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| Evan (formal wear) with peer supporters, during a weekly meeting discussion. |
Some thought it is a term used to indicate a study group. Instead, peer
support is a well-known term to many corporations, counseling departments in
universities and individuals who follow and promote the path of self-awareness.
Evan Kok Choon Foong, a counsellor under the Counselling and Psychological Services Centre (CPSC) and the facilitator of peer support in Taylor’s University (TU), describes his understanding of what is peer support.
“The practicality of the term, peer support, are people supporting their peers. Promoting and guiding self-awareness to their peers. As that is the only and one way that one can truly solve their problems, whatever it is, by taking a stand. ”
Evan Kok Choon Foong, a counsellor under the Counselling and Psychological Services Centre (CPSC) and the facilitator of peer support in Taylor’s University (TU), describes his understanding of what is peer support.
“The practicality of the term, peer support, are people supporting their peers. Promoting and guiding self-awareness to their peers. As that is the only and one way that one can truly solve their problems, whatever it is, by taking a stand. ”
“Peer support in universities are a group of trained students who support their peers when needed. Trained to listen and to help better. ”
“When it comes to students, when they are facing any problems, the
first person they would normally meet is their peers, their friends. This can
be in class or during a friends’ gathering, peer supporters are there to
support them. ”
“Certain schools’ programmes give students a busy schedule, so busy that they do not even have the time to come for counseling. So, they will approach their friends and talk to them instead. When peer supporters detect a case that is complicated for them to handle or help, they can refer the stressed student to a counselor or ask advice on what to do next.”
“Certain schools’ programmes give students a busy schedule, so busy that they do not even have the time to come for counseling. So, they will approach their friends and talk to them instead. When peer supporters detect a case that is complicated for them to handle or help, they can refer the stressed student to a counselor or ask advice on what to do next.”
Chai Pei Ling, founder of peer support in
Taylor’s University and fellow counselor of CPSC shares her experience on why
this group was formed.
“It began around the end of 2010, at that time in this department in this university, there were three of us including Dr Adnan Omar, the manager.
“So I thought to myself, how much could we achieve with the current team while attending the high demand of our services. Most of the time, Adnan will be conducting will be conducting workshops and talks during the orientations while the rest of us had to handle any walk-in cases. So I was thinking, rather than just sitting in the office, what else can we do?
“It began around the end of 2010, at that time in this department in this university, there were three of us including Dr Adnan Omar, the manager.
“So I thought to myself, how much could we achieve with the current team while attending the high demand of our services. Most of the time, Adnan will be conducting will be conducting workshops and talks during the orientations while the rest of us had to handle any walk-in cases. So I was thinking, rather than just sitting in the office, what else can we do?
“And then I realised that with just the
three of us, we can’t really move around and to find out what exactly is
happening in the campus.
“Why not spread our services to students who can help us by walking around the campus? Identifying and getting information on friends who may need someone to talk to and provide a listening ear. Only if it is necessary, the peer supporter should refer them to CPSC.
“We want to reach out to more people by having more individuals getting involved in this service, not necessarily counselling but to give a helping hand and it can make a difference.
“Why not spread our services to students who can help us by walking around the campus? Identifying and getting information on friends who may need someone to talk to and provide a listening ear. Only if it is necessary, the peer supporter should refer them to CPSC.
“We want to reach out to more people by having more individuals getting involved in this service, not necessarily counselling but to give a helping hand and it can make a difference.
She added that the peer supporters in TU
were known as Taylor’s student counsellors when the idea of forming this group
was kick-started as a mini project for CPSC around the end of 2010.
Soon enough, students did join in and classes were held for the student counsellors to learn the basics of helping others.
Evan explains that the classes were like lectures. Which had case-studies and role-play for the students to experience in-class. There were four modules they had to go through.
The modules focus on introducing what is counseling and what is active listening.
Later on, the students will be introduced to conversational skills like paraphrasing, reflection of emotions and summarising.
After that, additional helping skills are taught and lastly, the ethics of counseling.
Around the middle of 2012, when Marian, the new manager came in, told the CPSC team to change the groups’ name as the students were not counsellors. They are just helpers, supporting their peers. Thus the group was called peer support after that.
Evan explained that the lecture-based class later turned into a discussion-like meeting. The modules are still being taught to them. Now peer supporters meet up weekly to discuss on a topic on the many factors that influence one’s mental health.
“Now we change the system to be more casual, a structure that students will be the ones to lead the group, to be the ones to facilitate. All the topics are determined by the peer supporters themselves.
“Every week we start off with a particular topic, eventually the topic will move around and branch out. Even though it branches out, that sharing of that knowledge, each different point of views gave different knowledge. We learn something eventually, last time we talked about stereotype, labelling, perception, anxiety and so on.
