THUNDER BAY – Lakehead University has launched TalkCampus, a 24-7 peer-support network to help students struggling with mental health concerns.
The move is part of the Thunder Bay school’s wellness strategy, unveiled earlier this year, as a way to better position students to achieve success in the classroom.
Under the program, students will be given free access to ongoing peer support, via their smart phones, the school saying online peer support has a powerful role to play in early and ongoing intervention.
Students are under additional pressure in the current school year, many studying from home because of the pandemic.
The program adds to what the school already offers in terms of mental health supports.
“Lakehead University Student Health and Wellness is so pleased to be working with TalkCampus to add a peer support platform to our suite of health and wellness services,” said Irene Pugliese, manager of wellness services, in a release issued on Wednesday by the university.
“TalkCampus is a fantastic resource, especially for those who may not be on our campuses. With this app, students can connect with University peers all over the world. We encourage all our students to take advantage of this great resource.”
The university said that according to a recent survey of those who had used TalkCampus, 85 per cent of students found it easier to be able to ask for support when they need it and 82 per cent find it easier to cope with life.
“Studying online has become the norm for so many students over the last year and we know it can increase feelings of isolation and loneliness,” said Jamie Druitt, head of product and partnerships at TalkCampus.
“Having somewhere to connect with others and share openly and honestly about how you’re really feeling can combat this, boost resilience and ultimately help students to cope. We’re delighted to welcome Lakehead University to the platform and look forward to supporting their students.”
Students can download the app to their phones and access it using their Lakehead University email address.
