Peer Support Centre AMS Peer Support Centre

Updates

PSC has moved!
The Peer Support Centre has moved to Rideau Building, in Rooms 202, 203, and 204.

For now, PSC is operating both online through Zoom and in-person. For the upcoming months, you can enter our Zoom by inputting the ID below or clicking on the Zoom meeting link. Once you enter the meeting, you will be greeted by one of our kind and compassionate volunteers who will walk you through our confidentiality form and will be a listening ear for you for the remainder of the session. For more information about the PSC and our new digital operation, watch our video below.

For in-person sessions, visit us in the Rideau Building, Rm. 202 every day of the week from 10am-10pm, or Mitchell Hall, RM. 122 (in the Health Promotions Hub) on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 12-4pm.

We are working to find new ways to continue being there for you, because no problem is too big or too small.

PSC Zoom sessions are accessible via this link:
Join PSC Zoom

Hours of Operation

The PSC is open for both in-person and online sessions at this time. Please access our Zoom link here.

Please refer to our Instagram page (@peersupportcentre) for the latest updates on our hours of operation.

Need support now?

As of 2022, all Queen’s students have access to Console  –  A multi-lingual confidential and professional counselling service, free-of-charge. Visit Student Wellness Services for more information.

Our Values

  • Confidentiality
  • Acceptance
  • Empathy
  • Community

We respect your right to privacy. For this reason, our volunteers are bound to a confidentiality contract that limits them from sharing any information discussed during a session to other volunteers or peers outside of the Peer Support Centre. Your comfort is of the utmost importance to us.

Whatever is on your mind, we believe that it is valid and worth listening to. We strive to create a safe space that is inclusive to all students and to all experiences.

All volunteers are dedicated to empathetically listening to all peers who choose to share their own personal challenges and experiences.

Maintaining a positive relationship with the Queen’s and Kingston community is important to us. Through outreach initiatives and collaborations with external groups on campus, we strive to contribute a sense of community and belonging amongst all Queen’s undergraduate students.

It should be noted that Peer Support Centre should not be used in place of professional help from a licensed counsellor, therapist, etc. Rather, the Peer Support Centre is a listening service that can be accessed if students would like to express their feelings to someone.

Meet our Management Team

Angela Li

Head Manager

Hoosia Huang

Outreach Manager

Mireille Messih

Marketing Manager

Laylin Keyes

Queers 4 Peers Assistant Manager

Amanda Ackehurst

Amanda Ackehurst

BIPOC Talk Assistant Manager

Frequently Asked Questions

You will find a volunteer at the PSC at all times during our hours, which are listed on our page.

No. Our drop-in service operates on a first come, first serve basis.

No. In order to protect the anonymity of our volunteers and to help maintain confidentiality, we do not allow this request.

All information shared at the Peer Support Centre is confidential. A volunteer will never address your visit or issues shared outside of your visit. However, if you are uncomfortable speaking with someone you know, you are welcome to visit our other Centre (located next door) if it is open or you can also come back at another time.

Your visit to the Peer Support Centre is confidential. This means that outside of the Centre, a volunteer will not address your visit or issues shared. If you see a volunteer on-campus, you are welcome to smile or say hello, or choose not to say anything. We will follow your lead and whatever you are comfortable with.

If you arrive and the door is closed and the sign says

Session In Progress – You may choose to have a seat outside of the Centre and wait for a volunteer to be available or you can come back later

Closed – This means that it is outside of our 10 am – 10 pm operating hours.

Note: In the case of an emergency, you should seek help as necessary by calling Campus Security (533-6111) or 911. You can also contact Console.

The duration of a session is up to you. A session can range from two minutes to several hours, depending on what suits your needs best. We are open 7 days a week, hours varying, but if sessions run beyond one volunteer’s shift period, a new volunteer may finish off the rest of the session with you.

Upon arrival, you will be asked to sign a confidentiality agreement. This agreement outlines that all information disclosed to the volunteer during and after a session will be kept private. For the safety of yourself and others, the confidentiality agreement also states any circumstances when the confidentiality agreement may be breached.

Feel most welcome to reach out to us

Our Centres

Rideau Building, Rooms 202, 203, and 204

Mitchell Hall Satellite Location: Health Promotion Hub, Rm. 122

Send us an email
peersupport@ams.queensu.ca

Give us a call
613-533-6000 ext. 75111