MCC Daily Tribune

SUNY Offers Active Minds Training Session for Students Interested in Becoming Peer Advocates

To complement its ongoing commitment to mental health and wellness, SUNY is partnering with Active Minds to organize peer-to-peer advocacy for students. Students who care and are willing to support their peers who may be experiencing challenging or stressful times are encouraged to find out more.

Active Minds will conduct a free, 90-minute interactive VAR Training (Validate, Appreciate, Refer) session for students on Tuesday, September 14th at 6 pm. Training is required to become a Peer Advocate. If you are interested in becoming a Peer Advocate, please register here.

The training includes:

• Three easy steps to provide a path to listening and responding in a helpful way
• Students will learn how to respond via phone, text, email, in-person and video call
• Training also includes:
  • Understand the meaning and usage of the V-A-R tool.
  • Identify at least three “barriers” we may have in place that may impede our willingness to engage with someone about their struggles.
  • Explore circumstances that may impact mental wellness among our peers, colleagues, students, employees, family, friends, etc.
  • Engage with current trends in mental health, based on data
  • Discuss the value and importance of self-care as a critical component of mental health
  • Take-home resources explaining the V-A-R tool

Rosanna Yule
Government and Community Relations
09/09/2021