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Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Queen’s students have been showing the strong sense of community they’re known for by helping each other navigate this difficult time. That communal spirit has been on full display through the peer support programs operating across Student Affairs.

Over the past several months, Queen’s students and staff have expanded existing initiatives and created new ones to help create a sense of belonging and to connect students with university resources wherever they may be.

4D Social Ambassadors

After the onset of the pandemic last year, the Four Directions Indigenous Student Centre created the 4D Social Ambassadors program. Led by three students, the 4D Social Ambassadors organize virtual events that enable Indigenous students to gather online and build community. For the winter term, the 4D Social Ambassadors will be hosting a games night, a virtual cooking session, an online study session, and an end-of-term celebration, among other events.

“Being a Four Directions social ambassador is one of the highlights of my year. This role is not only about creating events, but it is also about connecting with other Indigenous students, learning new things, and growing from each new interaction you have with other students and faculty,” says Lanza Fantetti, a third-year Concurrent Education student who is from M’Chigeeng First Nation, located on Manitoulin Island.

Learn more about the 4D Social Ambassadors program on their website and page, where you can also find out about the .

World Link

The Queen’s University International Centre (QUIC) has increased the offerings of World Link, its peer support program. Through World Link, student staff members and volunteers organize virtual gatherings that aim to connect international students with each other, as well as domestic students at Queen’s, who are welcome to attend.

World Link holds events every week, and they schedule gatherings at a variety of times of day and night to accommodate different time zones. Recent events include an origami social co-hosted with the Queen’s Japanese Relations Club. World Link is also using several social media platforms to find creative ways to engage Queen’s students, including holding interactive quizzes through Instagram stories.

“I have loved my time volunteering with World Link as it has allowed me to meet so many amazing people that I would not otherwise have met. Although COVID-19 restrictions have forced us to move our events online, there have still been a variety of activities, including cooking nights, craft tutorials, and speed friending events,” says Olivia Anstess, a World Link student volunteer. “Personally, my favourite events have been the speed friending ones, as they allow me to make meaningful connections with domestic and international students alike."

Learn more about the QUIC World Link program and the and the .

Q Success

Student mentorship has also been on the rise this year, as the Q Success Program, an initiative of the Student Experience Office, is helping more first-year students than ever. Q Success pairs incoming students with upper-year peer mentors to help them build community and navigate their first year of university. Compared to last year, Q Success has increased the number of mentees they serve by 479 per cent, as over 575 students have been paired with mentors. And the number of one-on-one discussions between mentors and mentees is up 850 per cent with over 4,000 meetings so far this year. As they help their mentees, Q Success mentors have made over 2,500 referrals to date to Queen’s resources, such as Student Academic Success Services and Student Wellness Services.

Recruitment for these and many more peer program positions in Student Affairs is now underway through to March 7. For all details, visit the Student Experience Office website.

Recruitment also continues through the My Career portal for Peer Equity Ambassadors in Undergraduate Admission and Recruitment.

For peer positions with the AMS, students can visit the ; for peer positions with the SGPS, students can visit the .