SHEC is a peer-run health advocacy, information, and resource connection service for students at McMaster University.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Our peer support services are currently CLOSED until the beginning of the Fall 2022 academic term. If you are interested in learning more about the forms of peer support that will be offered throughout the academic year, please contact shecad@msu.mcmaster.ca

--> For help finding alternate peer support options and/or chat line services during this time, please email us at shecad@msu.mcmaster.ca with the subject line "Seeking Alternate Support".

--> In many cases, our Director or Assistant Director will be able to provide you with information about free or low-barrier services in your region and/or that met your individualized support needs.

--> Any and all emails sent to MSU SHEC for support or assistance will remain fully confidential.


WARMLINE POLICIES

Before we begin our chat, please review some key information about our brand new online Warmline service...

1. Non-Crisis Support:
The SHEC Warmline is not intended for anyone experiencing an active suicidal crisis or in need of immediate medical services. Our volunteers recognize that there are various levels of suicidal ideation and that forcing someone to use crisis services when they don't want, or need, them can be very traumatizing. Thus, students are welcome to speak safely about their experiences of passive or active suicidal ideation if they just need a distraction! However, if a service user discloses an active suicidal intent our volunteers are required to discuss or recommend crisis services to that student.

If you are experiencing a suicidal crisis, please contact the Barrett Centre for Crisis Intervention or look for more supports on the Crisis Services Canada webpages (linked below). If you need help finding other anti-oppressive resources in your specific region, or that work better for you, feel free to ask a volunteer through the chat function!

This service is not meant to supplement professional medical advice or care. Please note that while SHEC peer support volunteers have knowledge on a wide range of health- and wellness-related topics, all volunteers are fellow undergraduate students and therefore are not qualified to act as medical professionals.


2. Confidentiality Notice:
SHEC is an entirely anonymous service. All conversations with volunteers are confidential and volunteers are prohibited from sharing personal information, identifying information, and/or what is discussed during a peer support session.

However, please note that our peer support volunteers will not engage in any situation that puts their or your safety, anonymity, or confidentiality at risk. Volunteers are only to disclose information from a session if a) the volunteer requires a one-on-one debrief session with an executive team member due to the weight of the situation, b) they experienced harassment during the chat from the visitor, or c) the visitor has threatened the safety of the volunteer or others. In any case, the executive team will ensure that no identifying information will be shared.

Please note that a student may also be virtually blocked from messaging SHEC's peer support volunteers on our chat-based Warmline if there is evidence that they have harassed a volunteer on one or more occasions. Violence will not be tolerated.