We care about your well-being -- seriously.
Renison is committed to providing a positive, healthy community which is responsive to the needs of students. This page helps to connect you to supports and resources that prioritize your physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing.
Wellbeing Supports at Renison University College
Sign up for a one-on-one meet-up
Our Renison Student Experience & Housing team provide both virtual or in-person one-on-one meet-ups.
We are here to support you help you thrive during your studies and have access to the supports and resources available to ensure your personal, academic, and career success. One of the ways we do this is by offering one-on-one meet-ups with students.
During a one-on-one meet-up, we can chat about anything related to your personal and academic success. These meetings are usually 30 minutes in length, but can be customized for a shorter or longer time if needed.
You can choose to meet with:
- Residence Dons
- Student Experience Peer Leaders
- International Programs Peer Leaders
- Learning Skills Peer Leaders
- Student Experience and Housing full-time staff
- and more!
Connect with Renison's Chaplain
The Renison Chaplain is an Anglican priest who is responsible for the spiritual and pastoral care for the college, as well as the wider university.
Scott McLeod
scott.mcleod@uwaterloo.ca
519-884-4404 Ext. 28705
Room: REN 1108B
Scott is a friendly face and a safe space to talk about anything and everything. Scott enjoys talking about spiritual questions, but you don't have to talk about religion unless you want to.
Some of the most popular things Scott likes to help with include:
- Mental health wellness and strategies to improve your well-being as a university student, including managing stress.
- Guidance to student services at the University of Waterloo as well as referrals to professional medical and health services in the local community.
- Pastoral care, including being a listening ear, safe person to talk to, and supporting people as they live through life's struggles.
- Spiritual care, including acting as a spiritual director, helping students with faith questions, and valuing our spiritual lives.
Some Fun Facts about Scott
Education: Bachelor of Music in Performance (Jazz), Master of Divinity
Interests: Music, Justice, Hiking/Camping, Community, Coffee, Motorcycles, Spirituality, Martial Arts, Conversation, Family
Quote to live by:
Breathe; go gently. You are loved, you are a beloved child of God, you are a beautiful human person.
Student Wellness and Advocacy Committee
The Student Wellness and Advocacy Committee is an opportunity for student members to share input about student wellness needs, as well as advocacy needs and issues based on student perspective from personal experience and/or peers’ experiences at Renison.
What does the Student Wellness and Advocacy Committee do?
Reporting to Renison's Student Affairs Advisory Committee, the Student Wellness and Advocacy Committee supports with:
Advocacy and Advisory work
- Making recommendations to relevant leadership at Renison for how to best serve student life and wellness. The committee also serves as an advisory to Renison’s Managers and Directors Group (MDG) on issues facing and related to students; in this way, the committee serves to promote the collective voice of students on issues that our senior leadership/administration may advocate for with internal or external stakeholders.
- Advising and supporting all Renison students, outside of their courses and when other resources have been spent, are unavailable, or unknown, with issues such as:
- student conduct appeals (student life and residence),
- sexual violence response,
- issues of harassment,
- physical safety/accident/slip and fall response,
- physical accessibility concerns (coordinating with Renison’s Accessibility Committee),
- and other issues, such as invisible barriers, as they emerge.
Event planning
- Plans and executes at least two wellness listening sessions per year to gather input and feedback from students around wellness and issues they may be facing or dealing with.
Food Security
- Supports the Community Fridge and Community Cupboard at Renison in promoting food security for students.
- Seeks to improve awareness and access to Food Security resources on and off campus by providing relevant information through flyers and online information about Renison, UWaterloo and community resources.
Improving awareness and access to resources
- Works with relevant Renison areas to improve the availability of flyers and online information about wellness resources at Renison and UWaterloo so that students know what to access.
The committee hosts two 1.5-hour meetings per term and additional 2 hours per month is spent on the implementation of advocacy and wellness initiatives outside the meeting times.
Questions?
Connect with Renison's Chaplain Scott or email the Student Wellness and Advocacy Committee at ren-swac@uwaterloo.ca
Professional Counselling Supports at the University of Waterloo
Counselling Services
Campus Wellness at the University of Waterloo offers counselling support. If you feel overwhelmed or anxious and need to talk to somebody, explore the range of counselling options available to help you live a healthy and balanced life. Connect with a counsellor to determine the most effective approach based on your needs.
