By Laura Lennie, News Staff
Cardinal Newman Catholic Secondary School’s peer mentors group is being honoured for bringing mental health and illness education to the forefront.
The group has earned the Stoney Creek Chamber of Commerce’s 2012 Community Recognition Award for its student-led, teacher-facilitated iMATTER: Taking Care of Teen Mental Health initiative.
“The Stoney Creek Chamber of Commerce is so well respected in our community for its commitment to improving the city’s business profile that its recognition of the CN Peer Mentors means so much to our Cardinal Newman family,” group teacher advisor Marisa Mariella said. “In particular, this prestigious award for iMATTER: Taking Care of Teen Mental Health helps bring awareness to an important topic that has been considered taboo for too long.”
The CN Peer Mentors group consists of more than 60 students from grades nine to 12 and up. Students in grades 10 and up are involved in the delivery of the iMATTER: Taking Care of Teen Mental Health initiative.
The initiative involves over 60 trained peer mentors delivering a series of three lessons on mental health and illness to all Grade 9 religion classes. Created in the spring of 2009, the interactive program includes knowledge-based information, direct contact with individuals who have been treated for a mental illness and generic empathy-building strategies.
The entire CN Peer Mentors group also runs a mental health awareness campaign every May, as part of the iMATTER: Taking Care of Teen Mental Health initiative. The campaign includes student-created infomercials, classroom activities and contests, TAMI (Talking About Mental Illness) speakers, a youth summit, mental health market place and assemblies meant to engage both students and staff.
“Some of the goals of the initiative are to increase awareness of mental health problems and illness, dispel myths and break stereotypes, create empathy and support,” said Mariella, adding each phase of the program has been developed in consultation with experts in the area of mental health. “They also include making students more aware of resources, increasing emotional literacy, building resiliency and hope and identifying healthy ways of dealing with negative emotions.”
The iMATTER: Taking Care of Teen Mental Health initiative has garnered national, provincial and local recognition, having earned the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health’s Champions of Mental Health Award in the community organization category last year, Ontario School Counsellors’ Association’s Daryl L. Cook Peer Helping Award in 2011 and YMCA Peace Medal Award in 2011 – to name a few.
The program’s success is further demonstrated by the way it has captured students’ attention.
“We administer pre and post tests to all the Grade 9s to evaluate the increase in knowledge on information regarding mental health problems and illness,” Mariella said. “Our results show an increase from 59 per cent correct answers to 89 per cent correct answers. Over 94 per cent of the students recommend that this topic be covered in school.”
Mariella said staff members also have seen an increase in the number of self-referrals and students coming to share their concerns about their friends.
“Our school is really no different than any other cross-section of students. It’s not like we have more students who are suffering from a mental illness, but what we are finding is that students are feeling safe to disclose information to the mentors and staff,” she said. “Even how the teachers are supporting students who are struggling with these health concerns is another way of measuring success. Teachers work collaboratively with the student, family and school support staff to help that student feel connected and hopeful.”
Mariella said according to Statistics Canada, teenagers and young adults aged 15 to 24 have the highest incidence of mental disorders of any age group.
“The first symptoms of severe, chronic forms of mental illness, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression and anxiety disorders, generally appear between the ages of 15 and 24. Early detection and treatment of mental illness can greatly improve the chances that someone can recover and return to a full and active life,” she said. “Unfortunately, it is estimated that two thirds of people with mental health problems do not seek treatment. For some, the illness itself may make it difficult for the person to recognize the need to seek help but for most teens, they are just too ashamed to seek help due to stigma.”
Mariella said the time to increase awareness of mental health problems and illness and decrease stigma associated with it is now.
“There are so many caring adults and students at every school, just waiting to take on this wonderfully gratifying leadership role in tackling teen mental health. I would encourage every high school to begin its own journey of bringing awareness, breaking stigma and providing support and resources,” she said. “We have been honoured to present and train many students and teachers within and outside our board. We have presented at local, provincial and national conferences to, hopefully, empower others to create a culture shift in their own schools.”
