ALEX GIRARDI
Peer Support Coordinator
AMY DAIMINGER
Education and Outreach Assistant Coordinator
Cece Chiu
Support Assistant Coordinator
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Peer Support is a free, confidential service for UBC students looking for someone to talk to. If you’re feeling stressed about school, struggling with mental health, feeling lonely, or facing personal challenges like relationship issues or identity questions, we’re here to listen. No problem is too big or too small. Our friendly Peer Supporters are students just like you, trained to help with things like academic stress, anxiety, burnout, depression, substance use, and more.
Beyond individual support, we also focus on educating and helping the wider UBC community. We run harm reduction programs, like Naloxone training and fentanyl test strip distribution, and offer workshops on mental health and substance use to raise awareness and provide practical tools.
Whether you’re looking for someone to talk to or want to learn more about how to support your own well-being, booking a session is a great first step.
If you require urgent support outside our availability or need to speak to someone over the phone/online chat, please reach out to the Crisis Centre BC: https://crisiscentre.bc.ca/get-help/.
Peer Support is open Monday – Friday, from 10am to 5pm, the last session begins at 4:30pm, and we are located in Room 3125 on the third floor of the Nest building.
To book a 1-on-1 session with a Peer Supporter, visit our online booking page here. You are also welcome to drop-in for a session during our open hours.
Peer Support is completely free! We are a low-barrier, accessible, confidential service dedicated to providing free emotional support and harm reduction services to students.
Peer Support volunteers are students, just like yourself. They have undertaken intensive training to be able to provide you the best support that they can, and have a wide understanding and knowledge of external resources to best help you after the session too.
Our volunteers are not trained counsellors, and we do not offer the same service as counsellors. We don’t provide advice and believe that you have full autonomy in the decisions in your life. Our volunteers provide emotional support, they help to guide you in whatever challenge you may be facing, and can offer external resources to help you after the session too.
Hiring for Peer Support volunteers happens once per year, with applications typically opening in May/June. Volunteer contracts are from mid-August to the end of April. Keep an eye out on this page, or email peersupport@ams.ubc.ca to get added to our mailing list and be notified when volunteer applications are open.
To request Safer Use and Safer Sex supplies, you can use this form: https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6MwynmZQlCohJxI
To request Hormone Injection supplies, you can use this form: https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bmtPYuzphcNKlBY
Yes! To book any of our workshops or trainings, click here. If you’re interested in learning to use naloxone yourself and not for a group, please email ps.outreach@ams.ubc.ca to set up an appointment. Or you can visit the UBC Wellness Centre during their open hours for drop-in training.
Have you used Peer Support? We’d love to hear from you.
