S2S (Student 2 Student)

Contact Us S2S (Student 2 Student)
House 47
Trinity College Dublin
Dublin 2
Ireland

View the contact page for more contact and location information

student2student@tcd.ie

S2S Peer Supporter

A Peer Supporter is a volunteer available throughout the year to meet with students one-to-one as requested. To be a Peer Supporter you must be willing to listen confidentially and without judgement to any student who requests support, and be available to complete 35 hours of training. Having your own experience of significant issues, including a history of accessing professional support services, in no way precludes you from being a Peer Supporter. However, it is essential that you feel in a safe and resilient place yourself, and are confident that acting in a support role for others will not have a negative effect on you.

APPLY

 

Is this role for me?

If you are interested in becoming a Peer Supporter then it's essential that you are an honest, open and approachable person with a dedication to listening and support work and a passion for volunteering. Peer Support volunteers have to complete a 35 hour training programme and be available for regular debrief, supervision and team meetings throughout the year.

We do welcome applications from anyone who is interested in volunteering but we ask that you take the time to think about what you can commit to before beginning the training process as we are only able to train a limited number of volunteers every year.

The Peer Support programme relies on the hard work and dedication of every single member. Those who take a training place but do not complete training, or who complete training but do not commit to the programme, genuinely jeopardise our ability to offer timely support to students seeking it. For this reason all applicants must:

  • Be willing to commit to 35 hours of training
  • Commit to refresher and further training throughout their time as a volunteer (approx. 3hrs per semester)
  • Be readily available for casework, individual debriefs with S2S staff, group supervision with a SCS counsellor, team admin meetings and drop-in shifts (anywhere between 2-6 hours per week in total)
  • Be prepared to support a fellow student through a diverse range of issues, including some significant ongoing support needs

 

Volunteer feedback

S2S Survey 2024

"Peer supporters don’t pass any judgement and being in a similar age group can make it easier to understand certain situations you might be struggling with"

 

The title reads Peer Supporter Role Description. The infographic is divided into four sections with the following subtitles: What is a Peer Supporter? What is involved? What do you get? What is expected? Alongside each section there is an accompanying digital icon that matches the text. The background is black and dark turquoise with white text, and some decorative squiggles and dots. The text reads: • What is a peer supporter? A peer supporter is a volunteer available throughout the year to meet with students one-to-one as requested. You must be willing to listen confidentially and without judgement to any student who requests support. Having your own experience of significant difficulties in no way stops you from being a Peer Supporter, so long as you are in a safe and resilient place. • What is involved? Peer supporters have to be available for an intensive 35 hour in-person training from 27th-31st of May 2024. Once trained, Peer Supporters have to be available over email to take requests and to arrange in-person meetups with students. They must also attend refresher training every term (approximately 3 hours), monthly group supervisions with Student Counselling, and regular debriefing with S2S Staff. Alongside one-to-one meet-ups, Peer Supporters may also be requested to provide emergency accompaniment to students referred to A&E, participate in programme strategy meetings, participate in service promotion activities. • What do you get? You will receive extensive training in support work, active listening, challenging personal values, exploration skills, referral, managing significant distress and self-care. Substantial student and staff support frameworks. The opportunity to do something really positive and rewarding. Guaranteed references based on involvement. Strong social network within S2S Society. • What is expected? You will be expected to attend a full week of in-person training (27th-31st of May inclusive). Undergo Garda Vetting. Be available to take casework as of September 2024. To regularly check and respond to your TCD emails. Attend regular debrief sessions with S2S staff. • N.B training places are limited and will be subject to selection based on application forms and interviews. In the footer there is an S2S Logo and a Trinity College Dublin emblem.

How do I become a Peer Supporter?

Peer Support recruitment is now open. Applicants are shortlisted for interview and anyone successful at interview is invited to attend training which normally happens over a full week in May. Applications are not currently open, but stay tuned for 2025 when applications will open.

Trainees will also be subject to a Garda Vetting process.

 

Do I need to be available for the whole week?

Yes. Peer Supporters are required to undergo the full 35 hours of initial training which happens during training week. Absence from any part of training does mean you will not be able to take up your Peer Support role.

 

Are there any other compulsory commitments?

Yes. All Peer Supporters must attend a 20-minute post-training debrief after initial training. A mandatory 2 hour refresher training session will also be held early each term and attendance is required at monthly Group Supervision Chambers and Admin meetings. Peer Supporters must also attend a debrief after their first meeting with a new case but debriefs after second or subsequent meetings are optional.