Trinity’s Student Counselling Service may soon have a new name, with discussions underway to come up with a title that better represents the various supports offered by the service.
The service – which also encompasses the College’s Student to Student (S2S) service and its Student Learning Development initiative – has set up a working group to explore options for the change, the College confirmed today.
The group will meet today to discuss a possible change of name for the service, which is located on Leinster St.
In an email statement to The University Times, S2S programme officer Orlágh Morris said: “We are exploring the idea that the name ‘student counselling’ is not sufficiently inclusive of all aspects of our service.”
Morris said no decisions have been made regarding any change of name. “No changes”, she said, “would or could be made without the involvement of the students and consent of the University”.
She added: “We would really welcome any ideas or input from any student who wishes their voice to be heard.”
Reporters from The University Times attended a meeting of S2S mentors this morning at which they were asked for input into the change of name.
S2S is a student-led initiative that sees second-year volunteers offer advice and guidance to incoming students.
The service had 750 volunteers in 2015/16. It also has trained student peer supporters who offer listening and support to students.
The Student Counselling Service employs qualified counsellors and offers support to Trinity students.
In March 2019, The University Times reported that international students were four times more likely to use medical and counselling services than Irish students.
Speaking to The University Times, Senior Tutor Aidan Seery said international students “do use our services much much more. Cases are more complex. The supports are not there”.
“The burden on the system is greater – it has been measured”, Seery said. “It’s not a secret that the student services for international students need to be supported more than they have been.”
Dr Deirdre Flynn, the Director of the Student Counselling Service, told The University Times in an email statement that 21 per cent of those the service dealt with were non-EU students.
“The higher relative usage by non-EU students is to be expected, as they sometimes do not have the same family and peer networks available as many students who are normally resident in Ireland”, she said. “Also, living and studying in a new culture can be unsettling – transitional issues can arise for the students, some of which are psychological in nature.”
