Peer support

Peer support is a method of intervention that enables a person to use their experience to help someone else in a similar situation. This experience may be related to any student experience that enables them to create a bond of trust, or it may inspire the journey of another student. This person is called a peer helper. This method is recognized as complementary to clinical intervention due to the fact that:

• Many students prefer to confide in their peers when they are experiencing difficulties.
• Social support, a sense of cohesion and belonging to a group, is a very important protective factor against psychological distress and burnout.

Although peer helpers benefit from training and supervision, it’s always an egalitarian relationship between the person providing help and the person receiving it, so that everyone benefits. Indeed, on both sides, this type of support promotes quality of life, stress management, self-confidence, a sense of well-being and reduced social isolation.

Which actions can contribute to structuring peer support programs?

• Maintaining and renewing the skills of peer helpers through initial and ongoing training.
• Setting up a selection process for people who will act as peer helpers.
• Developing collaboration between peer helpers and student support services.
• Establishing a framework for intervention (limits and responsibilities) and rules of confidentiality to which peer helpers are subject.

References

Ministère de l’Enseignement supérieur (2021) Plan d’action sur la santé mentale étudiante en enseignement supérieur 2021-2026

Canadian Association of College and University Student Services (CACUSS). The Post-Secondary Student Mental Health: Guide to a Systemic Approach

Gosselin, M-A. et Ducharme, R. (2017) Détresse et anxiété chez les étudiants du collégial et recours aux services d’aide socioaffectifs .

Gouvernement du Québec (2023) Soutien par les pairs

Université de Montréal. Guide d’implantation d’un programme de pair.es aidant.es