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What sparked your interest in working with the U of A’s Mental Health and Wellness National Standard Working Group?
Gurleen: Mental health is a part of everyone’s life, but I come from a place where mental health resources were not as accessible. This led me to partake in initiatives such as the National Standard Working Group to help bridge gaps and provide emphasis on mental health. I practice mindfulness every day, and it has become a natural part of my life. I hope to bring people together in their unique journeys to find what brings value to their mental health.
Jordan: Mental health and wellness is a topic I have been passionate about since I started participating in grief counselling in high school. Not only was accessing timely support helpful for my mental health, but I became aware of the range of supports, resources, and strategies that are available to promote and maintain positive mental health. My passion to reduce stigma surrounding mental health and make it more common place to discuss mental health led me to join a mental health club at the University of Calgary during my undergraduate degree and become a champion for the Centre for Suicide Prevention’s Buddy Up campaign. When I heard about the National Standard Internship, I knew I wanted to work alongside the U of A’s Mental Health and Wellness National Standard Working Group to determine U of A’s priorities for improving student mental health.
The National Standard is “the first of its kind in the world.” What is different about it, and why do you think this is important?
Gurleen: The National Standard is a nationwide initiative, and it aims to promote mental health and well-being for the whole campus community. It is a unique initiative because it is being led by a multidisciplinary team of people who are committed to providing a sustainable, respectful, culturally-sensitive and holistic approach to tackling the well-being of students on campus.
Jordan: The National Standard provides a set of flexible, voluntary guidelines to help Canadian post-secondary institutions support the mental health and well-being of their students. The one aspect of this standard that I found particularly significant is how encompassing it is. The National Standard emphasizes a comprehensive approach to support students’ mental health and well-being by considering societal, community and institutional factors that can impact a person’s mental health. This includes ongoing and sustained leadership for student mental health and well-being, allocating appropriate resources to ensure the success of the framework, and the alignment with other institutional frameworks and strategies when implementing the standard.
The second important component of the National Standard is its definition of mental health. The National Standard defines mental health according to a dual continuum which says that mental health and mental illness are separate and distinct concepts. In other words, a person can experience a high level of mental health with the presence of mental illness symptoms; on the other hand, a person with no mental illness symptoms can experience a low level of mental health. I think it is important to highlight that mental health and mental illness can co-exist, and one does not automatically lead to the other.
Why should U of A students care about the National Standard?
Gurleen: Students should care about the National Standard because it’s their chance to voice their concerns about their mental health. It is an opportunity to lend their perspective to improve upon the university’s standards and the wellness of U of A's community as a whole.
Jordan: Students should care about the National Standard engagement process because it is an opportunity for students to provide feedback on their experiences, and they should care about the National Standard itself because it provides recommendations and requirements to help the U of A support the mental health and well-being of their students. As a result, the National Standard will influence a variety of factors at the U of A which will ultimately impact students’ experience at the university.
What do you hope the survey and consultation process will improve for students?
Gurleen: Students will have a safe space to be vocal about their experiences and perspectives on mental health. This will allow us to improve upon the plethora of supports that are already available to students on campus or create new ones. Additionally, we hope that students can feel a sense of community and connect with a campus that truly cares about them, knows that they aren’t alone in their concerns and bring awareness to further support if needed.
Jordan: I hope that the engagement process will provide the opportunity for students to share their experiences with mental health at the U of A. I also hope that the engagement process will allow students to share recommendations for how the university can better support their mental health needs. This can include recommendations at the level of society, community, institution, interpersonal and the level of the individual.
What advice do you have for U of A students who may be struggling with their mental health?
Gurleen:
- Reach out to friends, family or campus supports for help anytime you are struggling. The U of A has many resources for students to find help; students will always be welcomed with non-judgmental and caring staff members.
- We, as students, are all on the same boat, and it can be stressful to manage school with life. Find ways to take care of yourself that works for you - there is no single formula that works for everyone. If you like sports, drawing or reading books then give yourself time to enjoy those activities.
- Try new things and meet new people - learning from other people’s experiences can be extremely valuable and open doors to unique journeys for you.
- Try to be as kind to yourself as you would be to your friends or family; you are doing the best you can.
Jordan: The U of A has various resources and supports to assist students who are experiencing mental health challenges. This includes therapy groups, peer support, Unitea and online education material for different mental health topics that are provided by the Counselling & Clinical Services and other Wellness Supports. The U of A also has resources and supports to assist with other issues that university students may face which can have an impact on mental health, which are provided through the Academic Success Centre, University Health Center, Sexual Assault Centre and Financial Support & Advising, to name a few.
It can also be important to reflect on your mental health and practice self-care to promote and sustain one’s mental health and well-being. Self-care looks different for everybody but can include relaxing, connecting with friends, family, and loved ones, exercising, having a healthy diet, and getting a good night's sleep. The CCS provides a variety of different workshops and resources to learn more about mental health and learn strategies to manage your mental health.
