Being passionate about helping students thrive is one of the great things about working at a university. Sometimes students have issues or problems that are complex or difficult to resolve, and this can be challenging for faculty and staff.
The Student Support Certificate Program, organized by Student Affairs at MtA, is designed for faculty and staff who wish to build skills and capacity supporting students across a diverse range of challenges and experiences. While participants are welcome to attend as many workshops as they like, those who complete all 6 Level 1 workshops and at least 4 Level 2 workshops will earn a certificate. These workshops will contribute to our collective capacity for a supportive, inclusive, and resilient campus environment.
These interactive, in-person sessions will provide practical strategies and resources, from effective referrals and privacy considerations to allyship, restorative approaches, and accessible event planning. Participants will learn to recognize and respond to students in crisis, address barriers to inclusion, and contribute to a campus culture where every individual feels valued and supported.
Each workshop is capped at 25 participants and offered multiple times a year. Participants who are unable to attend a current session will be able to take it at a later date, allowing them to earn a certificate according to their own schedules.
Accidentally signed up for a workshop twice? No problem and no further action needed! We regularly check the registration list for duplicates to make sure the number of seats available is accurate.
How to earn a certificate
Participants who complete all Level 1 workshops and at least four Level 2 workshops will earn the Student Support Certificate.
Level 1 workshops
- Understanding the Student Experience;
- Student Affairs: Community Standards, Accountability, and Support;
- Conflict Resolution and Restorative Approaches;
- Supporting Equity and Building an Inclusive Campus;
- Supporting Student Academic Success;
- More Feet on the Ground: Mental Health Support.
Level 2 workshops
- Suicide Prevention;
- Student Mental Health, Well-Being and Harm Reduction: From Prevention to Support;
- Reconciliation and Indigenous Student Support;
- Sexualized Violence Prevention and Survivor Support;
- Recognizing and Supporting a Student in Distress;
- Supporting Students who are Religious/Spiritual;
- The International Student Experience;
- Disability Accommodations and UDL;
- Event Planning and Risk Management.
Understanding the Student Experience
Level 1
Thursday, October 15
3 – 4:30 pm
Adjusting to university is, for many students, one of the most intensive learning curves they've experienced in their lives to date. Understanding the challenges and issues many students face, as well as constructive and supportive ways to help students resolve them, can make an enormous difference in student success.
This workshop covers key issues, resources and approaches, and we reflect on ways we can work together for an ever-more supportive, empathetic and accountable campus environment.
Learning Objectives
Participants will
- Learn about common student challenges, demographic shifts, and student transition theory.
- Discuss student interactions and reducing barriers for students to seek help, with an additional focus on equity-deserving students and intersectionality.
- Discuss how to create a supportive and developmental campus environment, and approaches to addressing student issues, to help empower students towards problem-solving.
Student Mental Health, Well-Being and Harm Reduction: From Prevention to Support
Level 2
Thursday, October 22
2:30 – 4 pm
This workshop builds a shared understanding of student mental health, well-being, and harm reduction, and how these areas work together across prevention, early support, and response. Understanding how these pieces connect can help staff and faculty identify meaningful ways to support students within their own roles, including in classrooms, advising, and everyday interactions.
Participants will explore the mental health continuum and how it can be used to reduce stigma, build self-awareness, strengthen coping strategies, and support student well-being. It also introduces Mount Allison’s harm reduction framework and considers how harm reduction principles can inform both individual support and broader campus approaches.
Throughout the workshop, participants will engage in interactive and experiential activities designed to deepen understanding and help translate key concepts into practice.
Sexualized Violence Prevention and Survivor Support
Level 2
Wednesday, October 28
3 – 4:30 pm
What would you do if a student informed you they had been sexually assaulted? In this session we will help participants recognize sexual harassment and sexual violence, understand ways this can affect students and the rest of the university community, bystander intervention, and how to respond supportively and assist with resources if a student discloses an experience with sexual violence. We will explore available on-campus and community supports, as well as existing on-campus sexual assault prevention initiatives. Participants should expect to engage in an open discussion about sexual assault, consent and exploring campus and post-secondary sexual culture.
Recognizing and Supporting a Student in Distress
Level 2
Tuesday, November 3
1:30 – 3 pm
This session is designed to support faculty and staff in building their capacity and confidence to support students who are in distress. The session will focus on recognizing early signs of distress, the value of early intervention, and steps to take when situation appears more complex or higher risk.
Topics covered include:
- Recognizing signs of distress
- Having a supportive conversation with a student
- Supports available to refer students to
- The Student of Concern Case Team process
- Identifying and managing crisis and emergency situations
- Checking in with yourself and practicing self-care
Supporting Equity and Building an Inclusive Environment
Level 1
Thursday, October 15
3 – 4:30 pm
Mount Allison strives to be an inclusive environment for individuals of all backgrounds. This will delve into the fundamentals of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI). We will discuss types of challenges faced by equity-deserving communities, learn about individual and systemic barriers, explore allyship, and workshop practices and tools you can use to help create inclusivity within our campus community.
Conflict Resolution and Restorative Approaches
Level 1
Wednesday, November 25
3 – 4:30 pm
When working with students, conflicts can arise over interactions, service, grades and more. Upon completion of this workshop, participants will have the tools to identify potential conflict situations, understand underlying issues, raise concerns about behaviour, and address and mediate conflict using a solutions-based approach.
Learning aims
Participants will
- Discuss conflict involving students, and learn about underlying issues that can cause conflict, communication barriers, how to raise a concern, and active listening.
- Explore how conflicts can escalate and conflict dynamics.
- Learn the basics of facilitated dialogue and mediation, and talk about educational and restorative approaches to behaviour issues.
More Feet on the Ground
Level 1
Self-paced online
Duration: 20-25 minutes
Thousands of students in Canada face mental health concerns every year, and mental health concerns continue to become more and more common on Canadian campuses. This course prepares you to support students on your campus who may be living with mental health concerns.
Learning aims
Participants will learn to
- Recognize indicators that someone may be experiencing mental health concerns.
- Respond appropriately to someone who needs support, based on the indicators present and your relationship with them.
- Refer someone to mental health supports and services in an appropriate way.
- Describe best practices for reflecting after interacting with someone who may be upset or distressed.
Registration
This mini-course was developed by the Council of Ontario Universities, Brock University, and the Centre for Innovation in Campus Mental Health, which is funded by the Ontario Government.
Learn more and register at morefeetontheground.ca.