By Laura Lennie, News Staff
Cardinal Newman Catholic Secondary School’s peer mentors group is being honoured for bringing mental health and illness education to the forefront.
The group has earned the Stoney Creek Chamber of Commerce’s 2012 Community Recognition Award for its student-led, teacher-facilitated iMATTER: Taking Care of Teen Mental Health initiative.
“The Stoney Creek Chamber of Commerce is so well respected in our community for its commitment to improving the city’s business profile that its recognition of the CN Peer Mentors means so much to our Cardinal Newman family,” group teacher advisor Marisa Mariella said. “In particular, this prestigious award for iMATTER: Taking Care of Teen Mental Health helps bring awareness to an important topic that has been considered taboo for too long.”
The CN Peer Mentors group consists of more than 60 students from grades nine to 12 and up. Students in grades 10 and up are involved in the delivery of the iMATTER: Taking Care of Teen Mental Health initiative.
The initiative involves over 60 trained peer mentors delivering a series of three lessons on mental health and illness to all Grade 9 religion classes. Created in the spring of 2009, the interactive program includes knowledge-based information, direct contact with individuals who have been treated for a mental illness and generic empathy-building strategies.
The entire CN Peer Mentors group also runs a mental health awareness campaign every May, as part of the iMATTER: Taking Care of Teen Mental Health initiative. The campaign includes student-created infomercials, classroom activities and contests, TAMI (Talking About Mental Illness) speakers, a youth summit, mental health market place and assemblies meant to engage both students and staff.
“Some of the goals of the initiative are to increase awareness of mental health problems and illness, dispel myths and break stereotypes, create empathy and support,” said Mariella, adding each phase of the program has been developed in consultation with experts in the area of mental health. “They also include making students more aware of resources, increasing emotional literacy, building resiliency and hope and identifying healthy ways of dealing with negative emotions.”
The iMATTER: Taking Care of Teen Mental Health initiative has garnered national, provincial and local recognition, having earned the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health’s Champions of Mental Health Award in the community organization category last year, Ontario School Counsellors’ Association’s Daryl L. Cook Peer Helping Award in 2011 and YMCA Peace Medal Award in 2011 – to name a few.
The program’s success is further demonstrated by the way it has captured students’ attention.
“We administer pre and post tests to all the Grade 9s to evaluate the increase in knowledge on information regarding mental health problems and illness,” Mariella said. “Our results show an increase from 59 per cent correct answers to 89 per cent correct answers. Over 94 per cent of the students recommend that this topic be covered in school.”
Mariella said staff members also have seen an increase in the number of self-referrals and students coming to share their concerns about their friends.
“Our school is really no different than any other cross-section of students. It’s not like we have more students who are suffering from a mental illness, but what we are finding is that students are feeling safe to disclose information to the mentors and staff,” she said. “Even how the teachers are supporting students who are struggling with these health concerns is another way of measuring success. Teachers work collaboratively with the student, family and school support staff to help that student feel connected and hopeful.”
Mariella said according to Statistics Canada, teenagers and young adults aged 15 to 24 have the highest incidence of mental disorders of any age group.
“The first symptoms of severe, chronic forms of mental illness, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression and anxiety disorders, generally appear between the ages of 15 and 24. Early detection and treatment of mental illness can greatly improve the chances that someone can recover and return to a full and active life,” she said. “Unfortunately, it is estimated that two thirds of people with mental health problems do not seek treatment. For some, the illness itself may make it difficult for the person to recognize the need to seek help but for most teens, they are just too ashamed to seek help due to stigma.”
Mariella said the time to increase awareness of mental health problems and illness and decrease stigma associated with it is now.
“There are so many caring adults and students at every school, just waiting to take on this wonderfully gratifying leadership role in tackling teen mental health. I would encourage every high school to begin its own journey of bringing awareness, breaking stigma and providing support and resources,” she said. “We have been honoured to present and train many students and teachers within and outside our board. We have presented at local, provincial and national conferences to, hopefully, empower others to create a culture shift in their own schools.”
