TalkCampus available to OC students
TalkCampus has arrived at Okanagan College, providing 24/7 mental health peer support with real-time escalation, as part of the continuum of well-being services available to students.
What is TalkCampus?
TalkCampus is an online global mental health peer support network allowing students access to instant, online peer support at any time of the day and for as long as needed.
This model helps students overcome the stigma and barriers that may prevent them from talking about how they are feeling and empowering them to seek help when they need it.
Setting up TalkCampus
Students can download the TalkCampus app on Google Play or the App Store. They will need to register using their College e-mail (firstname.lastname@myokanagan.bc.ca). Peer support is an effective and evidenced mechanism to support students with many aspects of College life including their mental wellbeing.
Members share anonymously. Students are discouraged from using real names or full names. Personal or private information is quickly removed through moderation systems. While we strictly maintain student privacy, if we detect a student is in crisis, we will promptly escalate them to your existing student support framework and information they have shared may be passed on to appropriate authorities or by law.
How students are supported
TalkCampus harnesses the value of social connection, talking openly and exploring feelings. Users are encouraged to both ask for and offer support within the community, to share experiences and build social capital. Participating in peer support has been linked to:
- An increased ability to cope.
- A greater sense of well-being and resilience.
- Higher levels of self-esteem and confidence.
The comprehensive safeguarding system involves a number of layers working collectively to ensure we have full oversight of the TalkCampus platform in real time. If a student shows signs that they may be heading towards crisis or could use additional support, TalkCampus has a safety team of professionals available 24/7 to intervene within seconds and escalate to local support identified by Okanagan College. The global safety team also moderates TalkCampus at all times, to remove inappropriate or harmful content. The average response time is 40 seconds.
Find out more: talkcampus.io/
