Recognizing the signs that a student might be struggling is an important first step in the process of ensuring the welfare of our community. Awareness is often the catalyst for change, yet a deeper connection to the intricacies of interpersonal struggles and mental health is paramount. This can give us a better understanding of our specific roles and responsibilities when it comes to guiding students toward the help and resources they need to thrive.
As faculty, there are numerous intrinsic barriers that can prevent us from intervening on a student’s behalf.
- Simply being in a position of authority can place us in an uncomfortable hierarchical dynamic in the classroom which can disincentivize necessary conversations with students who may need our help and guidance with relation to mental health concerns.
- We may have personal barriers that make initiating a conversation with a student uncomfortable; relationship barriers that prevent us from being intrusive into the lives of our students; or general barriers that normalize student struggles and leave us feeling out of place and that it’s not a big deal since everyone is struggling.
It’s important to recognize our own struggles when it comes to helping students so that we are better prepared to intervene; and work toward increasing our capacity to be available to students when they need us.
Our role as faculty is ultimately to educate, mentor, and support students; but students enter our classrooms with much more than a desire for learning.
- Students are in a significantly transitional period of their lives, balancing academic, social, spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical aspects of themselves, while being stretched and challenged in ways that they haven’t yet experienced.
- These challenges often create a sense of confusion and loss as the individual they thought they knew is suddenly and often up for negotiation in a new environment, navigating new and conflicting information.
- Students often lack the emotional intelligence and life experience to easily grasp the gravity of their struggles related to mental wellness until those challenges begin having a profound effect on their daily lives. Faculty who interact with these students daily serve a critical role in helping to identify and act on the warning signs that arise.
When to refer a student:
- A student discloses personal or psychological issues that interfere with their academic performance and progress.
- A student discloses alcohol or substance abuse issues that are interfering with their academic, personal, or work performance.
- A student indicates or exhibits a significant danger to their own or another’s well-being.
- A student expresses a desire to withdraw from the college.
Identifying a Student in Crisis:
Faculty may observe or hear from a student specific concerning behavior, or they may just have a gut feeling that something isn’t right. It’s important to trust those feelings and act accordingly. Refer to the How to Recognize Signs section for specific information on warning signs a student may be struggling. Trust your intuition when it comes to helping students; their well-being impacts every facet of our community.
How to Respond:
If you have concerns, reaching out to someone for help or referring a student to someone for help is not only a kind and compassionate thing to do, it’s the right thing to do. Fear and uncertainty can often prevent us from taking action, but when it comes to caring for our students, our only failure is choosing inaction.
Speak with the student directly
Using “I” statements, let the student know what you have observed and that you are concerned. Give them an opportunity to share what they feel comfortable sharing and hold space for them, listening without judgment.
Tell someone
If the student is suicidal or expresses concerns or issues beyond your ability to handle, immediately refer the student to the Student Counselling. Know what resources are available for students to help address their needs and refer them to those sources or walk them there directly.
Get support
Recognizing your own limitations and when you need additional support or training to help support students is of paramount importance.
To report a Student of Concern, please submit the Student in Distress Reporting Form.
Also see How to Help a Student of Concern: A Guide for Faculty and Staff (PDF – External Sources)
For additional information and resources for where to refer students, click the link below: