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  • Financial Aid Available for Post-Secondary Students with Disabilities in the Yukon Territory

    Financial Aid Available for Post-Secondary Students with Disabilities in the Yukon Territory

    Each article in this series will put the spotlight on each Canadian province or territory’s financial assistance available for post-secondary students with disabilities. This article will focus on the territory of Yukon.

    Out of the three Canadian territories, Yukon is the only one where students may apply for and access federal student funding. Nunavut and the Northwest Territories are like Quebec in that they all manage and administer their own student financial aid organization. All eligible students in Yukon may access the Canada Student Loan and Grant Program.

    For students with disabilities in Yukon, access to the Canada Student Loan and Grant Program means they can also apply for the following two grants:

    1. Canada Student Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities

    This Grant is available to full-time or part-time students who have been assessed to need at least $1. Documentation of disability must be provided; examples include a medical certificate, a psycho-educational assessment, or documentation of having previously received similar governmental funding. Students may receive up to $2,000 per school year.

    1. Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment for Students with Permanent Disabilities

    This Grant will help students with disabilities cover education-related services and equipment necessary in their pursuit of education and training. Examples include specialized tutors, note takers, Braille products, and voice recognition software. The eligibility criteria here is the same as the Canada Student Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities. This Grant does have one additional criterion: you must provide written documentation of the specific equipment or services required from a person who is qualified to make such a decision as well as the associated costs. Students may receive up to $8,000 per school year. Once you have been approved, make sure you keep all your receipts—you will be required to provide them at the end of the year.

    The Yukon Department of Education is responsible for managing student financial assistance. You may either apply online or via a paper application. This general application must be accompanied by a separate application form specifically applying for the two grants named above. These applications go to the Yukon Department of Education, not the Government of Canada.

    Your next question may be when you need to submit everything. The earlier you submit your application, the better. Processing a grant can take as long as two months, so plan your application timeline accordingly.

    The last thing I want to leave you with is a reminder that the Canada Student Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities and the Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment for Students with Permanent Disabilities are specifically for you, for students with disabilities—but general student financial assistance is also available. This includes the Yukon Grant, designated for full-time students and amounts to almost $5,000 for a standard 8-month school year. Good news is that the general application you submit to the Yukon Department of Education covers this along with the Canada Student Grants.

    References:

    1. http://www.education.gov.yk.ca/student-funding.html
    2. http://www.disabilityawards.ca/gov.php?lang=EN&ID=YK
    3. http://www.education.gov.yk.ca/loans.html
    4. https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/education/grants/disabilities.html
    5. https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/education/grants/disabilities-service-equipment.html
    6. http://www.education.gov.yk.ca/student-funding-application.html
    7. http://www.education.gov.yk.ca/loans-faq.html
    8. http://www.education.gov.yk.ca/loans-faq.html
  • Financial Assistance Available for Post-Secondary Students with Disabilities in Quebec

    Financial Assistance Available for Post-Secondary Students with Disabilities in Quebec

    This is the sixth article in a series examining the financial assistance available to Canadian post-secondary students with disabilities. Due to differences in eligibility criteria, amount available, and the application process, each province and territory is accorded their own piece. In this article, I take a magnifying glass to Quebec.

    The first thing you need to be aware of is that: post-secondary students with disabilities in Quebec are not eligible to receive Canada Student Loans and Grants. This means they cannot apply for either the Canada Student Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities nor the Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment for Students with Permanent Disabilities. In other words, post-secondary students in Quebec do not have access to federal financial aid funding. Unlike the other provinces’ financial aid programs, the one the Quebec government manages is completely separate from the federal government.

    The organization responsible for post-secondary student financial aid is called Aide Financière aux Études (AFE). Their homepage may be found at: http://www.afe.gouv.qc.ca/en/. Note that there is a toggle at the top-right of the page, allowing you to switch between either French or English for the site’s language.

    Within AFE is a specific program called the Loans and Bursaries Program. AFE is the umbrella organization that oversees student financial aid while the Loans and Bursaries Program provides the actual financial aid. Generally, when you apply for financial aid, you are specifically applying to the Loans and Bursaries Program.

    There are no specific grants or bursaries whose eligibility criteria purposely states only students with disabilities may apply. Students with disabilities submit the general Application for Financial Assistance form to the Loans and Bursaries Program like any other student. This form must indicate that you have a major functional disability (for example, severe hearing impairment, severe visual impairment, organic impairment, or motor impairment). A Medical Certificate completed by a health care professional must also accompany your application.

    Students with disabilities may access funding from the Loans and Bursaries Program as well as another program called the Allowance for Special Needs Program. Once you are recognized by the Loans and Bursary Program to have a major functional disability, you may receive funding from this second program for different types of expenses like specialized services, paratransit services, special needs housing, and material resources. Note that which types of expenses are covered depends on the specific program (college or university; private or public; in or outside Quebec) you are enrolled in.

    Now you may be wondering why I have not mentioned amounts at all in this article. The Loans and Bursaries Program expects each applicant to pay what they can for their own educational expenses, so the amount of assistance you receive will be unique, calculated to your own personal circumstances. This is why I cannot cite any numbers to you in this article. However, the good news is that students with recognized disabilities may receive the full amount as a bursary, not a loan.

    The main element I want you remember from this article is that Quebec does things differently. You will not know how much you receive until after your application is processed. The key is to make sure your application is as detailed as possible and submitted as soon as possible.

