Students can register for the Together We Can Certificate Program to grow in their mental health competency and be a mental health advocate at USC. Students that complete this certificate program will receive a certificate and a pin.
Students will need to attend trainings to earn points towards completion of the certificate. To earn the certificate, students must earn 9 total points. Students may count trainings they may have attended since Fall 2019 if they have the date that they attended the training and attendance can be confirmed.
All of the below trainings have offerings in the Spring 2023 semester (see training descriptions below) or are available on request to small groups.
Register for the Together We Can Certificate Program
| Training/Presentation | Point Value |
| MH First Aid Training | 4 |
| Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Training | 2 |
| Mindfulness 101 | 1 |
| Understanding Mental Health | 1 |
| How to Fail Workshop | 1 |
| Kognito Online Training | 1 |
| Safe Zone Ally Training | 2 |
| Trans Advocacy Workshop | 1 |
| Gamecock Recovery Ally Training | 2 |
| Gamecocks Stand Up Bystander Intervention Training | 1 |
Description of Each Training:
Mental Health First Aid Training
Virtual format (6.5 hours)
Mental Health First Aid is an 8 hour course that teaches you how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. The training gives you the skills you need to reach out and provide initial help and support to someone who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem or experiencing a crisis.
Register for the next Mental Health First Aid Training.
Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Training
2-2.5 hours
Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Training will: 1) Teach participants the warning signs of a suicidal person and early signs of depression, 2) Assist participants in gaining confidence in how to respond, and 3) Educate participants about the resources available at the University of South Carolina. Participants are not expected to be a mental health professional. This is the why we use the word “gatekeeper” because they are invaluable to assisting a struggling person in getting the help they need.
Sign-up here for Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Training
Mindfulness 101
50 Minutes
Mindfulness has been shown to have many positive effects on both physical and mental health. This presentation is designed for students, faculty, and staff who would like to learn about the basics of mindfulness and meditation. Participants will learn what mindfulness is, what the difference is between mindfulness and meditation, the attitudes that lay the foundation for mindfulness, and have opportunities to engage in mindfulness activities. Participants will also learn about the mediation space, C.A.L.M. Oasis, located in the Center for Health and Well-Being and the various mindfulness offerings.
Understand Mental Health
30 or 60 minutes
This presentation is designed for students to recognize when a friend may be struggling with their mental health, how to address your concerns and make effective referrals to university resources.
Tip: This presentation is ideal to take prior to Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper training.
How to Fail Workshop
50-65 minutes
Resilience is defined as the ability to recover quickly from difficulties and to persevere in the face of adversity. The "How to Fail: A Building Resilience Workshop" is an interactive presentation that will teach students about building resilience and how resilient behaviors can lead to a successful college experience. This presentation is perfect for students who would like to learn how to set and mange expectations, practice self-compassion, and develop effective tools for stress management.
Kognito Training
20-30 minutes (online self-paced)
You can use the online program Kognito to learn the signs of psychological distress in others and to practice getting someone else the help they need. Use the code "usccolumbia" when you register.
Practice Recognizing the Signs
You can use the online program Kognito to learn the signs of psychological distress in others and to practice getting someone
else the help they need. Use the code "usccolumbia" when you register.
Safe Zone Ally Training
2 hours
The Safe Zone Ally Program is a visible network of allies who are committed to creating a community of respect and dignity for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) individuals. The Safe Zone Ally Program makes it possible to easily identify individuals who are committed to creating an environment in which all people are free to thrive academically, professionally and personally.
Register for the Safe Zone Ally Training
Trans Advocacy Training
1 hour
The Trans Advocacy Workshop is designed to further examine issues of sexual identity and gender expression. This workshop narrowly focuses on transgender identities, issues, and experiences. All interested participants in the Trans Advocacy Workshop are required to complete the LGBT Safe Zone Workshop before registering for the session. Trans Advocacy workshops are open to all students, faculty, and staff.
Register for the Trans Advocacy Training
Gamecock Recovery Ally Training
2 hours
Our Recovery Ally workshop helps faculty, staff, and students learn about substance use disorder, the experiences of students in recovery at UofSC, and identifying and responding to stigmatizing language. If you are interested in helping to create a campus culture that embraces recovery, join us for this interactive training!
Register for the Gamecock Recovery Ally Training.
Gamecocks Stand Up Bystander Intervention Training
50-75 minutes
This training presents participants an array of intervention strategies to use in their everyday lives and engages them in a group discussion about overcoming personal and societal barriers to bystander intervention. Information about on and off-campus resources is provided.
Register for the next Gamecocks Stand Up Bystander Training.