The student society at the University of B.C. has approved the creation of a new service for students to help those\u00a0who are having problems with alcohol, substance use and technology use.<\/p>\n
Hussam Zbeeb, the student services manager for the AMS, said the service,\u00a0named Vice, will see trained volunteers providing support for a range of issues students might have around these three areas, which he said have the highest rates of addiction for students on campuses across Canada.<\/p>\n
However, Zbeeb said the service isn’t just for those struggling with an addiction, but could even be for those who are just looking for information.<\/p>\n
Maybe you’re not even suffering from an addiction.\u00a0Maybe your family member is.\u00a0Maybe you want \u00a0to know what an addiction is in the first place,\u00a0\u00bb Zbeeb said.<\/p>\n
\u00ab\u00a0Any level on that spectrum \u2014\u00a0that’s essentially the area of scope that Vice will be focusing on.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n
Zbeeb said that it was a UBC student who approached the society to suggest that they add such a service to their existing offerings.<\/p>\n
The AMS currently offers a number of student-run services, including a food bank, a sexual assault support centre, and Speakeasy, which provides peer support for students for a number of challenges they may be facing.<\/p>\n
Zbeeb said the AMS conducted a feasibility study on whether or not this service is something the campus needs.<\/p>\n
\u00ab\u00a0The conclusion of that study was yes, a service like Vice to help students dealing with addictions is quite needed,\u00a0\u00bb he said.<\/p>\n
\u00ab\u00a0The gap is, essentially, there isn’t really a key resource group on campus that deals solely with addictions head-on. The idea is that whenever students think of addictions on campus and where to turn to, we want Vice to be that place to turn to, which can then maybe refer people if needed.<\/p>\n
\u00ab\u00a0If people during the peer-support sessions do decide that they do need further, more professional counseling \u2026 then they can be referred to UBC Counselling [Services]\u00a0or Vancouver Coastal Health [for example].\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n
Zbeeb said the AMS is\u00a0spending the summer months preparing the service \u2014\u00a0hiring a coordinator, volunteers and testing the service before approving a pilot program for the fall.<\/p>\n
\u00ab\u00a0The goal is to work with groups on and off campus over the next couple of months to ensure that our service is relevant to students and is helpful to students\u00a0and adds value to any available services rather than replicating any existing ones.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n