. Our safeguarding and escalation procedures are extremely robust and we work with you to devise reporting and escalation that works for your institution.
  • Can other people use TalkCampus?
    TalkCampus has been built from the ground up solely for students. We don’t feel that it is safe for students to be engaging with other demographics through the platform. That’s why they are required to sign in and verify their student status before using the platform.
  • Is there professional staff on the platform?
    TalkCampus is based on peer support with students supporting students. However, TalkCampus is safeguarded by our professional team of Trust & Safety experts and clinical staff who are constantly monitoring the platform.
  • What reporting do you provide on student mental health, and when?
    We know how important reporting is and we offer extensive de-identified quarterly reporting across both engagement and sentiment on the platform, benchmarking your students against the community as a whole and providing you with valuable feedback. We also provide real time incident reporting.
  • What is TalkCampus?
    TalkCampus is a peer support platform accessible from mobile and desktop where students from around the world come together to give and get support within a safe, supportive infrastructure.
  • Is TalkCampus a crisis support service?
    TalkCampus is not a crisis support service. However, we support students to discuss difficult feelings with strict community guidelines in place to ensure this is done safely. If we identify that a student is at risk of harm, we escalate them in real time to relevant crisis support, including informing their place of study via a customizable escalation pathway.
  • What if my students are online in the middle of the night? Will there be someone there?
    Yes! That’s the beauty of a global student community. TalkCampus has users located all over the world, across multiple time zones, so there will always be someone online ready to connect with your students. Additionally, our global safety team is working around the clock and will be available to intervene in real time if a student is struggling.
  • How will our students access TalkCampus?
    The TalkCampus app can be downloaded from Google Play and the App Store, and it’s also accessible from desktop here. Once you sign up to TalkCampus with your college/university, your entire student body will have instant, ongoing access to the platform using their university email address.
  • What is peer support?
    It is informal support shared between peers rather than professionals. Peer support relies on students using their own personal experiences to help each other. It provides a sense of connection that’s essential for our mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing.
  • Do you collect any data and if so, how do you use it?
    Data is collected and used for the purpose of gathering insights on how the platform is being used. Your TalkCampus data is de-identified, and never shared with third parties or advertisers. We encourage you to learn more about how we use your data through our privacy policy which can be found here.
  • What makes TalkCampus safe to use?
    TalkCampus has a number of mechanisms that make it safe to use, including tools for anonymously reporting bullying and inappropriate or concerning posts. These alert administrators and moderators take appropriate action to review and resolve any issues raised.
  • What language should I write in?
    TalkCampus is primarily an English speaking network, however, our TalkCampus Buddies can support you across 26 languages including Swedish, Dutch, Arabic, German, Russian, Slovak, Czech, Polish, Hindi, Korean, Odia, Bengali, Urdu, Spanish, Tswana, Afrikaans, Cantonese, Mandarin, French, Greek & Portuguese.
  • I need urgent support, what should I do?
    If you believe your life or the life of someone you know is in danger and are in need of urgent help, please see Additional Resources where there is more information and links to global crisis support centers around the world.
  • I need help with my account or I need tech support
    Of course! Please email us on support@talklife.co.
  • How is TalkCampus monitored and by who?
    TalkCampus Admins TalkCampus has a global safety team working around the clock to remove inappropriate content, and users within seconds. Administrators are professional staff trained in moderation and safeguarding. Administrators review flagged content and content removed by the Moderators and have oversight of the platform 24/7. Administrators can also suspend and ban users. Moderators A moderator is a TalkLife volunteer who has gone through a thorough recruitment, training and assessment process to be able to remove content on TalkLife. Moderators remove content that is against the TalkLife Community Guidelines. Everything that is removed by a moderator is reviewed by an administrator. Moderators are members of the TalkLife community that want to give back and support others. TalkCampus buddies/trained volunteers A buddy is a volunteer from the TalkCampus community who wants to give back and support others. TalkCampus volunteers go through training and assessment and learn how to support others online including active listening, conveying empathy and self-care. Buddies are there to welcome you in the community and support you as you work through the ups and downs of life. TalkLife Clarity AI TalkCampus is monitored by the TalkLife Clarity AI and moderation engine. TalkLife Clarity uses machine learning models to classify content shared on TalkCampus in order to facilitate faster support and provide additional moderation when needed.
