Beginning next week, Jasper鈥檚 community helpers will be talking about the elephant in the room as they kick off Mental Health Awareness Week at the Jasper Junior/Senior High School.
The youth-led mental health awareness campaign identifies people in the school and the community as 鈥渟afe鈥� to talk to about mental health. Those people are selected by youth through a nomination process and the ones selected are presented with blue elephants to display in their offices or classrooms.
By displaying their elephants, those teachers and community members identify themselves as caring about the wellbeing of others.
The campaign is being organized by Community Outreach Services鈥� Youth Community Helpers group.
On April 18, the group brainstormed more than 25 names of people, ranging from healthcare providers to RCMP officers, coaches, outreach workers and teachers, who they believe should have an elephant.
This is the second year the group has participated in the national anti-stigma campaign, aptly titled 鈥淭he Elephant in the Room.鈥�
To help with the cost of the elephants, last week the Sparkle Foundation donated $500 to put toward the campaign. The recently formed foundation is an offshoot of the J9 Sparkle Run for mental health awareness. This year the run will be taking place April 30 and all of the funds will be donated to local organizations.
As well as handing out elephants and opening up a discussion about mental health, the Youth Community Helpers, with the help of Teen Outreach Worker Anna DeClercq, are also offering five stress-buster lunch sessions next week, beginning with a Colour for Stress workshop on Monday and wrapping up with hula hooping on Friday.
On Thursday, April 28, they will also be hosting a wellness fair in the foyer of the Jasper Junior/Senior High School from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m.
Nicole Veerman
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