- Brief counselling
- Single session counselling
- Crisis appointments
If you have specific needs, or would like to request a counsellor with lived experience or identity, specialized counsellors are available for those that identify as Black and 2SLGBTQIA+.
After Hours Support
If you need help after hours or immediate or urgent support, check out all after-hours mental health support resources available to you.
A note about Counselling Services...
Please note that Counselling Services is only available to University of Waterloo undergraduate and graduate students currently registered in their programs. Renison International Programs students who are not registered in a full-time degree program at the University of Waterloo are unfortunately not eligible for Counselling Services at Waterloo. Please review the Counselling Supports in the Community section below for available resources.
Peer Support on campus
Mates
WUSA Mates is a service focused on supporting student well-being. Their service offers one-on-one peer support appointments for students looking to talk to someone in a confidential space. Their in-person office also has a wellness lounge, where students can drop-by and participate in wellness activities.
Mates has a team of upper-year students available to meet with you and support you through whatever you may be going through! In an appointment, their volunteers will listen and offer resources and coping strategies to help you come to a solution that works for you.
RAISE
WUSA RAISE (Racial Advocacy for Inclusion, Solidarity, and Equity) works to partner with the University of Waterloo to acknowledge and address the impacts of racism and xenophobia, using anti-oppression approach to dismantle systemic barriers that limit the success and affect the experiences of students of campus.
RAISE provides confidential peer support for the racialized undergraduate student community. Peer support is provided by trained RAISE volunteers, executives, and coordinators. Their peer support is student-centered and affirms the lived experiences of racialized students through an intersectional and anti-oppressive lens.
Off-campus Counselling Supports in Waterloo Region
Camino Counselling
Visit Camino Counselling's website
Phone: +1 (519) 743-6333
Learn more about their location and hours online
Closest location open to the public is about 35-minute bus ride from Renison
The Delton Glebe Counselling Centre
Visit The Delton Glebe Counselling Centre website
Location: 177 Albert Street, Waterloo (Near Wilfrid Laurier University)
Phone: +1 (519) 884-3305
Offers a sliding scale to pay per student
glebecentre@wlu.ca
Closest location open to the public is about 20-minute bus ride from Renison
Qualia Counselling
Visit Qualia Counselling's website
Location: Medical Centre 2, 435 The Boardwalk, Suite 406, Waterloo
Closest location open to the public is about 35-minute bus ride from Renison
Trillium Counselling
Visit Trillium Counselling's website
Location: 55 Erb Street East (Suite 303), Waterloo
Phone: +1 (226) 752-8857
office@trilliumcounselling.ca
Closest location open to the public is about 27-minute bus ride from Renison
Upstream Counselling
Visit Upstream Counselling's website
Location: 420 Weber Street North, Unit G, Waterloo
Phone: +1 (226) 535-5200
Closest location open to the public is about 21-minute bus ride from Renison
Shalom Counselling
Visit Shalom Counselling's website
Location: 9 Avondale Avenue South, Waterloo
Phone: +1 (519) 886-9690
Closest location open to the public is about 23-minute bus ride from Renison
Cardinal Counselling
Visit Cardinal Counselling's website
Location: 420 Weber Street N, Suite 203, Waterloo
Phone: +1 (519) 746-9062
Closest location open to the public is about 22-minute bus ride from Renison
Monarch Counselling
Visit Monarch Counselling's website
Location: 67 Bridgeport Road E, Waterloo
Phone: +1 (226) 646-0266
Closest location open to the public is about 31-minute bus ride from Renison
A note about off-campus counselling supports...
This list provided is not exhaustive and serves as a starting point for further exploration. Renison University College is not affiliated with any of these organizations and we cannot attest to the quality of services provided. Please also note that these services will involve a cost to access services. We recommend when you conduct research that you ask the service provider if a sliding cost scale for services is provided to students.
If you require assistance with navigating any of these services, we invite you to connect with our Renison Chaplain, Scott McLeod.
Professional Health Support at the University of Waterloo
Health Services
The University of Waterloo offers a Student Medical Clinic and a Family Health Clinic.
The Student Medical Clinic offers primary care visits with male and female physicians and nurse practitioners to current undergraduate and graduate students to support your physical and mental well-being.
Their offices are located near Renison at the Health Services building across from the Student Life Centre (SLC). It is a short two-minute walk away from Renison University College.
