Western Connecticut is Connecticut's public university for high quality fine arts and professional programs and is the latest University to launch TalkCampus for their students. Western Connecticut wanted to build on their existing mental health support offering by giving students somewhere they could go to on an ongoing basis to get support for the ups and downs of life.
TalkCampus is a groundbreaking solution for student mental health offering instant support 24/7. A combination of peer support, machine learning and innovative design mean that students have a community that makes talking about how you’re really feeling that little bit easier.
Dr. Walter Cramer, Dean of Students, commented that “we here at WCSU have been concerned about our students accessing support services 24/7 to try to manage the unprecedented times they are facing including the COVID-19 pandemic, heightened social injustices incidents, the urgent economic crises, and lack of adequate health/mental health care. Dr. Ree Gunter, Director of WCSU Counseling Services, and I were looking for some kind of 24/7 support for our student and were very impressed when we met with TalkCampus. It was clear to us that this platform was just what we needed to provide 24/7 support focusing on engaging student-to-student connections through an app which is something that students are comfortable using. Providing an opportunity for this student-to-student experience allowing them to share concerns and challenges in an accessible and safe environment provides us with the confidence that we can reach students in ways we previously were not able to reach them.”
One of the key features of TalkCampus is its ability to embed a university's student services directly within the app ensuring students know exactly what support is available to them and how to access this. In addition, real time escalation ensures that students who are at a higher level of risk get the support they need.
Opening up about your mental health isn’t easy, the TalkCampus app provides a familiar and intuitive network where students feel able to take those first steps, helped by their peers from around the world.
‘Life is incredibly tough for students right now. We know that bringing students together to share what they are going through and to show them they are not alone can make it easier to cope. Social connection is such a powerful force when you are struggling and our community can make a real difference whatever time of day or night’ Jennifer Russell, Clinical Director TalkCampus.
Whilst traditional support services have a vital role to play for student mental health, online peer support plays a powerful role for upstream, early and ongoing intervention. With so many students studying at home in isolation having someone to talk to and share with can make all the difference.
TalkCampus is a 24/7 global peer support network for students. Supporting over 500,000 students worldwide with real time moderation and escalation. If you would like to explore how TalkCampus can support your students we’d love to hear from you. Book a Demo - https://www.talkcampus.io