BECOME A STUDENT LISTENER

Are you interested in helping others? Do you want to be part of a group with a shared interest in mental wellbeing? As a Student Listener, you will benefit from a comprehensive nine-week training programme and regular, fortnightly supervision, facilitated by qualified therapists. You will develop core skills including active listening, empathy, self-awareness and setting boundaries.

This training will support you to be confident in your Student Listener role. Student Listeners tell us that the training supports them in their personal relationships, and with graduate skills needed for their future careers.

Watch our video of some of our Student Listeners explaining what becoming a Student Listener means to them.  

If you are interested in joining our team, please email us at studentlisteners@glasgow.ac.uk for an application and we will add you to our noted interest list. Application deadline for Semester 2 training will be Friday 29th November 5pm.

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What are the benefits of becoming a Student Listener?

Some examples of what can be gained through the role:

  • Make a valuable contribution to the wellbeing of your peers
  • Improve listening skills
  • Improve communication skills, self-awareness, and emotional intelligence
  • Grow in confidence, self-esteem and feel empowered
  • Meet new people and become part of a community
  • Improve your own wellbeing - research has shown that helping others helps your own mental health
  • Improve your own relationships
  • Gain skills which will make you more employable
  • Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR) recognition on your graduation transcript

 

What can you expect from training?

Training consists of a 27-hour, evidence-based programme, delivered over 9 weeks via 3-hour sessions. Groups are kept consistent over the entire programme, as a focus on group cohesion and trust is essential. 

Training is delivered in a confidential, safe, and informal environment in small groups. Whilst there is input from trainers, there is an emphasis on learning from each other through sharing ideas and reflections.

You can expect to learn about active listening, displaying empathy appropriately, verbal and non-verbal behaviour, questioning styles, crisis intervention, suicide awareness and confidentiality. A significant element of the training is increasing self-awareness. Feedback from students has shown how much personal development has occurred through the training programme.

Once trained, you should be able to dedicate two hours a week to your role. This may be to provide face-to-face or online support, or to carry out some admin tasks to maintain the successful running of Peer Wellbeing Support in your college.

There is mandatory fortnightly two hour group supervision run by trained counsellors and psychotherapists, which allow you to receive guidance and develop your skills.

Please have a think about whether you would be able to dedicate the necessary time to this role before applying.

Who can apply to become a Student Listener?

There is no specific experience you must have to apply.

The most important thing is a genuine interest in helping others and a willingness to learn. However, please note any personal or professional experience which you think is relevant.

We welcome applications from all schools within the university. The only requirements are:

  • Undergraduates must be in Year 2 or above.
  • PGR, PGT, and PhD students must have one full semester available after 9 weeks of training to volunteer.
  • You must be available to volunteer in the service for 1 full semester post training.

We have intakes twice a year for new supporters to begin training in October or January.

Interested students should look out for recruitment updates from their school/college.

If you would like any more information, please contact us at studentlisteners@glasgow.ac.uk

Hear from our Student Listeners about our service

 

"I’m naturally a person that really invests in other people’s issues, and I’ve always been like that.

I’ve realised that it ends up affecting me.

So being able to separate my own mental well-being with someone else’s has been a big thing for me, and I’ve used that in so many different situations."