Support During Studies

Aveiro

LUA – UNIVERSITY OF AVEIRO 

Location/geographical coverage

University of Aveiro, Portugal

Background and description

The Aveiro University Line [LUA] (apresentação e objectivos – sas\lua – Universidade de Aveiro) is an inclusive integrated service of emotional, psychological and emotional support and counselling for students during the night. The support is given by volunteer students (peer counselling) who receive specific training, by psychologists and doctors, who are available for emergent situations and appointments.

The scientific coordination is granted by a professor of the Education and Psychology Department in the field of Health Psychology, supported by a multidisciplinary team, namely SASUA members, Academic Association of the University of Aveiro members and StressLab members, a research lab of the Department of Education Sciences and Psychology.

LUA has been running since November 2009, daily, from 21:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. There are records of 19 training courses addressed at volunteers, having participated over six hundred people for more than six thousand hours of volunteering (cf. Portfolio of training support materials portfolio materiais – sas\lua – Universidade de Aveiro; https://www.ua.pt/pt/sas/lua/page/27869)

It currently integrates 3 formats:

  1. LUA Nightline: free and confidential telephone night line for psychological support to students with problems. The support is provided by students who receive specific training, supervised by psychologists and other specialized technicians in the area;
  2. E-LUA: answers by e-mail for non-urgent cases. The support is provided by volunteer students with Special Educational Needs (amblyopia, reduced mobility, among others), who receive specific training, supervised by psychologists and technicians specialized in the area, who are thus able to help their fellow students;
  3. LUA Face-to-Face: face-to-face service for urgent appointments provided by psychologists in the therapeutic setting next to SASUA’s medical offices.

It is intended to (1) identify problems and respond to the students’ needs at the level of psychological, clinical and social support; (2) support students in a context of fragility and family breakdown; (3) propose strategies of intervention and innovation; (4) support the processes of transition, adaptation and integration in the University; (5) develop new tools of diagnosis and intervention in students’ problems as a strategy to fight against academic failure; (6) promote students’ health and well-being at the University of Aveiro; (7) promote in an inclusive way the voluntary work done by students with Special Educational Needs.

Stakeholders and Partners

 International Nightlines (Nightline Association; University of Essex Nightline [1st one founded in 1970]; University of Oxford Nightline; University of Cambridge Nightline; University of Durham Nightline; University of Bristol Nightline; University of Barnard-Columbia Nightline)

Contact details

Coordination: Professor Anabela Pereira (Main Coordinator; Scientific Supervisor; Volunteer’s Coordinator)

Related Web site(s)