"Peer support is a supportive relationship between people who have a lived experience in common. The peer supporter provides emotional and social support to others who share a common experience."
-Mental Health Commission of Canada
Connect with a Hub Peer Supporter
Finding support doesn't need to be a solo journey!
From greeting you at the Hub Clinic, knitting on the bean bags of the Healthy Living Annex, to facilitating workshops and creative events, our Hub Peer Supporters are here to listen and help without judgment, wherever you are on your well-being journey.
Hub Peer Supporters receive valuable training and work to:
- Promote healthier living on campus
- Increase access to physical and mental health services
- Help you navigate healthcare at McGill and beyond
- Create and facilitate peer support programming across campus
If you have a passion for helping others and want to learn new skills, follow @HealthierMcGill on Instagram for position openings!
We hire and train students interested in engagement, outreach, media, training coordination, sexual health, harm reduction, and health navigation.
Peer Support Training Opportunities
Peer Supporters have a crucial role to play in overall community mental health and their presence has seen a steep growth on university campuses in the last few years.
Can you guess why? Peers are often the first point of contact for students seeking support. In fact, many students who connect with another student may never walk into a clinic – and may never need to. For this reason and many more, our Hub Peer Supporters and all McGill Peer Support groups are integral to our community of care at the Hub and across campus.
The following lists our complimentary peer support training and mental health literacy programming:
Peer Support Training:
A two-day, interactive training is offered at the start of each semester that introduces you to skills, resources, and tools that can help you in supporting fellow students. Join Hub professionals and peer supporters from across campus to discover more about:
- Active listening
- Creating Healthier boundaries
- Harm reduction
- Navigating health care at McGill and beyond
- Practicing self-directed care
- And identifying resources and referrals on campus
Mental Health First Aid:
A training created by the Mental Health Commission of Canada. This three-modules/two-sessions training aims to improve mental health literacy and provide the skills and knowledge to help students better manage potential or developing mental health difficulties in themselves, a family member, or a peer. Mental Health First Aid is facilitated by Student Wellness Hub Local Wellness Advisors and is offered regularly throughout the year.
Server Training:
Planning a campus event? McGill's Alcohol Policy requires at least one event coordinator and ALL event servers are Server Trained. The University won't issue alcohol permits or book events until you complete this peer-led training. So, if you're planning a party, learn harm reduction tips to help you and your friends make safer choices when you consume. Ready to get server trained? Sign up on myInvolvement.
If you’re short on time, check out our on-demand How to Help a Friend video series to learn skills and tricks to reach out to a friend in need. Ensure that as you care for others, you also take care of yourself. Our Peer-to-Peer series are 5-7 minute videos; developed and recorded by Hub Peer Supporters to help you cultivate practical mental health and resiliency skills around topics from stress and time management to set healthier boundaries.
More Engagement Opportunities
Has the Student Wellness Hub already filled paid positions for the year? Do you want to get involved in mental health initiatives, sex education or general wellness on campus? There are opportunities through:
If you’re passionate about student mental health, get involved at the Peer Support Centre on the executive team, Promotions and Outreach team, or as a peer supporter. Recruitment for the coming year takes place in the winter of each year.
▶ Campus Life & Engagement (CL&E)
If you’d like to help others or boost your own mental and spiritual well-being by getting involved in the McGill community, this is the place to get more information about what’s happening on campus.
▶ The Sexual Assault Centre of the McGill Students’ Society (SACOMSS)
If you’d like to volunteer at the centre or request training on sexual assault sensitivity and supporting survivors, contact SACOMSS for more information.
▶ Student Accessibility & Achievement Peer Mentor Program
Work with students registered at the Student Accessibility & Achievement Office to support their learning, inclusion, and empowerment. Submit your application today.
▶ Find volunteering opportunities in the community (and even internationally) through the Career Planning Service.
