An Introduction to
Peer Support
A training module for university and college staff. Build the skills and confidence to support students who are struggling, whether face to face or online.
"You don't need special training. You as a person are perfectly positioned to care."
You might not have started your higher education career intending to become a student counsellor, although you may often feel like one! As someone working on the front line, who students look up to and trust, it's perhaps unsurprising that you're often their first port of call when they need support.
This module has been adapted from our online peer support training, which we use to train students to support other students on the TalkCampus platform. Peer support means bringing people together with shared experiences to help each other.
Anybody can use the skills of a peer supporter and it doesn't require making any personal disclosures. All you need to do is provide a space for a student to feel accepted and understood. This short module is designed to help.
What you'll learn
This module covers eight core skills and strategies for supporting students.
Listening
OARS
Clarifying
Demonstrating Empathy
Non-Judgmental Approach
Exploring Options
Boundaries & Self-Care
Communicating Online
Listening
You may be worried about what to say if a student approaches you for support. Try not to focus on what you are going to say. Instead focus on listening, which is the cornerstone of peer support.
Listening helps us feel connected, it helps us feel heard and it helps us to know when someone needs our support. More than that, listening to someone who is in real need of support can literally save lives. Enabling someone to open up, talk to you and share how they are feeling, rather than keeping it inside, is one of the best ways of preventing difficult feelings from spiralling.
Often when someone starts telling us that they aren't doing so well, we feel pressured to talk and say something that will help. This fear can stop us from listening. If someone starts talking to you about their struggles, the best thing you can do at that moment is listen. Really listen. Listening instantly removes the pressure on you to talk or to know the answer.
Open Questions, Affirmations, Reflective Listening & Summarising
The OARS framework gives you structure to steer a conversation.
Open Questions
Open questions encourage someone to open up and talk. They give someone the freedom to express what is going on for them and give them time and space to talk.
"How are you feeling today?"
"What is that like for you?"
"Can you tell me more about that?"
Affirmations
Supportive statements that recognise and emphasise a student's existing strengths and abilities. They help build confidence in managing problems.
"It sounds like you have really thought this through."
"I'm so glad you came to speak to me today."
"You handled yourself really well in that situation."
Reflective Listening
Try reflecting back what someone has said using your own words. You show them that you understand and really get what they are saying. This can be comforting and a real release.
"It sounds like you're really struggling with your workload and feeling that it is all getting on top of you, is that right?"
Summarising
Summarising what someone has been saying provides structure, slows things down, and lets them take a breath. It is especially helpful when someone is feeling confused, fraught, and anxious.
You could say, "I just wanted to summarise what I have heard from you..." This can be very calming when their mind is full of overwhelming thoughts.
Clarifying
Clarifying is a great way of checking you have heard correctly and allowing the person to set you straight or consider whether that feels right for them.
Never be afraid to clarify. If you aren't sure what someone means or haven't heard correctly you can always ask them to clarify. This is another way of affirming someone. It helps you to know that you've understood and helps someone else know that you've heard them.
"Sorry, can I just check that I've got that right?"
Demonstrating Empathy
Empathy is the practice of putting yourself in someone else's shoes. Empathetic statements are powerful ways of showing someone you really care and validating their feelings, letting them know it's okay to feel the way they are feeling.
Often, we beat ourselves up for feeling the way that we do. Hearing from someone else that yes, it's reasonable and understandable that you feel that way, can help enormously.
Do say: "That sounds really tough" or "I can see how upset you are"
Avoid: "I know how you feel" or "It's all going to be okay"
Non-Judgmental Approach
It takes great courage to open up. Do your best to remain neutral, and don't judge. You don't know someone's experience and what has happened to them thus far in life.
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Don't Judge
Whatever they've done or however they're feeling, just listen.
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Don't Overreact
If you hear something shocking, take a moment. Just listen and give them space.
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Stay Calm
Take the role of a calm force, being there in that moment as they open up.
Exploring Options
As hard as it can sometimes be, try not to give direct advice. What works for you might not work for someone else and it's often better to let someone find their own solutions.
Instead, explore options and look at what someone has or hasn't thought about. It is important that you know what support exists at your college/university or who you can call on if you have concerns about the safety of a student.
Trust Yourself
You have the potential to make a difference to someone just by being you. You don't need special training or qualifications. Simply being there for someone is an incredible first step.
Setting Boundaries & Looking After Yourself
Boundaries determine what is and what is not okay in your interactions with students. If you do not consider or enforce healthy boundaries then you risk compromising your own emotional wellbeing, which can easily lead to exhaustion and impact on your energy levels, sleep patterns and home life.
While it is important to always lead with empathy, this doesn't mean empathy only towards the student. It also means empathy for yourself, and part of this is looking after your own mental wellbeing and making sure you are feeling resilient enough to provide emotional support to others.
If a student has shared something with you that has caused you distress, you can share with colleagues how you are feeling, even if you aren't able to disclose details.
"It sounds like you need a space to have a confidential conversation, and I may not be the best person to help because I'm not trained as a therapist. Do you know how to connect with the wellbeing team on campus?"
Tips for Communicating Online
Be sure you are speaking to the right person before you start.
Write short responses with lots of prompts so the student feels heard. Use the OARS model to help.
Make sure you know where the student is currently located in case you need to get help for them.
Be free of distractions: turn your phone on silent, shut the door, and consider using a headset for privacy.
For video calls, ensure the student is in a safe and confidential space. Agree an alternative way of contacting them should the call fail.
For text or email, set expectations about response times. Consider putting crisis contact numbers in your electronic signature.
Create the Right Environment
If someone has approached you, make sure you have enough time to have a conversation with them. A quiet space where you will be uninterrupted will help. If you need to find a different time or take a few moments to get set up, that's okay.
Try to put your own concerns to the side temporarily and focus your attention on the person you are talking to. If you have a meeting or lecture shortly, let the student know how much time you have so there is an expectation of when you will need to draw the conversation to a close.
Signpost students to TalkCampus
TalkCampus is an online 24/7 peer support community for students that can be accessed from anywhere in the world via the app or the web. You can signpost students to TalkCampus as an always-available support resource.