Wellness Coaching student Stela Jing knew she wanted to participate in the Centre for Innovation in Health and Wellness' (CIHW) annual Health Innovation Challenge when she learned that this year's theme centred on mental health challenges faced by immigrants and newcomers. As an immigrant herself, she knows all too well the daily difficulties these communities encounter.
"I came to Canada when I was 11 and grew up in a neighbourhood with many other Chinese immigrants," said Jing. She expressed that this experience helped her gain a broader understanding of the challenges faced by immigrant communities, including the resources or lack thereof available to them. "It was very enlightening," she said.
This year marked the third annual Health Innovation Challenge. Held on March 18 in the Barrett Centre for Technology Innovation, the event was the culmination of weeks of research and preparation by a diverse group of students from various programs. Throughout the day, students presented their innovative projects to a panel of industry professionals, receiving valuable feedback on their work.
Vanita Varma, director of the CIHW, was present at the event to support the students. She emphasized that interdisciplinary and cross-faculty collaboration is at the core of the CIHW's mission. According to Varma, events like the Health Innovation Challenge stand out because they bring together students from multiple programs to work together towards new and innovative ideas.
"We need a diversity of thinking and doing," said Varma, noting that the CIHW intentionally places students in teams where they are all from different programs. She emphasized that this structure reflects real-world scenarios where different skills and backgrounds are necessary to solve the world's most complex challenges. "No one person has answers to the world's complex problems, and it's through collaboration and exchange of diverse ideas and perspectives that we are able to find innovative solutions," she said.
The CIHW is one of Humber Polytechnic's five Centres of Innovation (COIs), all of which bring together students, faculty, and industry partners to collaborate on innovative solutions to today's pressing issues.
Aamna Ashraf, senior manager of the Office of Health Equity at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), was among the event's partners and delivered the keynote speech. Her presentation focused on what is needed to build capacity of service providers in supporting the mental health of immigrants and refugees. Ashraf, who is also the lead for the Immigrant and Refugee Mental Health Project at CAMH, found the students' presentations inspiring and mirrored current research and innovations she sees in the field. "(Humber students) really are the next generation of leadership," she said.
Like Jing, University of Guelph-Humber student Sypress Allen appreciated the chance to collaborate with students outside her Digital Marketing and Social Media program, "I joined (the challenge) because I wanted to broaden my portfolio," said Allen.
Having limited experience in the health care sector, Allen credits the challenge with expanding her professional network and helping her build meaningful connections. "My LinkedIn's looking way more entertaining now," she said.
The Health Innovation Challenge has become one of the CIHW's largest and most anticipated events, continuing to grow year after year. Varma added that the CIHW remains committed to forging new partnerships with industry leaders and engaging with Humber student community members to advance their goal of a healthier future for all.
For more information and to connect with the CIHW, visit their website.
