The challenge for schools is to become a chief safe space for students to talk about mental health, said members of Agenda Gap, a youth policy advocacy program developed by Wellstream: The Canadian Centre for Innovation in Child and Youth Mental Health and Substance Use housed at the University of British Columbia.
Nine young people spoke about their ideas via a webinar hosted by Erin Mills Connects (EMC) in early July. The discussion was moderated by long-time university administrator Lorretta Neebar, a member of EMC’s Steering Committee.
One student, Ananyaa, who recently finished grade 11 in west Mississauga, said that the adults in her life ensure their workplaces are safe, and that’s what students want too.
“School is a very big thing because it’s almost like our occupation,” Ananyaa said. “Students devote a lot of our time [to] school. And we want to make sure that it’s the best environment for us.”
For related research about youth mental health in Peel, read:
bmjopen.bmj.com/content/bmjopen/7/11/e018265.full.pdf
One key initiative these youth are calling for is to destigmatize discussions about mental health, said new high school grad Adithya. When he arrived in Canada three years ago, he found it difficult to speak to his guidance counsellor about anything other than academics. He said he is grateful that his guidance counsellor encouraged him to open up about well-being.
“I think students have a barrier that they set themselves to not talk to their teachers or their guidance counsellors about their mental health,” said Adithya.
Other resources are also available, he adds, but some students aren’t aware. More attention to school programs to raise awareness about mental health would help to normalize discussions of well-being, while also directing youth to others who can help discuss mental health challenges.
Another possibility for enhancing awareness is to give educators the tools to make mental health part of discussions across the school curriculum. School Mental Health Ontario lists close to 60 high school courses in both English and French (Ministry of Education) where curriculum connections to mental health literacy are encouraged.
“One thing that was really impactful for me, especially coming to this country during peak COVID,” added Ananyaa, “was I had an open discussion with my English teacher in class. She was like, ‘Guys, it’s okay, we can take a break from the curriculum and really talk about mental health and understanding that it’s okay not to be okay and it’s okay to feel a little stressed.’”
Mental Health, Protective Factors, and Policy Activities improved across the board: See final report here: https://onpathway.me/AG23report
Another part of the problem rests in the myths surrounding mental health, said Agenda Gap member Odelia, who is entering Grade 11. Some misconceptions include that, “Mental health [struggles are] being used as an excuse by this generation, or challenges with mental health are a choice,” she said. Amrithaa, starting Grade 12, said she thinks that attitudes towards students are outdated, and more attention is needed to look at the whole person.
Youth agreed they want to see greater mental health literacy among the adults in their lives with a focus on positive mental health as a resource for life. They suggested developing comprehensive mental health promotion programs for community leaders and educators to “improve their understanding of mental health issues,” noted Adithya.
Amrithaa added that the most important change they are asking for is space at school to support relationships: “Creating a space open for conversation on mental health between generations to help remove barriers around them.”
Ananyaa noted that schools are ideally positioned in a community and, “one thing that’s really in common with all of our youth. We are all very unique people. We all have different backgrounds and ethnicities. But one thing that’s in common is our school and where we meet. And I think that’s [obvious]; it’s a place we go every day. So, I think that being where [students] want to see change is a common ground for everyone.”
Youth Have Mental Health Too!
Podcast is 51 minutes and abbreviated. Find the transcription of the podcast here.
What is Agenda Gap?
Discussions to start an Agenda Gap group working with EMC began in 2022, and in the fall, many youth applicants, most from west Mississauga, were interviewed to become the first Ontario cohort. Agenda Gap is a research-driven program that helps youth understand how policies impact mental health and equips them to contribute to policy change. Completing more than 20 weeks of workshops and discussions with Agenda Gap facilitators Tyesa and Joan from the Agenda Gap team and local facilitators Brianna and Jinnelle, the 11 Agenda Gap youth invited the community to participate in a webinar to learn about and discuss youth mental health on July 4. Congratulations to Ontario’s first Agenda Gap youth cohort: Adithya, Amrithaa, Ananyaa, Areesha, Hridayesh, Kadar, Mohammad, Odelia, Raunak, Rezan and Zain.
We Asked Youth: What does Agenda Gap mean to you?
What Agenda Gap gave me was clarity
Hridayesh
I’ve gained a bunch of cool new friends through Agenda Gap. And I think throughout our sessions and really going over that and coming over all the way to the end with our recall, our Big Win, which is this panel… shows that we’ve all grown throughout this process…we want to make sure what we want to say is heard.
Ananyaa
Agenda Gap is my community and are like family. I’m so proud of Agenda Gap.
Kadar
I’m really happy that they all gave us the opportunity to just kind of talk about mental health and just be passionate about future change and stuff like that because it is important. That’s what I believe in.
Amrithaa
I think it helped me just understand more about, okay, this is who I am and this is how I fit into this community. And I think it has been awesome to be able to come weekly and just meet all these people and have that consistency where I’m like, okay, Tuesdays I know I get to meet with these people… in a way that’s very fun and casual.
Odelia
I feel like I gained a lot of insight on mental health. I, myself, wasn’t as supportive. But after joining Agenda Gap, my outlook has completely changed.
Mohammad
I literally loved Agenda Gap so much.
Raunak
I really enjoyed the process from the start to the end, and I don’t think this is the end. I think this is the new beginning. And as a youth, I learned a lot [about] what I can do, what we can do, what everyone can do.
Adithya
KIDS' WELLNESS 
[…] their Calls to Action. A podcast produced from this event, alongside the infographic produced are available publicly on the Erin Mills Connects […]
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