We're here to support you
At Royal Roads, we have a coordinated CARE Team to assess, support, and refer students who are experiencing emotional distress or concerning behaviour.
Note: In serious medical emergencies or imminent danger, contact 911 and Campus Security before contacting the CARE Team.
Contacting the CARE Team
Concerned about a student’s safety or well-being? We can help connect you with the right support.
Email the CARE Team
For non-urgent concerns, email the CARE Team to share your concern or ask to speak with a team member.
Need immediate support?
Call Campus Security. They are available 24/7 and can provide First Aid when needed, and will contact the on-call CARE Team member.
→ Colwood Campus: 250.391.2525
→ Langford Campus: 236.475.5070
How the CARE team can help
Any member of the RRU community (faculty, staff or students) can contact the CARE Team if they are concerned for the wellbeing of a student. Students may also self-refer.
The CARE Team provides:
- caring outreach and wellness checks
- strategies and options to support students’ wellness and academic success
- referrals to appropriate services and resources
- collaborative approach to triangulation of information/communication hub
- guidance to staff and faculty regarding responding to student concerns
The CARE Team coordinates support with dignity and respect. Our primary goals are to de-escalate a distressing situation and refer to services that can help in removing a students' barriers to success.
What you can share with the CARE team
You can share any concerns you might have about another student’s well-being or the community’s safety. The most appropriate CARE Team member will offer support.
Examples:
- unusual or erratic behaviour in class (on campus or online)
- extended absence or withdrawal from learning activities by a student who is usually engaged
- written work or creative expression with concerning themes or references
- verbal or written threats made toward another student, faculty, or staff
- verbal or written expressions of suicidal ideation or self harm
- actions that are alarming or call into question the safety of the student or their peers
- basic needs insecurity (for example, food and housing)
- any report of a student who has required urgent medical assistance
On-call CARE team members
The On-call CARE Team includes the following student services and security roles:
- Director, Student Services
- Associate Director, Student Engagement
- Counsellor
- Learning Strategist
- Student Care & Support Coordinator
- Accessibility Services Specialist
- Supervisor, Security Services
An extended, multi-faceted CARE team is drawn upon for complex situations and/or incidents that impact the safety and wellbeing of the broader RRU community.
Resources & supporting documents
The CARE Team's Early Assist – Supporting Student Mental Health document provides a list of student support services, and tips on how to respond to student mental health concerns.
The Helping Students in Distress Flowchart might help you to identify next steps for referring a student in distress.
This short 6-minute video provides an overview of how to support students in distress, and the resources available to support you and our student community.
More information on health and wellness, including counselling services for students, can be found on our wellness website.
The CARE Team is guided by RRU’s Student Mental Health Framework, which identifies the value of a systemic approach to supporting student mental health. In particular, the CARE Team works to address the first two core elements of this framework: plan for healthy learning and develop a culture of care.