- $2.5 million in initial grants
for post-secondary institutions to implement the National Standard
of Canada for Mental Health and Well-Being for Post-Secondary
Students
- Additional funding for new student mental health programs to
launch this spring
- Bell Let's Talk Campus Campaign virtual events at more than 200
Canadian colleges and universities leading up to Bell Let's Talk
Day on January 28
MONTRÉAL, Jan. 13, 2021 /CNW
Telbec/ - Bell today announced the launch of the Bell Let's
Talk Post-Secondary Fund to support Canadian colleges and
universities in implementing the National Standard of Canada for
Mental Health and Well-Being for Post-Secondary Students.
Post-secondary institutions can now apply for a kickoff grant to
cover start-up costs associated with implementing the Standard,
followed by the opportunity to seek funding for specific student
mental health initiatives this spring.
"Bell is building on our long-standing commitment to student
mental health with the launch of the Bell Let's Talk Post-Secondary
Fund," said Mary Deacon, Chair of
Bell Let's Talk. "Supporting post-secondary institutions seeking to
implement the Standard and create new action programs, the fund is
focused on accelerating the progress these schools have made in
enabling the mental health of students throughout Canada."
Bell Let's Talk funding helped enable the creation of the
Standard, led by the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) in
partnership with the Canadian Standards Association (CSA). The
Standard provides a set of guidelines for post-secondary student
mental health that helps increase awareness, reduce stigma, improve
life and resiliency skills, and create a healthier and safer
educational environment overall.
Most students enrolled in Canadian post-secondary institutions
are age 24 or under, the demographic most susceptible to developing
mental health issues: 75% of people with a mental illness were
first diagnosed by the age of 24.
"The Post-Secondary Fund means Canadian colleges and
universities can immediately start the process of implementing the
important mental health recommendations outlined in the Standard,"
said Jennifer Hamilton, Executive
Director of the Canadian Association of College and University
Student Services (CACUSS). "Bell's leadership in advancing student
mental health has had a powerful effect on campuses across the
country. Students year over year are more aware, educated and
inclined to ask for help."
"The mental health and well-being of our student population is a
top priority and we are very enthusiastic to work towards the
implementation of the new Standard which is aligned with the
College's actions in terms of health, wellness and success," said
Guy Dumais, Executive Director at
Montréal's Collège Bois-de-Boulogne. "We were very pleased to learn
of this new funding for post-secondary institutions and plan to
immediately apply for a grant to enhance and accelerate our
deployment plans."
The Post-Secondary Fund will help universities and colleges
build on their existing efforts to support student mental health by
implementing the Standard's framework. Covering initial costs
associated with adopting the Standard, the kickoff grants are
intended to encourage as many institutions as possible to be early
adopters. The application period closes February 26.
This spring, Bell Let's Talk will launch a second phase of the
Post-Secondary Fund for institutions that have used the Standard to
identify specific gaps or needs in their mental health support
services and built new initiatives to address them.
"Universities and colleges will use this funding to accelerate
the start of the implementation of the new National Standard on our
campuses," said Queen's University Provost Mark Green. "We are
grateful for the continued support of the Bell Let's Talk campaign
as part of our ongoing efforts to increase mental health awareness
and reduce stigma, especially as the impact of the pandemic
continues to be felt by students across the country."
Bell Let's Talk 2021 Campus Campaign
Now reaching
students at more than 200 universities and colleges in every
province and territory, this year's Bell Let's Talk Campus Campaign
has been enhanced with a digital toolkit to ensure post-secondary
institutions can safely engage students across the country.
The toolkit is designed to keep the student mental health
conversation going during the challenges of COVID-19 and contains
resources like a virtual photo booth for students, faculty and
staff to post selfies and share personalized mental health
messages; wellness activities that encourage awareness and
self-care; a digital Bell Let's Talk flag to be shared on social
media channels and websites; and short films about mental illness,
hope and recovery.
Bell Let's Talk has also partnered with Kids Help Phone for an
Instagram Live event on January 19,
focused on issues affecting post-secondary students and offering
advice for young people coping with impacts of COVID-19. Jack.org
will also be hosting a virtual Jack
Talk on January 26, where
youth speakers will share personal stories to help peers recognize
signs of struggle and learn how to support others. To register for
the Jack.org event, please click here.
"This has been a year like no other, and this is especially true
for students across the country," said Fred
Meier, President and CEO, Red River
College. "As we continue to navigate these challenging
times, it's imperative that students continue to stay connected and
check-in with their mental health regularly. Red River College is proud to utilize the Bell
Let's Talk digital toolkit as another important resource that
supports healthy minds on- and off-campus, and we look forward to
hosting our own webinar to help students form healthy sleeping
habits to reduce stress and anxiety – topics our students have
identified and asked for more resources and support around."
"Bell Let's Talk Day is an important reminder to check in on the
people you care about and take the time to listen – it really makes
such a difference," said Meaghen
Kimmitt, Yukon University,
Student Engagement Team Leader. "To highlight mental health and
wellness for our students, faculty and staff, YukonU is hosting a
mix of online and physically distanced in-person events throughout
the entire week of January 25.
Activities include hosting virtual sessions on mindfulness,
light exercise and music, plus a Bell Let's Talk flag raising so we
can connect and share ways to practice self-care."
"Even when students have access to valuable mental health
supports like we do at NSCC, it is not always easy to feel
comfortable in seeking this help," said Daniel Abbott, Business Administration student
and President of the Student Association at the Kingstec Campus of
Nova Scotia Community College. "As
a student who has struggled with mental illness, I know how hard it
can be to talk about mental health issues and address them by
taking advantage of the mental health supports and services that
are available. The Bell Let's Talk Day initiative helps reduce the
stigma surrounding mental illness and encourages students like
myself to access mental health supports and services when
needed."
"Trent University believes that
mental health support is an essential element of our mission.
Through counselling, mental health supports and prevention
programming that aims to build resilience, we try to support
students seeking help and guidance," said Dr. Leo Groarke, President and Vice-chancellor of
Trent. "One of our aims is a supportive
campus environment for all students. Campaigns like Bell Let's Talk
are important catalysts for ongoing conversations around mental
health. Trent is proud to partner on
this nationwide initiative to help better support our community and
continue to invest in student support."
To see a complete list of participating universities and
colleges, please click here.
Bell Let's Talk Day is January
28
On Bell Let's Talk Day January 28, Canadians everywhere will join in the
global mental health conversation. You can use a wide range of
communications platforms to join in – and directly drive Bell's
donations to Canadian mental health programs simply by
participating.
On Bell Let's Talk Day, Bell donates 5
cents to Canadian mental health programs for every
applicable text, local or long distance call, tweet or TikTok video
using #BellLetsTalk, every Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest,
Snapchat, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube view of the Bell
Let's Talk Day video, and every use of the Bell Let's Talk Facebook
frame or Snapchat filter. All at no cost to participants beyond
what they would normally pay their service provider for online or
phone access.
About Bell Let's Talk
The largest-ever corporate
commitment to mental health in Canada, Bell Let's Talk is focused on 4 key
action pillars: Anti-stigma, Care and Access, Research and
Workplace Leadership. Since its launch in September 2010, Bell Let's Talk has partnered
with more than 1,100 organizations providing mental health supports
and services throughout Canada, including hospitals, universities,
local community service providers and other care and research
organizations. To learn more, please visit Bell.ca/LetsTalk.
Media inquiries:
Katie Hatfield,
902-487-6198
katie.hatfield@bellaliant.ca
@Bell_LetsTalk
@Bell_News
SOURCE Bell Canada