Undergraduate Chloe tells us about the student-led Peer Support network and how you can use to connect with others to support your wellbeing.
What is LSE Peer Support?
LSE Peer Support provides student-led, informal and confidential support, help and reassurance to all LSE students.
Peer Supporters can help fellow students reach solutions to problems ranging from homesickness, workload stresses up to anxiety and unwelcome thoughts. Whilst every Peer Supporter is attached to a Hall of Residence, some are living in, whilst others live in private accommodation or are attached to an academic department.
Who are Peer Supporters?
Peer Supporters are current LSE students who have completed a 35-hour training programme. They receive ongoing training and supervision throughout the academic year with the LSE Student Counselling Service.
Peer support can help you with:
- Homesickness
- Stress
- Financial concerns
- Your course/the workload
- Family
- Eating problems
- Having trouble sleeping
- Friends and relationships
- Alcohol or drugs
- Worries about the future
- Employment
- Loneliness
- Cultural differences
- Peer pressure
- Exam anxiety
- Supporting a friend who is experiencing difficulty
- Sex, sexual health, contraception or pregnancy
- Self-harm
- Suicidal thoughts
What’s it like being a Peer Supporter?
Holding Peer Support wellbeing events in halls has allowed me to not only strengthen my planning skills but also my time management. It can often be tough balancing volunteering with other commitments such as part time work and uni work.
However, I’ve discovered that just giving a fraction of my time to help someone else can go a long way. Over my time volunteering as a Peer Supporter, I have truly begun to understand that just listening is such an immensely important gift you can give to someone - it can really determine their next steps to success!
How do I contact a Peer Supporter?
A list of our current Peer Supporters, alongside some information about them, and their email addresses can be found on the LSE website here.
All Peer Supporters can be contacted by any student, regardless of their year of study, whether they are living in a hall of residence or in private accommodation. Any LSE student can contact any Peer Supporter, but if you live in halls, might prefer to contact Peer Supporters at your residence, if there are some attached to it.