Why did UT start this initiative?
‘The university is like a miniature society, and just as in wider society, addictions occur here too. Staff members such as study advisors and student psychologists also encounter this among students. That can be a challenge in providing support, as it requires specific expertise. That’s why, as part of UT’s Student Well-being Improvement Programme, this consultation hour was set up.’
What can students expect during these consultations?
‘It’s a preventive service, so we look at whether something can be done about the problem in the short term. In roughly four sessions, we look at the student’s use and then try to adjust it. For example, the advice might be to approach alcohol consumption more mindfully. If no behavioural change occurs after those sessions, we may refer the student to a treatment programme with Tactus.’
Why do you think a preventive consultation works in a low-threshold way?
‘Students are often reluctant to approach Tactus directly, because they don’t want to label themselves as ‘addicts’. But if there happens to be someone on campus who knows a bit more about addictions, it’s much easier to take that first step. For the student, it’s simply a conversation with someone who is engaged with student well-being.’
Does student culture contribute to possible addictions?
‘I am not sure if that is the case. Students are in an experimental phase of life, and experimenting is common in that stage. There will always be someone who develops a problematic habit for themselves. But you can’t immediately attribute that to student culture; that person might have developed an addiction elsewhere too. At the same time, student associations can also play a supportive role, like a kind of safety net. I regularly have students coming to me who are concerned about the habit of fellow students.’
How much interest is there in the consultation hours?
‘At ROC van Twente and Saxion I also provide these sessions. There, I usually don’t receive the first registrations until after the autumn break. At UT I’ve only just started, and there are already three registrations. That confirms to me that the need is there.’
Students can make an appointment via the Student Guidance & Well-being front desk. Questions about these consultation hours: [email protected] or the Student Guidance & Well-being (SGW) department: [email protected]
