A survey at the Huntingdon Adult Education and Community Centre (HAECC) and the Chateauguay Valley Career Education Centre (CVCEC) revealed that while students felt supported while attending classes at the two centres, they were concerned about moving on from the caring environments fostered at school.
“Students feel cared for and supported while here, but there is a sense of angst and uncertainty once they graduate,” says director Kara Woods, who works at both the Ormstown and Huntingdon centres. Woods says her team decided it was important to help students build support networks both inside and outside school walls.
On January 23, HAECC hosted a “Headspace Hustle” event, which included a vibrant mental health awareness fair designed to provide students with valuable resources, strategies, and connections with at least ten local organizations that address various mental health issues.
Students from HAECC, including those in the landscape and horticulture program, the social integration services program, and the adult general education program, toured the different kiosks during the day, while CVCEC students from the carpentry, nursing, and home care assistance programs were bused from Ormstown so they could also benefit from the event.
“The premise behind this fair was for our students to come out of it with a toolbox of resources, strategies, and tips,” says HAECC assistant director Diana Gervasi, who admits they have noticed an increase in mental health issues amongst the student population.
“One of the things we have come to terms with, is that it is not necessarily their mental health; sometimes it is just asking for help. It’s the most important thing, and the hardest first step for our students,” she explains, while noting how activities like Headspace Hustle go a long way towards removing the stigma around getting help.
The team at HAECC has long been proactive when it comes to initiating mental health programs and activities. Students can benefit from pet therapy sessions as well as the greenhouse café, where they can unwind in the tropical environment of the school’s greenhouses.
During the fair, the staff at HAECC inaugurated a tropical garden and seating area that was recently installed by students in the horticulture program. The space features hanging and potted plants, a calming fountain, and comfortable chairs that were repurposed for the project. Students also created indoor green spaces at CVCEC with the installation of a living wall in the main entrance and hanging tropical plants in the cafeteria. These green spaces can help to reduce stress and anxiety.
Gervasi says their efforts are paying off. “We are seeing the barriers being broken in terms of different programs,” she says, noting the students generally seem to be happier and less socially anxious.
Mental health challenges, she says, are not going away, so it is important that students feel supported and that they learn more about the resources available within the broader community as well.