Wellness Ambassadors

Supporting student wellness takes not just one department, but our entire community.  In each of their roles on campus, staff, faculty, and student leaders have opportunities to express care for students, connect them with support, and create a culture of resilience.  Here are a few ways that community members can become Wellness Ambassadors at 不良研究所.

Donate to the STRONG Award

The STRONG (Support Through Resiliency, Optimism, and Nurturing Growth) Award is intended to support East Bay students who have been victims of violent crime or other traumatic incidents.

The Award recognizes that these individuals are more than just victims of these events, but are resilient individuals. The founding alumnus and donor, Theodore Vuong '17, wanted students to know they are not alone and that alumni are supportive of their bravery in overcoming trauma. He also wanted to inspire others to take action in their communities and for causes they care for, knowing every bit of support helps. Fundraising for the award is ongoing and potential donors can donate through the button below. 

Engage with CARE

Staff and faculty often encounter challenging situations with students, from emotional needs to troubling or disruptive behavior.  It is important to put these situations into the context of the larger challenges that the student may be experiencing. 

Know that you are not alone in managing the situation.  Our campus has a multidisciplinary Student CARE team that receives reports about students of concern, and connects them with supportive resources on and off campus.  For more information or to submit a CARE report, go to East Bay CARES.

The campus has also created guides for deescalating difficult situations in the classroom and on campus.  The is on the Academic Senate website, and the Student Issues and Guidance for Staff is on the CARE website.  For more detail about how to respond to these situations, consider the Wellness Ambassador trainings below.

 

Participate in a Wellness Ambassador Training

Anyone on campus may encounter a student in distress.  The following is a list of trainings to equip staff, faculty, and student leaders to better support community wellness.

Trainings can be in person or over zoom. Trainings are meant to be for both faculty and staff members.  We will also add videos of the zoom trainings as they become available, so that partners who are not able to attend a live workshop can still receive the information. 

We have found that departments tend to need different trainings at different times. We will work with you to find a time that works best for you and your department. If any of these sound like something your department could benefit from, please contact Colleen Arnold, Ph.D, at shcscounseling@csueastbay.edu. 

Helping Students in Distress

Please see this website for more information on our Helping Students in Distress workshops, as well as recording of a past workshop.

Avoiding Burnout and Compassion Fatigue

Using the book Trauma Stewardship by Laura Vandernoot Lipsky, we will explore how supporting students in the current climate is affecting us, personally and collectively. Workshop will focus on strategies to manage the potential for burnout, compassion fatigue, and vicarious traumatization. All staff, faculty, and student leaders are welcome. 

Video recorded on 3/23/23.

Link to the used in the workshop.

Trauma Informed Teaching and Care Strategies

Students are entering their classes with a host of personal challenges that impact their ability to learn.  Trauma informed teaching strategies can help us engage students where they are, create spaces to build community, and connect students to the supportive resources that they need. 

Video recorded on 2/1/23.

Helpful links:

Supporting Survivors of Sexual Violence

What do you do when a student or colleague reveals that they have experienced sexual violence? This workshop will discuss how to respond to disclosures about sexual harassment, dating and intimate partner violence, sexual assault, stalking, and sexual exploitation. Join us to learn how to reduce trauma and the victimization of survivors.

Supporting Trans and Gender Nonconforming Students

Even though gender expansiveness has been with us since the dawn of time, trans and gender nonconforming individuals are facing attempts to erase their existence.  These targeted assaults take a toll on our queer community, and on the allies seeking to support them. Join us to learn more about the specific risks trans and gender nonconforming individuals face on our campus, and strategies to uplift and protect our community. 

Video recorded Spring 2024.

Link to the used during workshop.

HEALTHY BOUNDARY SETTING WITH STUDENTS  

East Bay faculty and staff are dedicated to supporting our students. However, the needs can be complex, and sometimes it is hard to know where to draw the lines in these relationships. This workshop will go over healthy boundary setting and common challenges, and offer time to ask questions about specific situations.  

DE-ESCALATION IN ACADEMIC SETTINGS 

Stress can make tempers run high, and the time to learn de-escalation skills is before you need them. This one hour training will discuss working with students who are expressing strong emotions, and give communication tools to help calm the situation.