Saskatchewan Polytechnic is encouraging students to have peer-to-peer conversations about mental health in a bid to increase support for students across its campuses and promote wellness.
As a result, a Yellow Friendship Bench has been installed at the Moose Jaw campus on Monday, January 28 to encourage conversations about mental health and help to reduce stigma. The bench is located at the foyer, in front of the school’s cafeteria.
This was made possible through a special gift provided by the Annie's Friends Foundation established by Dr. Anne Neufeld, former provost and vice-president, Academic for Sask. Polytech. Yellow Friendship Benches were also installed at Saskatoon and Prince Albert campuses. Regina campus received a Friendship Bench in 2017.
The Friendship Benches were installed ahead of Bell Let’s Talk Day on January 30 to support and encourage students to engage in conversations about mental health.
Sam Fiorella was inspired to establish The Friendship Bench initiative after the loss of his son, Lucas. At the time, Lucas was a university student and Fiorella and his family were unaware he was suffering with depression. The Friendship Bench was created to help others open-up before it is too late.
The Friendship Bench initiative has set out to install the yellow benches across the country in order to:
- Encourage peer-to-peer conversations about mental health among students in order to drive greater awareness of the disease and greater recognition of the symptoms, knowledge of prevention and support services available.
- Connect students to available on-campus and in-community mental health resources.
- Educate students and parents about the causes and signs of the various forms of mental illness so students may be more aware of their own mental health and that of their friends.
Dr. Larry Rosia, Sask. Polytech president and CEO, says initiatives like these help to reduce the stigmas usually associated with mental health.
“The curtain around the stigma of mental health is now being lifted because of events like this and because of the generosity and courage of people like Dr. Anne Neufeld and Sam Fiorella. At Sask. Polytech, we believe in the importance of health and wellness supports to assist our students and employees in reaching their full potential. Thank you, Dr. Neufeld, for your generous donation and Mr. Fiorella for your tireless advocacy efforts.”
“I’ve always been passionate about health and wellness,” says Dr. Anne Neufeld, founder of Annie's Friends Foundation. “Initiatives such as the Friendship Bench encourage students, faculty and staff to find the support they need to be successful in achieving their educational, career and life goals.”
Annie’s Friends Foundation, founded by Canadian entrepreneur Dr. Anne Neufeld, supports initiatives in health and wellness, education and the arts. Annie’s Friends Foundation is affiliated with the TD Private Giving Foundation. The Friendship Bench hopes to end the stigma about mental health and encourages student-to-student conversations about mental health, facilitates peer-to-peer support networks, and funds on-campus mental health programs with the installation of the yellow Friendship Bench. To learn more about The Friendship Bench, visit www.thefriendshipbench.org.
