October 9th, 2020
October 10 marks World Mental Health Day, a day begun by the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) to raise awareness in the global community about the importance of supporting mental health, to take action and create lasting change.
“It is nearly 30 years since the first World Mental Health Day was launched by the World Federation for Mental Health,” said Dr. Ingrid Daniels, President of WFMH. This year’s World Mental Health Day comes at a time when our daily lives have changed considerably as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Each of us has felt an impact on our mental health as a result.
Prioritizing Mental Health in the WRDSB
As we continue our learning, both in-person and at a distance, it’s important that we remain focused on supporting our health and well-being and for us all to take time for self-care, and supporting our physical and mental health.
We recognize that these are stressful times for our students and their families. We recently shared a post highlighting a selection of resources available for students and families in our community and we’d invite you to revisit these resources.
Jack.org is a newly created national youth website for young Canadians addressing the impact of COVID-19. The site brings together resources and self-help information through an innovative partnership between jack.org, SMH-ON and the Kids Help-Phone.
Don’t miss our Caregivers’ Guides To Accessing Support For Students With Anxiety, available in both an elementary and secondary version.
Find a full selection of resources available to support student mental health on our website.
The Big Event for Mental Health
On World Mental Health Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) will, for the first time ever, host a global online advocacy event on mental health. At this event, world leaders, mental health experts and celebrity guests will join WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, to tell the world what we can all do to improve our mental health and how we can help make sure that quality mental health care is available to everyone who needs it.
How to watch
Tune in from one of WHO’s social media channels – the event starts at 10:00 AM EST on Saturday, October 10.
Learn more about the Big Event for Mental Health.