By Laura Lennie, News Staff
Cardinal Newman Catholic Secondary School’s peer mentors group is being honoured for bringing mental health and illness education to the forefront.
The group has earned the Stoney Creek Chamber of Commerce’s 2012 Community Recognition Award for its student-led, teacher-facilitated iMATTER: Taking Care of Teen Mental Health initiative.
“The Stoney Creek Chamber of Commerce is so well respected in our community for its commitment to improving the city’s business profile that its recognition of the CN Peer Mentors means so much to our Cardinal Newman family,” group teacher advisor Marisa Mariella said. “In particular, this prestigious award for iMATTER: Taking Care of Teen Mental Health helps bring awareness to an important topic that has been considered taboo for too long.”
The CN Peer Mentors group consists of more than 60 students from grades nine to 12 and up. Students in grades 10 and up are involved in the delivery of the iMATTER: Taking Care of Teen Mental Health initiative.
The initiative involves over 60 trained peer mentors delivering a series of three lessons on mental health and illness to all Grade 9 religion classes. Created in the spring of 2009, the interactive program includes knowledge-based information, direct contact with individuals who have been treated for a mental illness and generic empathy-building strategies.
The entire CN Peer Mentors group also runs a mental health awareness campaign every May, as part of the iMATTER: Taking Care of Teen Mental Health initiative. The campaign includes student-created infomercials, classroom activities and contests, TAMI (Talking About Mental Illness) speakers, a youth summit, mental health market place and assemblies meant to engage both students and staff.
“Some of the goals of the initiative are to increase awareness of mental health problems and illness, dispel myths and break stereotypes, create empathy and support,” said Mariella, adding each phase of the program has been developed in consultation with experts in the area of mental health. “They also include making students more aware of resources, increasing emotional literacy, building resiliency and hope and identifying healthy ways of dealing with negative emotions.”
The iMATTER: Taking Care of Teen Mental Health initiative has garnered national, provincial and local recognition, having earned the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health’s Champions of Mental Health Award in the community organization category last year, Ontario School Counsellors’ Association’s Daryl L. Cook Peer Helping Award in 2011 and YMCA Peace Medal Award in 2011 – to name a few.
The program’s success is further demonstrated by the way it has captured students’ attention.
“We administer pre and post tests to all the Grade 9s to evaluate the increase in knowledge on information regarding mental health problems and illness,” Mariella said. “Our results show an increase from 59 per cent correct answers to 89 per cent correct answers. Over 94 per cent of the students recommend that this topic be covered in school.”
Mariella said staff members also have seen an increase in the number of self-referrals and students coming to share their concerns about their friends.
“Our school is really no different than any other cross-section of students. It’s not like we have more students who are suffering from a mental illness, but what we are finding is that students are feeling safe to disclose information to the mentors and staff,” she said. “Even how the teachers are supporting students who are struggling with these health concerns is another way of measuring success. Teachers work collaboratively with the student, family and school support staff to help that student feel connected and hopeful.”
Mariella said according to Statistics Canada, teenagers and young adults aged 15 to 24 have the highest incidence of mental disorders of any age group.
“The first symptoms of severe, chronic forms of mental illness, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression and anxiety disorders, generally appear between the ages of 15 and 24. Early detection and treatment of mental illness can greatly improve the chances that someone can recover and return to a full and active life,” she said. “Unfortunately, it is estimated that two thirds of people with mental health problems do not seek treatment. For some, the illness itself may make it difficult for the person to recognize the need to seek help but for most teens, they are just too ashamed to seek help due to stigma.”
Mariella said the time to increase awareness of mental health problems and illness and decrease stigma associated with it is now.
“There are so many caring adults and students at every school, just waiting to take on this wonderfully gratifying leadership role in tackling teen mental health. I would encourage every high school to begin its own journey of bringing awareness, breaking stigma and providing support and resources,” she said. “We have been honoured to present and train many students and teachers within and outside our board. We have presented at local, provincial and national conferences to, hopefully, empower others to create a culture shift in their own schools.”