At SelfDesign, we take the mental health and wellbeing of our learners, families, educators and other contractors seriously.
“We know that collaborating with our community to support its overall wellbeing helps us all deliver the excellent educational opportunities SelfDesign Learning Community is known for,” says SelfDesign Vice-Principal Clarissa Tufts. “Our goal is to provide a broad ecosystem of information and support around mental health throughout our work and our programming.”
For Mental Health Week, we’ve pulled together this summary of some of the ways in which we do that.
Learner offerings
Some of the offerings we provide learners directly address issues related to this important topic. For example, our Grade 8–9 Circle offered last fall focused on the theme “Getting Grounded” and was followed up this past winter with “Getting Healthy.”
Themes and courses for our learners in grades 10 to 12 – Physical and Health Education in grade 10, and the MySelf Theme are examples – also include elements, challenges and suggested resources that help learners explore mental wellness.
Virtual Brochure Rack
We provide helpful resources for learners, families, educators and other contracts in our Virtual Brochure Rack. Brochure Rack resources are supported by the SelfDesign Learning Experiences Library, where many of the resources can also be found, and were created by the Family Services team and the Library Manager Marianne Butler.
Learn more about Family Services
Read more about the Learning Experiences Library
Counselling support
Within our Family Services team, our registered clinical counsellor, Franya Jedwab, provides an additional layer of support. Franya has over 14 years of experience in counselling. She consults with families and learners for 1–4 sessions to assess next steps, makes referrals for additional supports within the family’s local community, and follows up when appropriate. She also consults with educators and support providers when a team approach is appropriate for helping learners and their families.
“I often am asked to provide support with parenting support and strategies, life skills and time management, self-esteem support, and child and teen mental health challenges,” Franya says.
Learners and families can access counselling services through their learning consultants.
Learner-focused resources
Our learners in grades 10 to 12 have access to STRIVE. STRIVE stands for “self-advocate, technology-able, resilient, independent, visionary, and equipped.” This collection of resources is designed to encourage learners to see the potential in themselves and to embody the essence of self-advocacy and self-sufficiency. STRIVE contains a host of helpful and inspirational resources organized around the themes of body, heart, mind and spirit.
Our Family Services team has also featured Foundry BC, a B.C.-wide initiative that offers integrated in-person and virtual support services for youth aged 12–24 who are experiencing mental health challenges and need access to care, youth and family peer supports, and other related services. Foundry is supported by the Government of B.C. and the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research, as well as by health agencies such as Providence Health Care, B.C. Children’s Hospital and the St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation.
Wellness messages and reminders to the community
Every year, Family Services shares wellness messages on a variety of topics in its communications with families and contractors to help promote wellbeing among our families, educators and Operations contractors, says team lead Todd Butler.
“These include highlights from Family Services team members about their own personal wellness practices and activities for self care to model that for the community,” he says.
For example, one team member says she consciously makes a choice to leave space in her schedule for spontaneity and rest, including spending one morning each weekend at home with no plans, agenda or screens. Another team member says she supports her own wellbeing by incorporating periods of stillness and quiet into each day.
Learn more about Family Services
Contractor-focused supports
To support our contractors in their work, our Health, Safety & Wellness Hub provides more resources. This online space provides easy, one-stop access to resources such as SelfDesign’s Occupational Health and Safety policies. It also includes safety tips for working at home and in the community, mental health and self-care supports that contractors can access within SelfDesign and elsewhere in B.C., and other helpful health and wellness materials.
Read more about our Health, Safety & Wellness Hub
Educator supports
Our Education Services team provides further support to our educators on a case-by-case basis. For example, if an educator is ill or needs to take time off to care for a family member, the team will work with each individual educator to meet their needs.
“As educators working as contractors, we don’t get leaves of absence, sick time or sick pay,” says SelfDesign Learning Community Principal Catherine Dinim. “But SelfDesign has ways to structure how our educators work so people can get the support they need when they need it.”
SelfDesign weaves mental health supports throughout its organization and approach. The initiatives, offerings and activities described here are just a few of the ways we work to support mental health within and throughout our community.
