Next week the largest mental health initiative on campus is happening — 1 in 5 Mental Well-being Awareness Week will be running from Nov. 4 to 10! The name highlights the fact that 1 in 5 Canadians will experience a mental health problem or illness each year, according to Statistics Canada.
The week is organized by the Wellness Education Centre in collaboration with different campus partners. The goal is to reduce stigma around mental health through various events (see page 12 for more). These events aim to promote conversations around mental wellness, such as our “Let’s Talk Mental Health” panel, where staff and students will share their experiences with mental health challenges.
Another goal of this week is to make students aware of all the mental wellness resources available on campus. The UC Courtyard Fair will showcase resources and services offered by different campus groups, including Athletics, the Student Support Network, and Learning Services, through interactive displays.
The week will also be running various workshops that aim to improve and maintain your mental wellness, including workshops on perfectionism and procrastination, fitness, yoga, and meditation. Several events focus on improving mental wellness through different forms of artistic expression, such as workshops on drumming, mindful drawing and expressive writing. Overall, the wide variety of workshops and events aim to include all students with different interests, and to demonstrate the many different aspects of mental wellness.
All of these events are free for staff and students, so we hope to see you at an event during 1 in 5 Mental Well-being Awareness Week!
—Melanie Katz, Peer at Wellness Education Centre