Langara Mental Health Initiatives Lead up to Bell Let’s Talk Day 2019
On January 30, 2019, Langara College will take part in Bell Let’s Talk Day. In a collaboration between Student Engagement, Athletics, People and Culture, and Mental Health Initiatives, the college will run an on-campus event that will include activities, contests, and resources tailored to educating students and employees about mental health.
“We’re very excited to be part of Bell Let’s Talk Day again and hope to make it an annual opportunity to raise awareness about services and resources on campus, reduce the stigma of mental illness and seeking help, and keep the conversation going,” said Tanya Miller, Mental Health Initiatives Consultant.
Mental health has been a priority for Langara since November 2016 when the college hosted its first Mental Health Summit in collaboration with the Canadian Mental Health Association. The summit was the first step towards conversations envisioning what a healthy mind/healthy campus might look like.
These conversations led to the development of Langara’s first mental health framework, a commitment to invest in the mental health and well-being of the Langara community. The three-year framework is designed to promote and protect mental health and well-being from a whole campus approach, through actions and growth that will be implemented and evaluated in close partnership with students, employees, and community partners. Commitments for 2018–19 include increasing opportunities for mental health training, developing mental health literature, and fostering warm, welcoming spaces.
In November 2018, Langara became the first college in British Columbia to sign on to the Okanagan Charter, a commitment to embed mental health and well-being into all aspects of campus culture. Over 18 post-secondary institutions in Canada have adopted the Charter to promote action and collaboration, locally and globally.
Langara joins more than 340 events at 205 schools that will invite students to be part of the world’s biggest mental health conversation while learning more about resources available to them on campus.
“With more than 200 universities and colleges part of the campaign this year, it’s clear that post-secondary students in Canada have taken a real leadership role in the mental health conversation,” said Mary Deacon, Chair of Bell Let’s Talk. “These hundreds of 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.”