Loyalist launches student helpline

By Katy Burley

BELLEVILLE – Loyalist College will officially launch its Good2Talk service Wednesday.

Good2Talk is a hotline to help Ontario post-secondary students with mental health. The hotline is completely anonymous and available around the clock for any students who need counselling.

The official launch will be in Alumni Hall from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday.

Second-year radio broadcasting student Blake Priddle is one of several Loyalist students that QNet News spoke to who weren’t aware of the service.

“I think it would be something we could broadcast over the campus radio station,” he said.

First-year community justice services student Patti Wilkins said she believes a hotline would be more beneficial for students than on-campus counsellors. A hotline would be more confidential for students who don’t like talking to strangers about their problems, she said.

“It’s a little more anonymous. It helps people open up a little bit better.”

Wilkins said she thinks stress is a major contributor to mental illness in post-secondary students, and the Good2Talk hotline will help students cope.

“With a lot of exams and tests and everything piling up at once, it would be good,” she said. “Specially this time of year.”

The hotline number is 1-866-925-5454.