Soon enough, students did join in and classes were held for the student counsellors to learn the basics of helping others.
Evan explains that the classes were like lectures. Which had case-studies and role-play for the students to experience in-class. There were four modules they had to go through.
The modules focus on introducing what is counseling and what is active listening.
Later on, the students will be introduced to conversational skills like paraphrasing, reflection of emotions and summarising.
After that, additional helping skills are taught and lastly, the ethics of counseling.
Around the middle of 2012, when Marian, the new manager came in, told the CPSC team to change the groups’ name as the students were not counsellors. They are just helpers, supporting their peers. Thus the group was called peer support after that.
Evan explained that the lecture-based class later turned into a discussion-like meeting. The modules are still being taught to them. Now peer supporters meet up weekly to discuss on a topic on the many factors that influence one’s mental health.
“Now we change the system to be more casual, a structure that students will be the ones to lead the group, to be the ones to facilitate. All the topics are determined by the peer supporters themselves.
“Every week we start off with a particular topic, eventually the topic will move around and branch out. Even though it branches out, that sharing of that knowledge, each different point of views gave different knowledge. We learn something eventually, last time we talked about stereotype, labelling, perception, anxiety and so on.
“The training is different now.”
26-year-old Ng Jern Hei under the School of Culinary Arts joined peer support around 2012 mentioned that as a peer supporter, one should try to assist their friends even if they are acquaintances.
My personality is that I like to talk to people so I consider myself, quite a good listener. I always try to listen to what they have to say.
He mentioned that when you approach someone, what peer supporters usually do is listen and see what they have to about their situation, to let them know that we are there for them. While trying to make them aware if they are thinking consciously of their actions or not.
“Most of the time, it is just way of chit-chatting, engaging a conversation with them to understand the problem.
“For example, if someone recently broke up in a relationship and you ask questions like, are you upset? Or did your boyfriend break up with you? and they reply, yes. That is not going to help that person.
“Instead of asking, did your boyfriend ditched you or something? Try, maybe he is not showing his expression good enough? That would make them say more than yes or no.
“Most of the time, we do emotional support, not financial support. In certain cases, if they need to get home but they missed the bus or something, those are fine. Can you help lend RM600 to pay my rent? that, is a big no-no to me.
“We help them in a way that if they want to talk to someone but if they are really on the negative side to the point that they want to end their life, you stop there and you need to refer them to the professionals. That is our limit.
“I have the passion to help friends. I have the time and I like to socialise, when the people I know who are in trouble or if they have issues, they tend to look for me. Rather than I look for them.
Clarrise Ng May Kymm, 17, an American Degree Transfer Program student who joined in around the beginning of 2014.
26-year-old Ng Jern Hei under the School of Culinary Arts joined peer support around 2012 mentioned that as a peer supporter, one should try to assist their friends even if they are acquaintances.
My personality is that I like to talk to people so I consider myself, quite a good listener. I always try to listen to what they have to say.
He mentioned that when you approach someone, what peer supporters usually do is listen and see what they have to about their situation, to let them know that we are there for them. While trying to make them aware if they are thinking consciously of their actions or not.
“Most of the time, it is just way of chit-chatting, engaging a conversation with them to understand the problem.
“For example, if someone recently broke up in a relationship and you ask questions like, are you upset? Or did your boyfriend break up with you? and they reply, yes. That is not going to help that person.
“Instead of asking, did your boyfriend ditched you or something? Try, maybe he is not showing his expression good enough? That would make them say more than yes or no.
“Most of the time, we do emotional support, not financial support. In certain cases, if they need to get home but they missed the bus or something, those are fine. Can you help lend RM600 to pay my rent? that, is a big no-no to me.
“We help them in a way that if they want to talk to someone but if they are really on the negative side to the point that they want to end their life, you stop there and you need to refer them to the professionals. That is our limit.
“I have the passion to help friends. I have the time and I like to socialise, when the people I know who are in trouble or if they have issues, they tend to look for me. Rather than I look for them.
Clarrise Ng May Kymm, 17, an American Degree Transfer Program student who joined in around the beginning of 2014.
“I joined in because of a primary interest
in psychology, mental health and social well-being. I believe very much in the
philosophy of being able to contribute to society through further understanding
of human behavior and being able to connect with others meaningfully, in order
to facilitate growth for everyone around us, thus enabling others to create
meaningful contributions in their own ways.
“Being a peer supporter means firstly
understanding both others and yourself better, in being aware of how your role
as a fellow human being is to educate and learn about how to be a greater,
supportive member of society, and using that role to create a culture of
understanding and dialogue in areas notwithstanding mental health and personal
well-being.
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