Looking to start or revamp a peer counseling or sexual assault education program at your school?  Check out this interview with Licensed Clinical Social Worker Rebecca Stacy, the Program Director of Bard college’s unique BRAVE program (Bard’s Response to Rape and Associated Violence Education).

BRAVE conducts peer crisis-counseling and educational programs concerning rape and other sexual violence.  Volunteer student counselors are available during the academic year, 24 hours a day.  More information can be found here.

Bard is a residential college located in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York.  Its program may not be exactly right for your school, but this interview can help get you started and give you some great ideas.  Feel free to contact us at SAFER if you need more information, or contact Ms. Stacy at stacy@bard.edu.

How and when was your program started?

BRAVE was started in 1991 as a result of a sexual assault that was reported by a student. The student body was very unhappy with the way the administrators handled the case and they held a “sit in” for three days in the main administration building until their demands were met. One of the demands was a peer crisis-counseling program that students, faculty and staff could utilize 24/7 anonymously, and confidentially.

Has your program ever faced problems or challenges from the administration or other backlash from the school community?

Bard’s administration is very supportive and appreciative of our program. They only difficulty we sometimes run into, but work hard not to, is duplicating programming that another campus group might also be doing. We try to communicate with all campus groups in order to collaborate.

How is your program set up and what kinds of services does it offer?

BRAVE is a 24/7 (when school is in session) crisis counseling hotline. We currently consist of 20 students who take turns taking on-call shifts. When a crisis call comes in, the counselors have to report it to me (the supervisor) within 24 hours, and then they receive clinical supervision around the case. Counselors are required to fill in a general case log after a call as well. We do this for statistic keeping. BRAVE also offers educational outreach and dorm programming. We are active on campus all year long with different educational programs.

How many students do you have participating in the program as volunteers?

We currently have 20 students, but we have a rolling application process so we are always accepting new students[.]  The number changes frequently. The students are required to attend a 40-hour training, which takes place once a year during the last week of intersession here on campus and is run by me (director/supervisor). Once they complete the training, they are qualified to be on-call and work the hot line. Prior to completing training BRAVE members still participate and help coordinate educational events on campus throughout the year.

How often are your services utilized? Do you keep data and if so, how?

We average 1-2 crisis calls a week. We keep a case log and keep track of all calls. At the end of the year, we complete an “End of Year Report” which tracks all of the types of calls and the amount of calls we get.

Do you evaluate your program and if so, what are the results?

Every other year, Bard conducts a campus life survey, and every student evaluates our program. BRAVE gets very positive feedback and students feel safe and appreciative to have a service such as ours available to them at all times.

How do you do outreach to your community to let fellow students and faculty know that your program is available?

BRAVE comes to every freshman orientation and describes what we do and gives literature, so every incoming student is told about us. We also include program paraphernalia in the freshman “goody bags” that they get at orientation. Throughout the year, we sponsor many events so advertising is always happening, and our name is all over the place. We also have a huge professional banner hanging in our campus center that you cannot miss. In addition, we do dorm programming throughout the year. We do “tabling” throughout the year as well. We set up a table (typically with something alluring like chocolates!) with all of our info, and applications in a high traffic area and stay there for a few hours during busy times. We promote our events through professors and staff, and PC’s. (PC’s are the equivalent to RA’s at most schools).

Do you have recommendations and/or resources for other student groups throughout the country?

BRAVE’s “model” has sort of evolved to meet the needs of our specific population. I am happy to talk to anyone wanting to start a program like this. I have much advice to offer and am always available.