Walk-in medical appointments are available on a limited basis each day.
To otherwise book an appointment in advance, call directly at 519-888-4096.
Professional Health Support in Waterloo Region
For information about health care options in the local community, please visit the Health Care Options webpage.
Medical Clinics
You may be required to pay “up front” at these medical clinics, and apply for a partial reimbursement from your OHIP/UHIP/insurance company later.
Waterloo Walk-in Clinic (University Shops Plaza)
Phone: +1 (519) 725-1514
Location: 13-170 University Avenue West, Waterloo
13-minute walk from Renison
Westmount Place Plaza Clinic
Phone: +1 (519) 954-0111
Location: 50 Westmount Road North, Waterloo
19-minute walk from Renison
KW Urgent Care Clinic
(only facility with X-ray, lab facilities and pharmacy on site)
Phone: +1 (519) 745-2273
Location: 751 Victoria Street South, Kitchener
25-minute bus ride from Renison
Please contact the clinic before your visit to find out their current rates for medical services.
Hospitals
The Kitchener-Waterloo area has two major hospitals: Grand River Hospital (the closest hospital to the UWaterloo campus), and St. Mary's Hospital.
Both hospitals have an Emergency Room where you can receive treatment for urgent medical conditions 24 hours per day, 7 days a week. They also offer specialized medical services, such as diagnostic testing and surgeries.
Grand River Hospital
835 King Street West, Kitchener
Emergency Room Tel: 519-749-4242
Main Tel: 519-742-3611
St. Mary's Hospital
911 Queen's Boulevard, Kitchener
Emergency Room Tel: 519-749-6410
Main Tel: 519-744-3311
Food Support Programs at Renison
Community Fridge & Community Cupboard
Addressing food insecurity, the Community Fridge at Renison is a joint project between Renison University College and WUSA Food Support Service.
This new initiative at Renison is open anytime during the hours when the Renison building is open, providing fresh fruits and vegetables, pre-made food such as soups, and other important fresh food staples. The Community Fridge is accompanied by the Community Cupboard which has dry goods – non-perishable food items, toiletries, and dish and laundry soaps and other items as donated, including some pet food.
This resource is available for anyone who is experiencing food insecurity. If you have any questions, comments, suggestions or concerns, you can email Renison.foodsecurity@uwaterloo.ca .
On-campus Food Supports
WUSA Food Support Service
WUSA Food Support Service provides food hampers to all students, staff, and faculty who have a WatCard. Students are invited to request a hamper through their website and by visiting the Turnkey Desk in the Student Life Centre (SLC).
Food supports in Waterloo Region
In addition, there are many emergency food programs in Waterloo Region available. Helpful apps to access include Too Good to Go and Flashfood.
Renison is investigating more ways in which we can support students with food security. If you have any ideas or wish to collaborate on this initiative, please contact Scott McLeod, Renison Chaplain by email or in his office in Room 1108 (Renison).
Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Supports
Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office
The Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office (SVPRO) at the University of Waterloo supports all members of the Waterloo campus community who have experienced, or been impacted, by sexual violence. This includes all students, staff, faculty and visitors at Renison.
The Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office (SVPRO) is not a crisis service.
If you are in crisis, please access the Crisis Support Services webpage.
Off-campus Supports
Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region (SASC)
SASC offers individual counselling, groups and workshops, family court support, and a 24-hours emergency support line for sexual violence survivors.
24-Hour Support Line for Sexual Violence Survivors - 519-741-8633
Waterloo Region Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Treatment Centre
SADVTC are a team of forensic nurses and social workers who are on-call 24/7, for those who have experienced sexual assault, domestic violence and human trafficking. They operate through the Emergency Departments of the local hospitals in Waterloo Region. Care options such as forensic evidence collection, medical treatment, safety planning and counselling are provided.
If you've experience Intimate Partner Violence, Sexual Assault or Human Trafficking, in the last 30 days, please go to the Emergency Dept. of WRHN Queen's Blvd or Cambridge Hospital, or call +1 (519) 749-6994.
Victim Services of Waterloo Region (VSWR)
VSWR provides immediate crisis intervention, emotional support and referrals to individuals affected by crime and tragic circumstances.
