In honor of Suicide Prevention Month this September, we want to take real steps toward creating real change in the veterinary community. We recently partnered with Not One More Vet, becoming a direct sponsor of their incredible Lifeboat Online Peer Support program. We hope this amazing program will continue to bring real relief to veterinary professionals who need it — and this time, we’re not talking about “relief work.”
Interested in getting involved?
Lifeboat is an anonymous, peer-to-peer chat support program where veterinary professionals can chat with fellow professionals who understand what they’re going through. It’s a safe place for vets, techs, support staff, or students to share their experiences, seek advice, and receive encouragement from trained peers with shared experience.
Lifeboat is NOT a crisis line, though Not One More Vet provides a list of crisis lines if that’s the form of support you’re looking for. This is because Lifeboat is an asynchronous chat support service, and Lifeboat volunteers typically respond within 24 hours — they're not always available for immediate intervention.
This January, NOVM launched their app with Lifeboat chat included, making the service even more convenient and accessible.
App Store Download
Google Play Store Download
Lifeboat pairs each veterinary professional seeking support with a Pod of 3 fellow professionals. This ensures that at least one peer volunteer is available to chat and offers a variety of perspectives and backgrounds. Each Pod is further supported by a Mental Health Consultant who can advise Veterinary Volunteers when their professional expertise is needed.
Users usually receive support from fellow veterinary professionals with a similar role and experience. So for example, companion animal technicians may be paired with a pod of 3 companion animal technicians.
The only requirement to join is you have to be a veterinary professional. Lifeboat offers support to veterinarians, technicians, support staff, and vet students and currently has over 1,000 users — including both professionals seeking support and volunteers.
We asked our friends at NOMV for some Lifeboat success stories we could share with you, and immediately, felt quite silly. Anonymity is very important to the Lifeboat program, so there are no stories to share.
NOMV goes to great lengths to ensure no one knows anyone else’s real name or location, and you’ll never be asked for this information. All chat activity takes place under an assumed name, and emails, phone numbers, and other identifying info are never exchanged. You don’t even need to provide this information to sign up.
Lifeboat Volunteers provide anonymous support, coaching, and resources to fellow veterinary professionals looking for peer support.
To sign up to become a volunteer, click the link below. Let NOMV know you’re interested in volunteering for their Lifeboat program, and after you complete their training course, you’ll be assigned to a pod of fellow volunteers in a similar role.
Volunteers really enjoy their Lifeboat experience as a way of giving back to the veterinary community. In the words of one volunteer, “It’s an easy way to know I’m making a difference.”
The only requirements to become a volunteer is you must be previously or currently employed in veterinary medicine. Lifeboat training consists of an approximately 15 hour course on evidence-based peer training.
As far as time commitment goes, it’s a pretty low-lift way to make a HUGE impact. Volunteers participate in Lifeboat for roughly 1 hour daily and about 1 to 3 hours a week with about 7 hours of weekly support shared across a 3-person pod. All volunteers are supported by Mental Health Consultants at all times so that they’re never in over their heads.
If you’re a relief professional and you’re looking for a great way to give back to the community, Lifeboat is an amazing way to make a difference in the lives of your peers.
Roo was created to improve the lives of veterinary professionals everywhere. Our founders saw a need to change vet med for the better, to provide relief to veterinary professionals in more ways than one. And that’s exactly why we love Lifeboat.
“Our industry is so challenging, the day to day vet med roller coaster ride — zero stars — high adrenaline, fast pace and practically zero chill or recovery. We work so hard to be there for every pet in need, but struggle to notice or admit when we are in need. Then, we start to withdraw and self isolate, not wanting to burden others nearby with ‘negativity.’
I don’t want my team to feel alone. I want them to have a resource that I can trust will provide empathy, support, mentorship, and most importantly community. Lifeboat is accessible, discrete and connects peers during their time of need. No one understands the roller coaster ride more other than the people that stand shoulder to shoulder with you each and every day. There is nothing more powerful than unity and camaraderie.”
— Charlotte Weir, Roo VP of New Markets & Industry Relations
NOMV is one of our favorite organizations in all of vet med because of the real work they’re doing to make a real difference in the lives of veterinary professionals everywhere. We stand together in our mission to improve the wellness of veterinarians, technicians, practice managers, support staff, and students industrywide. Lifeboat is just one of many ways NOMV is making an immediate and ever-present impact.
We are proud to sponsor this amazing program and support their efforts to make veterinary medicine better for everyone in this incredible community. Stay connected, stay supported, and remember – you’re never alone.
