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Concept Note

Our Mission

Project Sarthi is envisioned as a program that empowers students of psychology to become effective peer facilitators equipped with a diverse range of listening and helping skills. Peer support can be defined as the support provided by and for people with similar conditions, problems, or experiences. It is based on the belief that people who have faced and overcome adversity can offer support, encouragement, and hope to others facing similar situations. It is in line with this principle that Project Sarthi strives to establish a peer support program for the students of our College and University community.

College years are some of the most formative years in the life of students with their unique set of challenges. There are a variety of issues that students face on the academic, social and interpersonal front. Due to the ongoing pandemic situation, many of the challenges faced by the students have become further aggravated. Moreover, devoid of face-to-face interaction with peers that college life would ordinarily provide, many students are experiencing increased social isolation and loneliness. With essentially a large part of the college experience now being transacted online, students are without the active support of their community (friend groups, societies, class groups, etc.), which would ordinarily be a source of immense support, guidance, and motivation. Project Sarthi seeks to provide an active community of peer support facilitators which complements the already available and established mental health services.

Peer support groups are not a supplement or replacement to professional help, these peer support groups and networks are aimed to act as a catalyst for opening up discussions on mental health issues faced by students and help identify students (if any) requiring professional help. Especially in light of the recent events like the pandemic and various other stressors that students continue to face, peer support platforms will also help students transition to offline college life. In addition, they can be powerful spaces to combat issues of social isolation, the stigma around psychological help-seeking and help students in creating a sense of solidarity.

Learning Outcomes

 The training is conceived as an intensive and rigorous program of peer skills training which will be covering important aspects of theory and practice for all aspiring peer facilitators. The program is designed like a process, continuously building on the previous sessions, and embodies principles of responsible adult learning encouraging reading, active participation, and self-reflection by participants.

  1. Understanding the need, purpose, and nature of peer support.

  2. Learning essential theory and skills for being an effective peer facilitator.

  3. Absorbing the technicalities and practice of ethics in mental health support.

  4. Practicing listening, empathy, and other important essential skills for become a facilitator.

  5. Encourage self-reflection and movement towards personal healing and growth.

  6. Building hope and reflecting the belief that positive change is desired and possible.

  7. Acquiring knowledge about specific symptomologies, and learning accurate ways of understanding and responding.

  8. Getting an opportunity to see Psychology in practice as applied to lived experiences and real-life situations.

  9. Learning from practicing Psychologists, Psychotherapists

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