The district and the Stigma-Free Mental Health Society are partnering again to host three interactive broadcasts for Mental Health Week (May 6-12), helping students find resilience through inspirational storytelling.
Titled Strength in Stories: Overcoming Stigma, Finding Hope, the May 6, 7 and 8 YouTube broadcasts will feature several speakers sharing their personal experiences facing stigma, its effect on mental health and their successes in spite of their struggles. The event aims to foster understanding and encourage support for positive mental health.
"The hope is that using the stories will provide the kids strength and confidence when they hear from someone they can relate to and how they overcame their challenges," said Daniel To, District Principal of Education Services.
Mental Health Week was established in 1951 by the Canadian Mental Health Association, designating the first full week of May as an opportunity to raise awareness for mental health and offer practical solutions to support recovery from mental illness.
The district has had a working relationship with the Stigma-Free Mental Health Society for several years, dating back to the start of the pandemic. The non-profit organization filled a considerable need for virtual mental health resources for students and families as schools pivoted to online models and presentations, including for previous Mental Health Weeks.
"The interactive broadcasts are something we did in 2021 when we couldn't have people in schools," said To. "I looked back at 2021 and saw that it worked well - we had thousands of classrooms log on and students were able to ask questions."
The broadcasts are primarily geared toward Grade 6-10 students but are appropriate for other grades. Each broadcast runs from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. and will be accessible to watch afterwards.
For more information and links to the interactive broadcasts, reach out to Daniel To.
The district's Mental Health & Well-Being Students & Families webpage also has numerous links to resources for mental wellness, including as a series of animated videos for both elementary and secondary levels that address a variety of topics and are available in multiple languages.
