Communications is the cornerstone of how the 30-member team engages with fellow students. Interventions aim to build rapport and to provide peer-to-peer support through dialogue. The Residence Safety Team are not security guards: their work complements the existing services offered by Protection Services, Residence Life and Client Services.
Whether diffusing conflicts, guiding students safely after hours, or providing aid during mental health struggles, the team, together with Protection Services, is a vital link in a chain that ensures the safety of students in living residence. An important aspect of the job is simply guiding and directing students to the right resources for help, as is the case of homelessness, a challenge that occasionally occurs in student residences.
The Residence Safety Team has already demonstrated its value. For example, during the last Panda game, the team played a key role by overseeing the comings and goings of residence students and their guests, ensuring that guests had ID bracelets. When needed, they helped students return to their rooms safely.