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Lean On Me
Vassar College

Text (845) 439-2900 to connect with a peer Supporter.

Free, anonymous peer support every night between 8pm and 12 am

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Our mission

Lean On Me strengthens communities by providing peer-to-peer text lines that allow for easy access to confidential non-crisis support. We envision a world where anyone can seek and receive emotional support.

Our chapter

Lean On Me at Vassar is a chapter of Lean On Me, which was founded at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2015. To learn more about their impact or inquire about establishing a new chapter, visit their website here.

How our hotline works

Lean On Me allows students to talk to trained peer Supporters in a convenient and anonymous setting. To learn more about our training process, please click here.

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1. Text our hotline

Text Vassar's hotline number whatever you’d like to talk about! This can range from brief messages such as “All of my friends are busy and I want someone to talk to” to a longer, more serious message. Our Supporters are here to listen and be there for you - the topic is your choice!

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3. Receive a reply

The expected wait time is just under 5 minutes. The service is available at any time between 8pm and 12am every night.

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5. End the conversation

Conversations last for as long as you would like them to, and you can end a conversation with a Supporter at any time by texting “/bye” to the hotline. If you text again you will be matched with a new Supporter and they will not see what you wrote before.

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2. Match with a Supporter

Once a text is received, all active Supporters will be informed that a request has come in, and within a few minutes you will be matched with one!

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4. Have a conversation

You can now have a conversation with the Supporter! Feel free to text for as long as you like. If you ever feel uncomfortable with a Supporter text “/flag”, and we’ll match you with another! For a full list of commands, text “/help” to the hotline. Supporters never see your slash commands.

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6. Provide feedback

Once a conversation ends, you will be asked to provide feedback, helping make the service better for future users. By no means is this mandatory, but we would really appreciate it. Your input will have a very real effect on the future of Lean On Me, and on changes we make to the service!

Become a peer supporter

Applications for new supporters open at the beginning of each semester! No prior experience is necessary, and all new supporters undergo comprehensive training.

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  • Who are the peer Supporters?
    Supporters are volunteers who share your experiences and are excited to converse with you! They are your peers, as determined by the context of the hotline. (For example, the Vassar hotline's supporters are all Vassar students.) While they are not formally licensed or certified, they do go through our Supporter training.
  • How can I be a part of Lean On Me in my community?
    We're always looking for more people to join the team! If you're interested in applying to be a peer Supporter, please visit your chapter's Join page for more information. If you'd like to be a part of the Lean On Me organizational team or software development squad, please email us at team@lean0n.me!
  • Can I start a Lean On Me hotline?
    If you're part of a group that's interested in having a Lean On Me hotline, please email us at team@lean0n.me and our team will get back to you as soon as possible. Our service is still in the development phase, but we are looking to expand to other universities as well as other organizations in the future, and would love to start a conversation with you now!
  • How anonymous is it, really?
    Our goal is to create a low-barrier, stigma-free, peer support network. That means that we take steps to ensure that when you text in, neither you nor the peer you match with see each other's phone number. While we know how many repeat users we've had, we won't know who those users are, where they live etc. (unless you choose to disclose that information, of course). That also means that we're peers, not professionals, and maintain some information - including your phone number and conversation history - so that we can transfer you to a mental health professional if the Supporter you're speaking to feels out of their depth. Because we care about your health and safety, we might also give your contact information to the authorities in certain cases.
  • Is this also a suicide hotline? Can I text in a crisis situation?
    We are not a suicide hotline, nor are we trained to deal with crisis-level situations. We're just kind peers willing to listen and talk, but if you need urgent help or find yourself in a crisis, please call 911, or text "HOME" to the National Crisis Textline at 741-741.
  • How can I provide feedback?
    Feedback is always welcome! If you have a suggestion, please drop us a line at team@lean0n.me! We are constantly thinking about how to improve the Lean On Me network and technology, so we would love to hear from you.
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