S2S Peer Support Programme
A Peer Supporter is a volunteer available throughout the year to meet with students one-to-one as requested.
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To be a Peer Supporter you must be willing to listen confidentially and without judgement to any student who requests support, and be available to complete 35 hours of training.
Having your own experience of significant issues, including a history of accessing professional support services, in no way precludes you from being a Peer Supporter. However, it is essential that you feel in a safe and resilient place yourself, and are confident that acting in a support role for others will not have a negative effect on you.
Applications for 2025/26 are now closed. For information on applications for 2026/27 check our Instagram (@tcds2s) or this webpage for updates when recruitment launches in term two.
Is This Role For Me?
If you are interested in becoming a Peer Supporter then it's essential that you are an honest, open and approachable person with a dedication to listening and support work and a passion for volunteering. Peer Support volunteers have to complete a 35 hour training programme and be available for regular debrief, supervision and team meetings throughout the year.
We do welcome applications from anyone who is interested in volunteering but we ask that you take the time to think about what you can commit to before beginning the training process as we are only able to train a limited number of volunteers every year.
The Peer Support programme relies on the hard work and dedication of every single member. Those who take a training place but do not complete training, or who complete training but do not commit to the programme, genuinely jeopardise our ability to offer timely support to students seeking it. For this reason all applicants must:
- Be willing to commit to 35 hours of training (12th - 16th May 2025)
- Commit to refresher and further training throughout their time as a volunteer (approx. 3hrs per semester)
- Be readily available for casework, individual debriefs with S2S staff, group supervision with a SCS counsellor, team admin meetings and drop-in shifts (anywhere between 2-6 hours per week in total)
- Be prepared to support a fellow student through a diverse range of issues, including some significant ongoing support needs
Frequently Asked Questions
As a Mentor you work with fellow Mentor buddies, to share your Trinity wisdom to incoming first-year undergraduate students and help them feel welcome to college.
Peer Supporters offer 1:1 listening support to any student in Trinity, and receive a longer more intensive training.
Yes - Postgraduate students are welcome to apply to be Peer Supporters! Please note that training takes place during May (for 2025/26), and you start taking on cases in September after Refresher training, Garda vetting, and a debrief.
To become a Peer Supporter you must apply during our recruitment process (usually after Reading Week in second term). Applicants are shortlisted for interview and anyone successful at interview is invited to attend training which normally happens over a full week in May.
To be a Peer Support you must
- Attend 35hr training in May
- Attend Refresher training in September
- Agree to be Garda vetted
- Attend debriefs with S2S staff
Training for 2025 takes place the week of 12th - 16th May, from 10am to 6pm each day.
Yes. Peer Supporters are required to undergo the full 35 hours of initial training. Absence from any part of training means you will not be able to take up your Peer Support role.
All Peer Supporters must attend a 20-minute post-training debrief after the initial training. A mandatory 2 hour refresher training session will also be held early each term and attendance is required at monthly Group Supervision . Peer Supporters must also attend a debrief after their first meeting with a new case but debriefs after second or subsequent meetings are optional.
Volunteer Feedback
S2S Survey 2024
"Peer supporters don’t pass any judgement and being in a similar age group can make it easier to understand certain situations you might be struggling with"