November 2, 2012
Story by Christi Retson-Spalding
EDMONTON - Junior high is a time of discovery but it’s certainly not easy. With the pressures of growing up, students face new stress and worries about themselves and others.
“Junior high students are facing more stress and anxiety than ever before and we know these teen years are very important in terms of mental health,” says Mark Snaterse, Executive Director of Addiction and Mental Health for Alberta Health Services (AHS).
This month, junior high school students and their teachers in Edmonton and surrounding communities are getting a new resource to promote mental wellness and tolerance among youth.
The Junior High Mental Health kit, subtitled Be Kind to Yourself and Others, is a CD that contains printable information, lesson plans and student activities. Kits will be distributed to about 530 junior high schools throughout the Edmonton Zone and used in health and life skills class curriculum throughout the school year, reaching about 200,000 students between the ages of 12 and 15.
The kits contain information and activities that address a variety of topics, including substance abuse, body image, cyber-bullying and suicide, as well as a list of mental health resources in the community. The materials also promote physical health and academic achievement.
“It’s vital for young people to have access to accurate information and an opportunity to learn effective coping mechanisms,” says Snarterse. “If they are having issues, they need to know there’s help available.”
The kit was developed by the Addiction and Mental Health and Public Health departments of Alberta Health Services, in partnership with the Edmonton Public School Board and Edmonton Catholic School District.
Joan Carr, superintendent for Edmonton Catholic Schools, believes the kit will be an important resource for all junior high school classrooms.
“In junior high, social acceptance is absolutely critical to a student’s well-being,” Carr explains. “This mental wellness kit for the classroom will have students engaged in activities that promote tolerance and understanding, and that will make a difference—not just in the hallways but in the community at large.”
Carr’s public school counterpart concurs.
“The District is proud to be part of an initiative that will help our students strengthen their own mental well-being, self-esteem and resilience,” says Edgar Schmidt, Superintendent of Edmonton Public Schools. “For us, it’s about identifying mental health issues early, reducing stigma and encouraging treatment —all of these elements are captured in this kit, and I know it’ll be a very valuable resource for our teachers in the years to come.”
Including mental wellness in the junior high curriculum is part of AHS’ comprehensive approach to youth mental wellness that involves students, teachers, health-care professionals, school councils, parents, local businesses and community agencies.
