Hotline for students starts in the summer semester

The hotline is intended for students to advise their fellow students on problems and psychological stress related to their studies, to listen to them and to refer them to other sources of help. Volunteers are now being sought - students who are good listeners and would like to volunteer. International or English-speaking students are also welcome.

"We will discuss the weekly effort for the worry phone with all volunteers together in advance," says Hannah Schneider, a student in the Health Communication Master's programme and long-time StuRa staff member who is coordinating the set-up of the project. "The phone service is feasible in a home office, so you have to be reachable during your own 'duty time' but can do other things on the side until the phone rings."

But no one is "thrown in at the deep end", she explains further. "Of course, we offer training in advance for anyone who wants to participate in the project. This will include tips on how to conduct a conversation, but the participants will also receive information on further counselling centres. And during the assignment, there will always be the opportunity to exchange ideas with other volunteers in regular meetings."

In order to discuss the form and dates of the training with everyone, a first online meeting will take place next week. So anyone who is interested in finding out more there and possibly also participating in the worry phone can informally contact Hannah Schneider by email and will then receive the link to the online meeting.