Mental Health Stigma - Challenging it together!
Mental Health Stigma - Challenging it together is a discussion booklet for students, by students, which includes a selection of statements, stories and drawings received from Canadian students in grades 5 to 12. The conception, development and production of this booklet represent the collaborative work of the members of the Canadian Teachers’ Federation’s Advisory Committee on Diversity and Human Rights of 2015-2016.
We thank every student and teacher who participated in this important discussion and hope that this booklet will be a valuable resource for teachers in their work. It is a wonderful opportunity for students and teachers to challenge their biases and assumptions about mental health stigma in Canada and to reshape the discourse.
“If only you knew what I have to go through you wouldn't have been so rude. Though I feel shame every single day, there is nothing left for me to do but pray... Our time is short in this world yet there will always be disgrace. For there are tears that run down my face... The humiliation is real but some think it's not a big deal... But to me it means everything... It can affect anyone...” – Secondary school student
Help build a community of empathetic youth by better understanding mental health and addressing stereotypes and stigma. Challenge your students to become the voice of mental health stigma at their school and access a $300 subsidy to offset awareness building project expenses. Teachers must be logged in to Imagineaction to access the resources.
View some sample projects that have taken root in schools:
Mindfulness: Learning to live in the moment
Wellness Day
Girl Power Art Club
Lesson plans have been developed to support the use of this discussion booklet in the classroom. Teachers can access the lesson plans on the CTF Imagineaction program, under the Teacher Resources tab. Teachers must be logged in to Imagineaction to access the resources.
For additional information, communicate with [email protected].
To obtain printed copies at $3.00 each, please visit CTF Publications Catalogue.