Five things you should know about WE Well-being

The stigma is slowly disappearing, and the public conversation about mental health is gaining traction. Last year, 85 per cent of Canadians in a Global News survey said they consider mental health to be as important as physical health. Half said they are more comfortable talking openly about their own mental well-being than they were two years before.

With raised awareness comes a demand for more resources—tools to help each of us strengthen our own well-being and reach out to loved ones.

That’s where WE Wellbeing comes in. Here are five things you need to know about this new initiative.

IT’S IN HIGH DEMAND.

WE has been approached by countless teachers, parents and young people who’ve asked for help. The overwhelming majority of educators we surveyed—88 per cent—want to learn mental wellness basics, while 80 per cent want more info on self-care. So WE Well-being is now piloting in schools across the country, with a planned national roll-out in 2019.

IT TRANSLATES RESEARCH INTO TANGIBLE ACTION.

WE Well-being offers a toolkit full of evidencebased curriculum resources that cover promotion and prevention, as well as ideas for individuals and groups to take action. These resources and actions teach and enhance self-care, such as: self-awareness, social and environmental awareness, mental health literacy, and digital well-being skills

Leveraging our network of more than four million students, 16,000 schools and tens of thousands of educators, we’ll give young people the foundation to become leaders in this space, promoting their own mental well-being and supporting the wellbeing of their classmates, families and communities.

IT CONNECTS SELFCARE TO CARING FOR THE COMMUNITY.

Taking care of the world includes taking care of one’s self. When we come from a place of positive personal care, we are better able to help others. And studies show that when we help others, we help ourselves— lowering stress levels and increasing our own sense of well-being. It’s all part of WE’s greater mission to help people give back, and to make doing good, doable. A healthy world includes a healthy you.

WHO’S ALREADY INVOLVED?

WE worked alongside top mental health professionals Dr. Kimberly Schonert Reichel and Dr. Mark Sinyor, as well as other valuable contributors such as former Assembly of First Nations Chief Shawn Atleo, award winning television producer Maria Pedrini and Marna MacMillan, Safe Schools Coordinator in Coquitlam B.C.

WE Well-being is made possible through the generous support of backers like the Erika Legacy Foundation and the Elkington Family, Hudson’s Bay Company, Chartwells, Face of Today, WaterStone Foundation and an anonymous donor.

HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED?

You can find resources and actions to implement in your daily life at the Well-being hub, which will be updated regularly with more tools to come: WE.org/wellbeing

We’re inviting you to join us on a path toward a happier, healthier and more caring Canada.