Set up a peer support group
If you would like to set up a new peer support group at your university please get in touch with us at hello@studentminds.org.uk. We will arrange a call to talk you through the necessary steps to take and the support structures required to ensure the group is sustainable and effective.
It may be helpful to consider the following points:
It may be helpful to consider the following points:
1) Does a group already exist at your university?
Check this page to find out!
2. What type of peer support group are you interested in setting up?
It’s worth remembering that our peer programmes are not a suitable platform for providing support to individuals with acute or severe mental health problems.
3. Have you spoken to a member of staff at your university?
Staff support for a peer support project is crucial for the long-term sustainability of the group and to ensure the group is embedded in the local landscape. We recommend getting in touch with a member of staff from the counselling or wellbeing service and/or someone from your students’ union. Feel free to point them to our pages for staff for more information.
4. Is there any funding for the group
It costs £160 for every volunteer we train to run a group. On top of that it also costs £700 to support the group for a year, and £400 to ensure the volunteers get adequate supervision after each group session. Most of our peer support groups are funded by the university or students’ union, though some are supported through student fundraising.
It can sometimes be a long process to get a group up and running at a university but by contacting us today you’re one step closer!