Seeking support for your mental health can be a vulnerable experience. Sometimes when we are feeling unwell, we can feel alone in our experience, which makes it even harder to reach out for help. For people with systemically marginalized identities, it can be tricky to find resources that feel genuinely relatable, because institutions and systems have been built to privilege select few people. For those whose first language is not English, on a primarily English-speaking campus, it can be difficult to express feelings in an accurate way to get the right kind of help in the first place. 

Does any of this feel familiar or relatable to you? 

This year (2025-26), we are excited about some new changes happening at the Peer Support Centre (PSC) to address these challenges. The PSC is your UASU-provided supportive listening service. At the PSC, volunteers and staff offer a free, confidential, non-judgmental space for you to talk about any tough thing you are going through (school stress, financial concerns, abuse, suicide, relationship issues, and so much more). And now, appointments are available in languages other than English, and/or with specific listeners with shared lived experiences. 

This new appointment offering adds an additional personal touch to the PSC’s standard supportive listening service. Because sometimes, especially when handling challenging situations, it can be more comforting to process your feelings with someone else while speaking the same language, whether literally, or experientially.  

Now, when you decide to access support from the PSC, you can do so by requesting an appointment via email, from specific volunteers that share traits you relate to. You can book an appointment that is in person at the Centre, or to take place virtually via Google Meet. 

Do you speak a language other than English and would feel more comfortable talking about your feelings and struggles in that language? PSC volunteers this year include speakers of French, Spanish, Filipino, Tagalog, Waray-Waray, and Ukrainian.

Going through something tough that is affected by a specific lived experience, and want someone with a similar experience to help talk through what to do next? PSC volunteers can be booked based on identities such as race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexuality, and neurodivergence. 

Like existing supportive listening services, PSC appointments and drop-in sessions are free of charge for members of the University of Alberta community. The only difference is that, to ensure you can get this kind of specific support accommodation, potential clients must email to book an appointment in advance. These tailored services are not guaranteed to be available for drop-in appointments. 

To find out more, visit the Peer Support Centre’s appointment information page at uasu.ca/psc/appointments.

You can reach the Peer Support Centre at psc@uasu.ca.