Mental Health Ambassadors

About the Program

NC State Mental Health Ambassadors are a group of undergraduate and graduate students with a passion for mental health awareness, equity and inclusion, and breaking down barriers for all students to access support or treatment on campus. NC State MHAs will assist in the development and presentation of various topics for classroom presentations, campus partners, and community events. Our goal is to utilize the benefit of peer to peer education and the power of connection to continue to decrease stigma around help seeking and self-care. In addition to a significant time commitment, this program will require students to have strong communication and organizational skills, work well and respect all within a diverse group, display maturity and empathy and a high level of responsibility.

NC State MHAs will complete the NASPA Certified Peer Educator program and be trained in various areas of mental health, intersectionality and wellbeing. Each participant will shadow current Counseling Center & Prevention Services staff members and then be paired with other MHAs for all programs. Ambassadors will be prepared to educate peers in an effort to positively impact the NC State campus community through preventative education and fierce compassion for others.

NC State Mental Health Ambassadors will gain:

• Solid leadership experience and opportunities to participate in campus wide event planning and programming
• Completion of Certified Peer Educator (CPE) program through NASPA (Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education)
• Significant public speaking experience that will boost graduate school and/or career credentials
• Professional references
• Connections with others who share a passion for this work, but come from very different backgrounds and lived experiences

Students will be trained in and offer standardized programs on the following topics:

• Introduction to the Counseling Center and Prevention Services and how to refer a friend
• Stress Management/Resiliency
• Healthy Relationships
• Diversity, Inclusion & Equity with a focus on intersectionality
• Communication Skills and Assertiveness/Conflict Resolution
• Anxiety and Depression Reduction strategies
• Assist with QPR (Question, Persuade and Refer) Suicide Prevention Program
• Mental Health Screenings and Tabling Events including Suicide Prevention Vigil, Stop the Stigma events, information fairs and Earth Fair
• Collaborate with each other and campus partners to create unique programming for an identified group, issue, or need in the campus community

Requirements

• 12 hours of self-paced training (provided through the program).
• NC State Mental Health Ambassadors will meet weekly on Friday afternoons from 1:30-3 p.m. Students must commit to not miss more than 3 meetings per semester.
• NC State MHAs must complete at least 5 outreach presentations per semester. All presentations are co-presented with senior staff or other MHAs.
• The program is a one year commitment. Only apply if you can commit to both semesters.
• Must have and maintain a minimum of 2.8 GPA.
• If you are a first semester student, please share your most recent GPA (other college or high school).