At CapU, we want to see you thrive. We also understand students may have experiences at university that test their mental health, well-being, and academic success.
We are here to support you
YES (Your Early Support) is a CapU program that provides students with an opportunity to receive support for academic and personal challenges early on – or at any other stage – in their academic journey.
A referral to the YES program connects you to trained student support advisors at the Office of Student Affairs who can meet with you to discuss your identified needs and connect you to a variety of supportive resources both on and off campus.
Common reasons to connect with the YES Program include:
- Academic and learning challenges in a course or program
- Well-being and mental health concerns
- Other life challenges impacting student success such as food, housing or financial insecurity, legal issues, social isolation, crisis situations and more.
Our Student Support Advisors work alongside students to understand their current challenges, explore options and support with referrals and access to on-campus and community-based services and resources.
We can meet with you virtually, in-person or over the phone during regular office hours (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.). Appointments outside of office hours may be available based on staff capacity.
If you would like to learn more about YES or would like to be connected to an advisor for support, you can email earlysupport@capilanou.ca.
Faculty and staff members at CapU may also connect you to the YES program by completing an online referral. Once you have been referred, an advisor from Student Affairs will contact you to explore what supports you may be interested in to best help you.
There are so many CapU services in place to help you succeed. Via the YES Program, our student support advisors meet confidentially with you 1:1 at any stage in your university journey. They can connect you to supportive resources and services on campus or in the community.
Many of these services are free or low-cost. We can help you navigate and get linked to on-campus or community-based services. We work together with you to figure out which service(s) and options will be best depending on your goals.
Types of student challenges that may benefit from YES Program support and early intervention include:
- Academic: decreased course attendance or missed assignments; grade, GPA or academic standing concerns
- Mental Health/Well-Being: feeling overwhelmed, stressed, low mood or thoughts of suicide or self-harm; and
- Other: financial, housing or food insecurity, family or interpersonal concerns etc.
This program is in place to support your mental health, well-being and academic success, not to get you in trouble.
A referral to the YES program connects students with student support advisors at the Office of Student Affairs who can meet with you confidentially to discuss supports you would like to be connected to on or off campus.
No. The goal of the YES program is to support students' mental health, well-being and academic success. Therefore, there will be no connection or impact between receiving services from the YES program and a student's grade, student record or academic standing.
Yes! We welcome self-referrals.
If you are facing a personal or academic challenge and would like to connect with an advisor you can email earlysupport@capilanou.ca.
Faculty and staff may offer to connect you to the YES program or may make a referral into the program if they are concerned about your mental health, well-being and academic success. You can choose to decline either the referral to YES or support if our student support advisors reach out to you.
If you would like to explore a YES referral on your own or would like some more information, faculty and staff can provide you with an information card and you can connect with the YES program when you are ready.
Please note: if you are at risk of self-harm or harm to others, a faculty or staff member may make a referral to YES to seek support to ensure your and others' safety.
Yes. Information associated with a student's YES referral is not accessible by anyone other than three staff members at Student Affairs: the Manager, Student Affairs and two trained student support advisors.
The advisors will ask for your consent prior to sharing any relevant, 'need-to-know' information with other support services that could benefit you.
Please note: If you may be at risk of self-harm or harm to others, an advisor may contact immediate supports without your consent to ensure your and others' safety.
After receiving a YES referral, the Student Affairs advisors will meet with you to discuss the challenges you are facing and to help you prioritize which services may best support you.
These supports could include:
- Academic Advising
- Accessibility Services
- Capilano Students' Union
- Centre for International Experience
- Conflict Resolution Advisor
- Counselling Services
- English Language Support
- Extenuating Circumstance Withdrawal Request
- Financial Aid
- Food Security Program
- Health Services
- Indigenous Education and Affairs
- Language Resource Centre
- Learning Support Specialist
- Library
- Math Learning Centre
- Student Digital Ambassadors
- Writing Centre
- Community-based services and resources such as North Shore Community Resources and Family Services North Vancouver, Quest Food Market free or low-cost community counselling services, and many more.