1. The peer programme is an initiative that allows a peer consultant to connect with a peer recipient. This connection is a voluntary sharing of study experiences, listening, motivational conversations, and emotional support. The goal of the peer programme is to assist university students who have psychological difficulties and who want the support of a peer student in managing their studies at the university, as well as to strengthen collegiality among university students.

2. A peer consultant is a university student who is familiar with the study environment of the university and is ready to offer their experience and empathy to peer recipients.

3. A university student becomes a peer consultant when they register with the guarantor of the peer programme, complete an introductory questionnaire, undergo an initial interview, and then sign an agreement on the provision of peer consultant services at CU.

4. The guarantor of the programme is entitled to reject those interested in becoming a peer consultant or peer recipient based on a professional assessment of the suitability of the student’s inclusion in the programme.

5. Peer consultants are not experts in the fields of psychology, psychotherapy, or any other related fields. Hence, the conversations they have with peer recipients are not psychotherapeutic in nature, nor are they considered professional counselling services.

6. If a peer consultant discovers that the peer recipient needs a service that exceeds their competence and training, they must inform the guarantor of the programme and may refer the peer recipient to other services.

7. Peer consultants are required to participate in initial training by the peer programme guarantor and to participate in regular intervision and supervision sessions according to the instructions of the peer programme guarantor. Peer consultants are also aware of their personal knowledge, competencies, and limits. If they encounter a situation that they do not know how to handle, they must contact the peer programme guarantor with a request for consultation. In their peer meetings, peer consultants do not in principle evaluate or judge peer recipients or impose their solutions on peer recipients.

8. Peer consultants must uphold confidentiality with respect to all facts that they learn about peer recipients during their participation in the peer programme, even after participation in the peer programme has ended. This does not affect their obligation to immediately inform the peer programme guarantor, as well as any unit of the integrated rescue system of the Czech Republic, if there is suspicion that their peer recipient is in serious danger. Peer consultants may anonymously share information in joint intervision and supervision meetings and consult with the programme manager in a non-anonymous fashion.

9. Upon consent of the peer recipient, the peer consultant is informed about facts regarding the state of health of the peer recipient that could have an impact on the joint consultation sessions.

10. Each month, the peer consultant completes a work report showing how many hours he/she spent with the peer recipient and a general description of the topics or activities. During the intervision or consultation sessions with the programme guarantor, the activities and progress are discussed.

11. A peer consultant may also have more than one peer recipient, if he/she fulfils all of the obligations set out in the programme rules and it does not interfere with their study obligations, and he/she express interest.

12. A peer recipient is a university student with psychological difficulties who needs assistance with the study environment of the university or is looking for motivation and support in coping with their university studies.

13. A university student becomes a peer recipient when they register with the peer programme guarantor, undergo an initial interview where the guarantor or the guarantor’s assistant considers the suitability of the student’s inclusion in the programme, and then sign an acknowledgment statement for the programme rules.

14. The pairing up of a peer consultant with a peer recipient is carried out by the peer programme guarantor on the basis of a professional assessment.

15. Peer meetings of the peer consultant and the peer recipient take place regularly, based on agreement between both parties and the peer programme guarantor on the premises of the university or in an agreed remote manner, preferably for one hour per week.

16. Upon agreement between the peer consultant and the peer recipient and after the approval of the programme guarantor, the peer consultant and the peer recipient may also participate in a prearranged activity (e.g. sports, educational event, cultural event, etc.).

17. Peer consultants and peer recipients must abide by the rules of decency when interacting with each other and respect the opinions and decisions of their peer counterpart. Peer consultants may not use the contacts and information obtained in the peer programme for their private use or any other purpose.

18. Peer consultants specify with their peer recipients the topics they will cover and the personal rules they will follow during their peer meetings.

19. Peer consultants and peer recipients jointly determine how they will communicate with each other (e-mail, telephone, text messages). Both parties undertake to use these forms of communication and to contact each other outside the joint meetings only if it is absolutely necessary (changing the dates of meetings, arranging dates, apologizing for absences).

20. Neither the peer consultant nor the peer recipient should use social media for communication. They are also required to respect the boundaries of the other person regarding the intensity of contact. The peer consultant and recipient are entitled to inform the programme guarantor about disrespecting the boundaries regarding the intensity of contact. If this is not remedied even after a warning from the manager, cooperation with the peer consultant or peer recipient may be terminated.

21. Peer consultants and peer recipients are entitled at any time to either completely terminate participation in the peer programme or to request the assignment of another peer counterpart.

22. Peer consultants are required to abide by these rules and follow other guidelines of the peer programme guarantor. If the peer consultant repeatedly fails to fulfil the obligations set out in these rules or to follow the instructions of the guarantor, the guarantor is entitled to exclude the consultant from the peer programme. The guarantor is also entitled to exclude the peer consultant from the programme if a complaint is lodged against their consulting activity by the peer recipient and the peer consultant is unable to provide a satisfactory explanation for the matter in question.

23. The peer programme guarantor is entitled to exclude a peer recipient who does not respect the rules of the peer programme.