Forming Support Networks

First Gen Logo with blue person and content "I'm First-Gen" in the center with green, orange, blue, tea, and yellow feed surrounding it.

Healthy communities integrate and regulate their members.

Help your student connect and engage with others as a means of fostering resilience, tenacity, and self-forgiveness through the following tools and resources.

How to support your student when they encounter setbacks and struggles:

  • Stay in touch and use the Do you speak Western? resource to learn the common acronyms and language used at Western.
  • Encourage them to reach out to their professors during their faculty office hours (as noted in their course syllabus).
  • Connect with academic/career advisors and peer advisors in the Academic Advising & Student Achievement Center during their drop-in hours to work through next steps in academic planning and course registration.
  • Have them connect with the Basic Needs Hub for support and essential resources.
  • For emergency financial assistance, students can apply for Western's Student Emergency Funding to cover an expense that would otherwise prevent them from completing their studies.