Peer Support
Your current Mens Welfare Rep is Ben Ralph.
Your current Womens Welfare Rep is Chloe Cornish.
Our LGBT Rep is Turner Edwards; he deals with LGBT-related questions and is a peer supporter. Turner is available in St Mary's 5.
There are currently nine trained Brasenose peer supporters:
Alex Franklin (3rd year - Phys/Phil): alex.franklin@bnc.ox.ac.uk
Rohan Sundramoorthi (3rd year - Medicine): rohan.sundramoorthi@bnc.ox.ac.uk
Jing Ouyang (3rd year - Medicine): jing.ouyang@bnc.ox.ac.uk
John Butterworth (3rd year - Biochemistry): john.butterworth@bnc.ox.ac.uk
Emily Arch (3rd year - Medicine): emily.arch@bnc.ox.ac.uk
Ashleigh McMaster (2nd year - Medicine) ashleigh.mcmaster@bnc.ox.ac.uk
Kirsty Smith (2nd year - Medicine): kirsty.smith@bnc.ox.ac.uk
Iain Duncan (3rd year - Geography): iain.duncan@bnc.ox.ac.uk
Rebecca Dyar (5th year - HCR - Medicine): rebecca.dyar@bnc.ox.ac.uk
We can all be contacted by email and most of us by phone/text. For info see the yellow posters around college...
1) What is Peer Support?
It is a confidential listening service run by students in Brasenose JCR and HCR. It was set up eleven years ago and it's in its second year at BNC.
2) What does 'confidential listening service' mean?
Six students every year are given thirty hours training by a professional from the University Counselling Service. This training prepares the PSers to be listeners rather than counsellors.
During training PSers learn how to:
- ask open questions.
- help people explore and summarise their problems.
- encourage them to come to their own conclusions.
- learn about a wide range of issues from stress to self-harm.
- provide up-to-date information about medical services in Oxford, college financial support help-lines and eating disorder groups.
- learn how to set boundaries and get support for themselves.
3) How does it work in Brasenose?
Any student (JCR/HCR) can arrange a meeting via email with any of the peer supporters. You'll find their names and phone numbers listed on the posters around college. Alternatively you approach them and chat to them around college.
4) What might I go to a Peer Supporter about?
Stress, Info on STDs, Relationship issues, Homesickness, Worried about a friend, Alcohol/Drugs problems, Struggling with work...
Some of the scenarios that we come across...
It's 2am and you haven't started that essay that's in for 9.
You can't face another tutorial with the tutor that keeps picking on you.
Your best friend is being really annoying and you don't know why.
You're feeling overwhelmed but everyone else is coping great.
You just want a good moan. About EVERYTHING.
5) Isn't the counselling service more appropriate if I've got a problem?
Yes, it might be. Or you might want to see someone in college or talk to a friend about a certain something that's on your mind. But Peer Support is designed to be a stepping stone, if you want it, between you and these other places/people. PSers can help survey your options and work out what you really want to get from action you take.
Peer Support is also keen to debunk the idea that only those with serious 'problems' require support: sometimes getting a work panic off your chest to someone who is willing to listen can be all that you need.
AND A FEW (THREE) MORE FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN APPLYING...
1) How does the training work?
Peer Support is a commitment: 30 hours of training over 10 x 3hr sessions in Hilary term. This training is run by a professional from the Counselling Service and the six BNCers will be part of a group of twelve with another college.
When you've completed this training you'll be ready to start being part of the team in BNC, helping people both formally and informally. As part of the programme Peer Supporters meet fortnight
2) What kind of skills will I learn?
- How to be assertive.
- How to be a good and active listener.
- How to offer practical advice and support.
- About a wide range of issues that affect your friends & peers like stress/ relationships / anxiety /self-harm.
- New, useful skills: from how to summarise and be non-judgemental to referral skills and event planning for the JCR!
3) What about the selection process?
We're looking for caring, committed and creative volunteers. The application form is only five questions long and is designed to help you figure out if it's the right scheme for you.
The kinds of skills and qualities which are important for PS are listed comprehensively here.
It's really important that you can make the time commitment without getting stressed so that you, and BNC, can get the most out of your training.