This year, Canadian universities and colleges are leading the conversation around mental health fort the annual Bell Let’s Talk Day.
According to a media release by Bell Canada, events at more than 200 Canadian post-secondary schools are taking place to promote mental health.
Nationally recognized, on Jan. 30 of every year, Bell Canada will donate towards Canadian mental health initiatives by contributing five cents for every applicable text, call, tweet, social media video view and use of their Facebook frame or Snapchat filter, as stated on their website.
Mary Deacon, chair of Bell Let’s Talk, said in the release that these student-led initiatives “are growing awareness of both the impact of mental illness and the resources students can turn to for support, helping to ensure a psychologically healthy and safe environment on campus.”
Dawn Boylan, the Bell Aliant Senior Community Investment Manager said 210 Canadian universities and colleges are registered for the Bell Let’s Talk campaign this year, with a large growth in the number of colleges from previous years.
Each registered school is provided with a campus toolkit, said Boylan, which includes resources for teachers and students to help them join the conversation around mental health and take part in the campaign.
Greg Aulenback, Carleton University’s strategic initiatives manager, said in an email that the school is committing to ensuring mental health and wellbeing is a priority at Carleton year round. However, since Bell Let’s Talk is a nationally recognized event, Carleton aims to support the initiative.
Aulenback said during the week leading up to Bell Let’s Talk Day mental health and well-being events are hosted across campus, including the second annual Bell Let’s Talk Mental Wellness Fair, which will take place on Jan. 30 at the University Centre.
He said the fair will include resources, therapy dogs, massages, a plant workshop, a community colouring mural, and more.
Aside from this, Recreation and Athletics will host basketball and hockey games in support of the initiative, and encourage fans to share their coping skills for positive mental health on speech bubbles that will be posted on boards, Aulenback told the Charlatan.
Aulenback said Carleton’s initiatives extend beyond Bell Let’s Talk Day to end the stigma surrounding mental health.“Whether you are a student, faculty member, or staff member, we are all affected by mental health and as a community, we are here to support each other,” he said.
Photo by Lauren Hicks
