Faculty & Staff: How to Help a Student in Need

As faculty and staff members at Irvine Valley College (IVC), your work brings you in contact with many students every day. Some of the students that you meet will need more support than others in and out of college. Students experiencing psychological distress, Veterans on campus, and students who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer/questioning (LGBTQ) are some of the student groups that will need more support.

Your willingness and ability to respond well to IVC students in distress, Veterans on campus, and LGBTQ students will undoubtedly be influenced by your communication style and personal beliefs about the limits of responsibility for helping students mature, both emotionally and intellectually. Some IVC students may be more open to assistance, while others may be more reluctant to ask or receive help.

Below, you will find links to three different online trainings that will help you learn more about helping Veterans on campus, LGBTQ students, and/or students experience psychological distress. You will also learn techniques for approaching students once you identify what their needs are. These trainings are designed to help you identify symptoms of distress, understand the unique challenges of Veterans on campus, and create a more supportive environment for our LGBTQ students. Our campus and community provide many supportive services to which you may refer students. Please use the “Where to Find Help” link on the left side of this page to access a list of available campus and community resources.

By educating ourselves and being more knowledgeable, we will be able to provide a productive and supportive learning environment for all of our students.