  • How is my privacy protected?
    Your privacy matters to us. Please find the TalkCampus Privacy Policy here.
  • Why do I have to use my university email address?
    The reason we ask you to use your official university or college email address is for one purpose only: authentication and verification of your student status. TalkCampus is a network exclusively for students and using your University or College email address is the most reliable way to make sure no one else can gain access to the platform. This means it remains a safe space for the community it is intended for. Please be reassured that TalkCampus is a confidential third party support service where your identity is protected. TalkCampus will not share personal identifying details or interactions of those using the platform, either with the University or any other third parties.
  • How anonymous and confidential is TalkCampus?
    The ONLY circumstance under which anonymity may be broken is if a student expresses explicit intent to harm oneself or others. If this is the case, we will reach out to you and support you to contact relevant places for you to get help. We will also be in touch with your University or College to make them aware if they have agreed that they would like us to do this.
  • Do you collect any data, and if so, how is it used?
    We collect data to understand how students are using TalkCampus, but don’t worry- it’s de-identified and never shared with third parties or advertisers. For more on this, check out our privacy policy.
  • Can you tell me more about the student volunteering programme?
    TalkCampus trains students from our partner institutions to become community peer supporters via an online training programme. We call them TalkCampus Buddies.The programme equips students who want to support others with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to help others both online and in their day-to-day lives.You can read more about the volunteering programme here.
  • I need help with my account or I need tech support
    Drop us an email at support@talklife.co.
  • What language should I write in?
    TalkCampus is primarily an English speaking network, however, our TalkCampus Buddies offer support across 26 languages including Swedish, Dutch, Arabic, German, Russian, Slovak, Czech, Polish, Hindi, Korean, Odia, Bengali, Urdu, Spanish, Tswana, Afrikaans, Cantonese, Mandarin, French, Greek & Portuguese.
  • Why do I have to use my university email address?
    We ask for your university email to verify that you’re a student—this helps keep TalkCampus a safe, student-only space. Rest assured, your identity and personal details are confidential and won’t be shared with your school or anyone else.
  • How anonymous and confidential is TalkCampus?
    Your privacy matters! The ONLY circumstance under which anonymity may be broken is if you express explicit intent to harm yourself or others. If this is the case, we will reach out to you and help you get the support from the right places. We will also be in touch with your University or College to make them aware if they have agreed that they would like us to do that.
  • What is TalkCampus?
    TalkCampus is your safe community to talk to other students around the world like you! Our peer support app is available on both mobile and desktop, giving you an anonymous space for getting support and sharing how you really feel.
  • Is TalkCampus safe?
    We take safety seriously. The app has tools to report bullying and any inappropriate content anonymously. Our team of administrators and moderators steps in to check things out and resolve any issues reported.
  • What is peer support?
    It is informal support shared between peers (other students) rather than professionals. It’s all about connecting with people who get what you’re going through and building a supportive community together.
  • I need urgent support, what should I do?
    If you believe you or someone you know is in immediate danger and need urgent help, please see Additional Resources for links to global crisis support centers.
  • How do I access TalkCampus?
    The TalkCampus app can be downloaded from Google Play and the App Store, and it’s also accessible from desktop here. If your institution is signed up, all you need to do is log in to create an account using your University email address.
  • Who can use TalkCampus?
    TalkCampus is just for students, with support available 24/7 in 26 different languages. Whether you're on campus, studying abroad, doing online classes, or you're a mature student, TalkCampus is here for you if your institution is signed up.
  • How are asynchronous sessions counted?
    You will receive a certain number of sessions, approved by your institution, however asynchronous messaging sessions don’t have a start and end time so alternative data is used to count how many ‘sessions’ you have had (equivalent to time spent with your therapist). Each 500 word exchange counts as one session.
  • What is short term counselling?
    Counselling, also referred to as therapy, is a talking therapy that involves a trained practitioner listening to you and helping you find ways to deal with emotional issues. The process can help change how you are feeling, and for many people they find that they learn some new ways of coping which also helps them to feel better.
