The Importance of the Role of Peer Facilitators in Maintaining Student Mental Health on Campus

BANDUNG, kemahasiswaan.itb.ac.id – The existence of peer mentors positively impacts ITB students. Especially who need assistance in dealing with problems, especially psychological issues. To that end, Counseling Guidance under the auspices of the Sub-Directorate of Student Welfare of the Directorate of Student Affairs (Ditmawa) ITB again held a Peer Companion Candidate Training in 2023 hold on The 2023 Peer Facilitator Training last Saturday (17/9/2022).

"We hope that peer companions are well-being individuals. Therefore, we have three main activities: promotive, preventive, and curative. Peer mentors can take over promotive and preventive activities. In contrast, professionals such as psychologists usually carry out curative activities," said the Head of the Sub-Directorate of Student Welfare, Ir. Hendri Syamsudin, M.Sc., Ph.D., opened the 2023 Peer Facilitator Training held online last Saturday (17/9/2022).

According to him, promotive activities are how peer mentors can echo the importance of mental health among students. The hope is that the habit of maintaining mental health becomes a positive lifestyle. Its needs to be built by creating a series of synergistic and structured activity programs. Peer mentors have a central role as a trigger in promoting this.

As for preventive measures, said Hendri, they can be done individually, for example, by learning to manage time in various activities. However, according to him, the position of peer assistant can be an extension of Counseling Guidance in dealing with students who require assistance and directing them to get professional treatment.

"In addition to peer mentors being able to take promotive and preventive actions. They can also direct fellow students to get curative action from professionals such as Guidance and Counseling services," said Hendri.

In this training activity, students who become peer mentors are also given training by professional counselors and psychologists of ITB Counseling Guidance in dealing with students who have problems.