Finding a Peer Supporter

Peer Supporters

To find out who your Peer Supporters are, you can speak to welfare team members, porters and find them through local posters promoting them.

Peer Supporters are not mental health professionals, but peer students with additional training. They can listen effectively, communicate sensitively, maintain confidentiality where appropriate, respect boundaries and know when to refer on. Their confidentiality has limits. They cannot hold onto anything with risk to individuals or other people and depending on certain situations, might involve members of the welfare team. This will be done with your knowledge and ideally your permission.

Peer Supporters are an additional resource to complement more formal welfare provisions.

Peers of Colour

Peers of Colour are trained Peer Supporters who identify as students of colour to support Oxford students of colour and to explore themes around race, identity, racism, inclusivity, belonging, society, Peer Support and the University.

If you wish to speak to a Peer of Colour, then please email [email protected]

Rainbow Peers

Rainbow Peers are trained Peer Supporters who identify as LGBTQ+ to support Oxford LGBTQ+ students and explore themes around sexuality, sexual identity, prejudice, inclusivity, belonging, society, Peer Support and the University.

If you wish to speak to a Rainbow Peer, then please email [email protected]

Disability Diversity Peers

Disability Diversity Peers are trained Peer Supporters with a disability and/ or a wish to create a supportive space to discuss supporting students who experience any form of disability.
Disability can include mental health disabilities, sensory or mobility impairment, long-term illness or physical health conditions, a specific learning difficulty (SPLD) such as dyslexia, dyspraxia or ADHD and/ or a social/ communication difficulty such as Autism Spectrum Condition.

Themes of a chat can include disability and identity, thinking about other services like DAS, mentoring, and the disability advisory group, societal issues/ themes relating to disability, university issues/ themes relating to disability.
If you wish to speak to a Disability Diversity Peer, then please email [email protected]

Peers of Faiths

Peers of Faiths are trained Peer Supporters who are interested in beliefs around faith, religion and spirituality in the context of supporting other students in the university environment and within the Peer Support system. Having a faith, religion or spirituality is not a prerequisite. All are welcome, regardless of faith or religion to respect the pluralism of the diverse Oxford population. This is a complementary space to both the secular and chaplain welfare provision.

If you wish to speak to a Peer of Faith, then please email [email protected]

Coffee Ambassadors

Coffee Ambassadors are trained Peer Supporters who provide a diverse team of friendly Oxford University Peers who listen to any and all Oxford University undergraduates, graduates and postdocs from across the university who want a chat. This is done in a series of local networked cafes around the city, providing free coffee, tea and cake over a confidential chat.
Please contact [email protected]