  • What happens if I don’t get on with my therapist?
    You have the ability to change therapists whenever you want. You will just need to let BetterHelp support know and they will support you in finding another. You do not need to notify the therapist, if you do not feel comfortable. Please note your session limit will still apply, e.g. if you had 6 sessions and used 3 with your first therapist, you will have 3 left to use with the second therapist.
  • What happens if I need more sessions?
    We understand that sometimes things can take a bit longer. The process for session extensions will vary a little depending on what your institution have agreed with us.
  • Is therapy right for me?
    Therapy may be right for you if you're looking to improve the quality of your life and your mental health. We have therapists who specialise in specific issues such as stress, anxiety, relationships, parenting, depression, addictions, eating, sleeping, trauma, anger, family conflicts, LGBT matters, grief, religion, self esteem, and more.
  • How will I communicate with my therapist?
    You can receive Therapy in four ways: Video conferencing with your therapist where you see each other and talk with each other in a virtual face-to-face setting (similar to Zoom or FaceTime). Phone calls using your landline or mobile, no matter where you are. Synchronous messaging; A real time, written conversation with your therapist at a time you’ve both agreed. Asynchronous messaging; at your own pace, and on your own schedule, where you and your therapist exchange messages throughout the week. You can use different ways at different times as you wish, based on your needs, availability, and convenience. After you have signed up, you will be taken through a simple process to set up your preferences. Please be aware that if you message back and forth with your therapist outside of a video or phone session this may be counted as one of your assigned sessions.
  • Where do I go if I'm in a crisis?
    BetterHelp is not a crisis service. If you experience thoughts and feelings around harming yourself, it is really important that you seek in person help, whether that is from your university, the emergency services or your doctor.
  • Is therapy confidential?
    In most cases, Therapy is confidential, and your therapist will not share what you discuss with anyone else. However, there are a few exceptions. For instance, if someone shows a clear intention to seriously harm themselves or if someone else is at risk, the therapist is required to inform emergency services or the relevant authorities to ensure safety. Please discuss with your therapist their legal obligations to confidentiality if you have any concerns or questions.
  • What qualifications will my therapist have?
    Every therapist providing Services on the Platform is a registered and/or licensed (as applicable) and experienced therapist, counsellor, psychologist or social worker. Therapists must have a relevant academic degree in their field, at least 3 years of experience, and have to be qualified and credentialed by their respective professional organisation after successfully completing the necessary education, exams, training, and practice requirements as applicable.
  • When might Therapy not be suitable for me?
    Therapy isn’t appropriate if you’re in a crisis or emergency situation. If you are in a crisis and in need of urgent support, please contact your local emergency services. If you would like to speak to someone for advice or support at any time of the day or night, you can find a list of verified helplines here. Therapy may also not be suitable if you’re experiencing severe mental health issues. In some cases, Therapy will also not be suitable if you do not have a reliable internet connection or a device that can connect to the internet (unless you opted for asynchronous messaging and can access the platform). If your needs change during therapy your therapist will talk you through other organisations which may be able to help (e.g. signposting to crisis helplines), but it’s important to remember that you should also get back in touch with your University.
  • Any other questions?
    Contact us at support@talklife.co
  • Who will be helping me?
    You will be matched with a therapist based on your goals, preferences, and the issues you're experiencing. Each therapist has their own approach and areas of expertise, so it's important to find the right fit for you. If at any point you feel your therapist isn't suitable, you can request to be matched with a different one.
  • How long will it take to get started?
    Please allow 1 working day for your BetterHelp email to come through. Once you’ve completed your therapist matching form with BetterHelp, you can be matched with a therapist within an hour. In some cases where you may have more specific preferences it may take up to a couple of days to ensure they can find you the perfect match.
  • What will happen in my first session?
    Your first session is an opportunity to get to know your therapist and to begin to outline what you hope to achieve through your sessions. This may include any goals you want to work on. Your therapist will introduce themselves and explain their role as well as the structure of the sessions so you know what to expect. They will ask you about your current situation, your reasons for seeking support and any specific difficulties you want to address. Don't worry if you're not yet sure what these might be as your therapist is there to support and guide you through the process. You will also have the opportunity to ask any questions you might have.
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