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Bell Let's Talk Day 2021

By Kyra Borsoi
The importance of mental health in today’s society continues to grow. When looking at mental health through the eyes of an educational institution, it has become a top priority. This is something that is even more prominent when the institution has students who reside on campus, such as Stanstead College.
 

Moving away from the comfort of home is never an easy transition. Annually, over 10,000 students in Canada attend boarding school and have to learn how to live away from their families. With approximately 240 students, Stanstead College has many students who are facing this for the first time.

Boarding schools are often described as a community; a home away from home. Although I did not attend Stanstead College, I graduated from a boarding school in northern New Hampshire. While it was a struggle moving away, the family atmosphere that a boarding school offers helped me feel welcomed. It has never been easy to explain what it was like to live at a boarding school, but I can assure you it was a time in my life I will never forget. That experience has now brought me to working here at Stanstead.

Although my boarding experience and that of most Stanstead students was positive, these can be tough years for many teenagers. Mental health issues can include depression, anxiety, loneliness and more. 

According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, roughly 10-20% of Canadian youth are affected by a mental illness or disorder. 

This year, Stanstead College has decided to do its part to spread awareness about mental health by participating in Bell Let’s Talk Day. This annual initiative allows people to get the conversation started on mental health. The challenge is to continue the talk once the day is over. 

Bell Let’s Talk Day falls on Thursday, January 28, 2021. During the day, we will be sharing stories from students and faculty through photos and videos on our Instagram, Facebook and Twitter feeds. 

 If you would like to join and help spread awareness, follow this link to find out more.

Here are helpful resources for Stanstead students: 

Health Centre Contacts

Holly Moore - School Counselor
819-876-7891 ext 299

Marie-Soleil Larouche-Roberge - Nurse
819-876-7891 ext. 264

Sonia Perron - Nurse
819-876-7891 ext. 264

Canadian Help Hotlines

Kids Help Phone
Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868.
Available 24 hours a day to Canadians aged 5 to 29 who want confidential and anonymous care from professional counsellors.

Crisis Service Canada
Available to all Canadians seeking support. Visit Crisis Services Canada for the distress centres and crisis organizations nearest you.
If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, call the Canada Suicide Prevention Service at 1-833-456-4566 (24/7) or text 45645 (4 pm to 12 am ET).

Hope for Wellness Help Line
Call 1-855-242-3310 (toll-free) or connect to the online Hope for Wellness chat.
Available to all Indigenous peoples across Canada who need immediate crisis intervention. Experienced and culturally sensitive helpline counsellors can help if you want to talk or are distressed.
Telephone and online counselling are available in English and French. On request, telephone counselling is also available in Cree, Ojibway and Inuktitut.

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