University students, especially in their first year, need to find their place in the campus community outside of the classroom.
On Wednesday, the Trent Central Student Association held a clubs and groups day to help familiarize students with the variety of activities available around the Peterborough university. Over 100 organizations set up booths on the upper quad.
These include everything from sports teams to gaming groups and clubs for language or history buffs.
“It allows students to find a place on campus, to find a community, to find a family. Many of our students are away from home for the first time and it’s a little scary,” says Shanese Steele from the Trent Central Student Association
But the clubs and groups event also included a chance to learn about safety.
The Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre took the opportunity to introduce their new Sexual Assault Prevention Coordinator.
Since January, all universities and colleges across the country have to have a policy in place to deal with sexual assault complaints.
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Robyn Ocean oversees the policy at Trent, offering education on what sexual assault is and how to prevent it. There is also a place where those who have suffered sexual assault can share the experience and get the support they need.
‘We’re becoming more and more aware in the community and on campus so we’re trying to decide as a community campus what we can do to make it safer for everyone,” said Ocean.
The Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre originated at Trent University 40 years ago, so program coordinator Lisa Clarke says the return to Trent is a natural progression and an important addition to their infrastructure.
“And just to talk to somebody and ask ‘I’m not sure what happened to me” and someone to say ‘Thank you for telling me’, the more services we can have on the community and on campus the better,” said Clarke.
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