FEELS/TCP Facilitators
FEELS/TCP facilitators are undergraduate or graduate students who use ongoing training, supervision, & lived experiences to support their peers. They facilitate mental health peer support groups by fostering an atmosphere of empathy and connection.
FEELS Peer Support Circle/The Connection Project Facilitators
FEELS stands for Facilitating Effective Emotional Learning & Support. FEELS facilitators are a group of undergraduate & graduate students trained to co-facilitate mental health support groups in which you can connect with fellow Hokies who are navigating their mental health concerns and exploring how to maintain their emotional well-being.
These facilitators use ongoing training, supervision, & lived experiences to support their peers. The mission of the FEELS team is to create mental health support spaces led by students, for students.
In addition to facilitating FEELS groups, facilitators will also be working to facilitate our newest project, The Connection Project. TCP brings together groups of students to get to know one another while discussing the key components of making meaningful connections. The facilitators will co-facilitate groups of 6-10 students while engaging in activities and discussions that delve into what brings us together, what can keep us apart, and how these things manifest at VT.
Apply to be a FEELS/TCP Facilitator.
FEELS will be accepting applications February 1, 2024-March 3, 2024.
Requirements
In the Fall of 2024:
- attend and complete work for training class on Tuesdays and Thursdays 9:30-10:45am (location TBD)
- attend a full day Mental Health First Aid training (date TBD based on schedules of selected facilitators)
- have one individual meeting with your supervisor
- potentially one day of Hokie Wellness training at the beginning of the semester (TBD information)
In the Spring of 2025:
- a half day training on reminders and role plays before beginning facilitation (date TBD)
- facilitate one TCP group a week (1.25 hours/week)
- debrief and prepare for your TCP group (1.25 hours/week)
- facilitate FEELS groups at least twice a month
- attend bi-weekly Friday team meetings from 3-4pm
- work at least 1 Hokie Wellness event each semester and work at least 3 outreach events each semester
- have one individual meeting with your supervisor each semester
How long has FEELS existed?
FEELS Peer Support Circle is a new resources that launched in Fall of 2021. The first semester, as undergraduate students were getting trained, FEELS was facilitated by trained graduate mental health interns. The first cohort of undergraduate FEELS facilitators will begin leading groups in Spring of 2022.
Why be a FEELS facilitator?
Becoming a FEELS trainee and facilitator is an opportunity to connect with a team of your peers to gain personal and professional development on mental health and peer support. FEELS trainees and facilitators get to engage with their fellow Hokies on topics such as: emotions, coping skills, connection / loneliness, & more!
Upon completion of the training, FEELS trainees are equipped with a 3 year national certification in Mental Health First Aid (costs covered).
So, FEELS support circle is the same as mental health treatment?
NO. FEELS peer support circle does not constitute/is not a substitute for professional mental health treatment. While FEELS facilitators are trained on a number of peer counseling techniques, they are not counselors, therapists, or treatment providers.
Are FEELS Facilitators paid?
FEELS facilitators will not be paid, but will instead receive course credit for their work each semester.
What is the time commitment?
Prior to facilitating FEELS and TCP groups, trainees spend the fall semester undergoing a rigorous training. This training includes a training class for an hour and fifteen minutes twice a week through the whole semester, a full day (8 hour) Mental Health First Aid training, and a few other small Hokie Wellness trainings. Upon completion of the training, the commitment includes co-facilitating a TCP group once a week, facilitating FEELS groups at least twice a month, attending bi-weekly team meetings, attending supervision meetings, and helping with Hokie Wellness events as needed. Each semester, the workload will be the equivalent of a 3-credit course which is what facilitators will receive credit for.
Upon completion of training, the commitment includes facilitating 2 sessions per month, attending 2 sessions as a participant per month, and attending group meetings 1 time per month.
How will I be trained?
Training will include participation in TCP groups to understand what the experience is like, lectures on group facilitation skills, and role plays to help put the learning into practice. Overall, the training is extremely informative and practical as well as hands on.
When do you accept applications & what is the deadline to apply?
The deadline to apply to become a FEELS/TCP facilitator for the fall of 2024 is March 3, 2024.
Who can apply?
Any undergraduate student can apply to become a FEELS facilitator; however, this opportunity is best suited for students who…
- Have lived experience of navigating difficulties or challenges with their own emotional well-being and/or mental health
- Can monitor their own mental health & stressors
- Have a demonstrated commitment to engaging in ongoing self-care
- Will seek appropriate supports when necessary
- Will communicate effectively about capacity to serve
May I also apply for the other student groups that Hokie Wellness has, such as HEAT (Health Education & Awareness Team) program or IMPACT?
No, you may only apply for one Hokie Wellness peer education group.
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