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Anti-racism, and Accessibility Supports at Waterloo
Office of EDI-R
The Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Anti-racism is here for students. The office especially supports students who have experienced or witnessed identity-based harm, including, but not limited to ableism, antisemitism, homophobia, Islamophobia, misogynism, racism, sexism, and transphobia. If you have experienced or witnessed any kind of harm, their intake form is an especially valuable tool to utilize.
AccessAbility Services
Whether you have a known or unknown disability/condition/illness, or if you're experiencing impacts from trauma, AccessAbility Services can help you develop your individualized academic accommodation plan for all components of your academic career.
If you feel you could benefit from accommodation supports, complete AccessAbility Services' online application to begin the registration process. This will take approximately 5-10 minutes to complete.It's okay if you don’t have documentation to support your request. Apply if you believe you need accommodations – their office can help you with the rest!
Spaces for Well-being at Renison
Multi-faith Prayer Space
In partnership with the Muslim Student Association and Renison Academic Student Committee, your Student Experience and Housing team has developed a new multi-faith prayer space at Renison.
This space, located in Room 0103 in the basement level (below the Renison Ministry Centre & Lusi Wong Library), is in the previously-known Study Cave room area.
Visit the University of Waterloo's Multi-faith and Spirituality Resource Team's webpage for information about places of worship in Waterloo region.
Questions?
Scott McLeod, Chaplain
scott.mcleod@uwaterloo.ca
Office: Room 1108 (Renison Ministry Centre)
Ministry Centre
The Luscott Ministry Centre is located in Room 1108 at Renison, across the hallway from the Lusi Wong Library. Also known as the "Living Room" for Renison, it is a space inclusive of all students. Outside of the Ministry Centre, students can find a puzzle they can work on when they require quiet contemplation. Within the doors of the centre, students can find a kitchen space where students are invited to make their own cup of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. Mugs and supplies are available in the cupboards and are open to all students to access anytime. Another popular feature of the Ministry Centre is our filtered hot water tap that is perfect for drinking! Many international students lovingly call this space "the cookie room" thanks to the ample supply of cookies served during the day.
Within the Ministry Centre, students can access board games, playing cards, sports supplies, and a place to just relax on our couches. We also have a therapy lamp available for students who could benefit from Vitamin D on a cold winter day!
At the back of the Ministry Centre are the offices for Scott McLeod, Renison's Chaplain, and Ryan Connell, the Assistant Director of Student Experience & Housing. Students are welcome to connect with either Scott or Ryan anytime they have a question or just need to chat.
St. Bede's Chapel
The Chapel is open 24 hours a day (for Renison residents) and may be used as a quiet place for prayer or meditation. It is accessible for anyone living elsewhere whenever the college is open. In addition to this, by booking with the Chaplain, it is available to musicians or musical groups as practice space, or by other groups for any purpose consistent with its basic nature as a place of worship and prayer.
St. Bede's Chapel is located on the second floor of the Luxton Building at the west end of the Great Hall. You can also enter directly from the upper parking lot.
Link Inclusion Lounge
Renison's Link Inclusion Lounge is a space dedicated to promoting wellness, belonging, and inclusion. Many popular wellness events take place in this space, including Wellness Wednesdays.
Visit the Link Inclusion Lounge webpage to see a detailed list of events, including events for students from equity-deserving communities.
Renison and University of Waterloo Resources Poster
For convenient access across Renison, a listing of many Renison University College and University of Waterloo services have been consolidated into a useful resource poster that is available throughout the college. Download the PDF version of this double-sided poster.
Events and online resources at Renison
Wellness events and workshops
Check out the many student events and workshops provided through our Renison Student Experience and Housing team. The Renison student events calendar will include many wellness events and workshops each month to support students.
Some of the most popular wellness events include:
- Therapy Dogs
- Craft Nights (for de-stressing)
- Wellness Wednesdays
- Let's Play Basketball / Dodgeball / Volleyball, etc.
- Thrive Day events
- Renison Intramurals sports
Web resources
Our Student Experience & Housing team also provide many virtual workshop recordings to health and wellness events that you can watch in your free time.
Provide your input!
Is there more that Renison can do to support your mental health and wellness? Share your feedback in our web form below. Your input helps us to learn what is important to our student community.
Your feedback will be provided to our Student Experience and Housing team at Renison so we may be able to support and advocate for you!
We invite you to also reach out to any member of our Renison Student Experience and Housing team if you wish to connect in person or email.