The Department of Student Housing and Residence Life participated in Bell Let’s Talk Day, a yearly initiative hosted nationwide to raise money and encourage conversation on the topic of mental health.
Bell Let’s Talk, hosted by Bell Canada, is described as the “largest-ever corporate commitment to mental health in Canada, focusing on fighting stigma”. As part of the campaign, Bell pledged to donate five cents for each tweet using the hashtag #BellLetsTalk on January 27, a commitment that raised $6,295,764.75 this year.
Dana Britton and Catherine Wong, both residence dons, were inspired to host the initiative at UTM to raise awareness of mental health on campus. In an interview with The Medium, Britton said students were very supportive of the event.
“We’ve had a lot of people come by […] and we’re raising lots of money,” said Britton, a fourth-year psychology student.
To support the cause, residence dons hung posters in OPH reporting facts related to mental health. According to the posters, “three million Canadians are suffering from depression” and “only one out of five children who need mental health services receives them” in Canada.
Also part of the initiative was a table where students were able to ask questions regarding mental health and were encouraged to write down their comments on the topic of mental health on a sheet of paper, which was later published on UTM Residence’s Twitter page.
—focusing on fighting stigma
Is but a clever way of lending that prejudice voice and credence. The Women’s Movement did not fight rape/stigma, they told us unequivocally to stop asserting it.
Do the same.