    References:

    1. https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/education/province-territory-student-financial-assistance.html
    2. http://www.afe.gouv.qc.ca/en/
    3. http://www.afe.gouv.qc.ca/fileadmin/AFE/documents/Publications/AFE/PUBL_Aide_votre_portee_2018_2019_A.pdf
    4. http://www.afe.gouv.qc.ca/en/allowance-for-specialneeds-adults/allowance-for-special-needs-program-adults/
  • What are my rights to post-secondary education as a person with a disability?

    What are my rights to post-secondary education as a person with a disability?

    All educational institutions have a legal obligation to provide reasonable accommodation, up to the point of ‘undue hardship,’ in order to ensure equity for students with disabilities. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the various provincial charters prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability, and post-secondary institutions have been mindful of the obligation to create an accessible environment dictated by these charters. Canadian colleges and universities are now beginning to articulate the rights of disabled students as they develop educational equity policy statements. It is recommended that disabled students contact their disability services office for more information: http://www.neads.ca/en/norc/edlink/

    Other organizations that can help clarify the legal aspects of disability accommodations include: ARCH Disability Law Centre, Council of Canadians With Disabilities and Reach Canada. ARCH is “a non-profit community legal clinic which defends and promotes the equality rights of people with disabilities through litigation, law and policy reform, and legal education.” You can contact ARCH at its Toronto office:

    Advocacy Resource Centre for the Handicapped (ARCH)
    425 Bloor Street East, Suite 110
    Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3R5
    Telephone: (416) 482-8255
    TTY: (416) 482-1254
    E-mail: archlib@lao.on.ca
    Web site: http://www.archdisabilitylaw.ca/

    Reach Canada is “an Ottawa-based voluntary organization that empowers people with disabilities to remove barriers in education, work and the general community.” Contact Reach at:

    Reach
    400 Coventry Road
    Ottawa, Ontario, K1K 2C7
    Telephone: (613) 236-6636
    TTY: (613) 236-9478
    Fax: (613) 236-6605
    Toll-free: (800) 465-8898
    E-mail: reach@reach.ca
    Web site: http://www.reach.ca

  • December Community Events to Attend

    December Community Events to Attend

    Organizer: ARCH Disability Law Centre

    Title: ARCH Disability Law Centre Celebrates the International Day of Persons with Disabilities

    Category: Education

    Location: Toronto, Ontario

    Date: December 3, 2018

    Web site: http://www.neads.ca/en/about/events/index.php?id=1943

    Description: ARCH Disability Law Centre Celebrates the International Day of Persons with Disabilities

    In line with this year’s UN theme of “Empowering Persons with Disabilities and Ensuring Inclusiveness and Equality”, ARCH will launch our new website and present our new public legal education materials.

    Come meet ARCH Staff!

    DATE: Monday December 3, 2018

    TIME: 2:00 to 4:00 pm

    LOCATION: 55 University Avenue, 14th Floor, Room H2 (at King Street West – at St. Andrews Subway)

    Light refreshments will be provided.

    Space is Limited – Please RSVP by November 19th, 2018 to Theresa at: scibert@lao.on.ca / 1-866-482-2724 ext. 2229 / TTY 1-866-482-2728.

     

    Organizer: Students for Barrier Free Access (SBA), Uniiversity of Toronto

    Title: Surviving the Exam Period; A drop-in discussion space – University of Toronto

    Category: Education

    Location: Toronto, Ontario

    Date: December 4, 2018

    Web site: https://www.facebook.com/events/2100696193324903/

    Description: Students for Barrier Free Access (SBA), Uniiversity of Toronto

    Surviving the Exam Period; A drop-in discussion space

    “Join us for a drop-in discussion space for disabled and mad students. We will be sharing exam period survival strategies, snacks & tea, and giving out care kits.

    Date: Tuesday December 4th

    Time: 3:00pm-5:00pm

    Location: SBA Lounge, 215 Huron Street, suite 924

    For more information please contact Nadia at sba.advocacycoordinator@gmail.com

    This event is part of the Communities of Care Event Series.”

     

    Organizer: La Commission de la santé mentale du Canada (CSMC)/Mental Health Commission of Canada – Montréal

    Title: Invitation to Participate Inform a new Standard for Psychological Health and Safety for Post-Secondary Students – Montreal meeting

    Category: Education

    Location: Montreal, Quebec

    Date: December 12, 2018

    Web site: http://hosted-p0.vresp.com/1156975/5ae5b42e99/ARCHIVE

    Description: Invitation to Participate

    Inform a new Standard for Psychological Health and Safety for Post-Secondary Students

  • Inclusivity for the Differently Abled: Much Done and Much to be Done

    Inclusivity for the Differently Abled: Much Done and Much to be Done

    There has been great progress made to make the world a more inclusive place. We have witnessed greater exposure and acceptance of sexuality, gender, and abilities that do not conform to preconceived norms. However, that progress can easily be mistaken as success. Although much as changed, there is still far more that has to be done for genuine inclusivity. People who are differently abled still face many obstacles despite the social narrative of progress. It is necessary to make ourselves aware of these social shortcomings in order to address the problem and find a solution.

    One in seven people around the world have some form of disability, according to the World Health Organization. People of different abilities are a critical part of the fabric of our society. Yet, there are still many countries with laws that restrict those with disabilities in terms of marriage, housing, and healthcare. These important decisions are legally handed to guardians instead of the individual. Despite the progress made, there is still a prevalent mindset that those with disabilities are to be pitied. They are viewed as charity projects as opposed to human beings with thoughts and wants like anyone else. This results in progress being stalled in ways we may not fully realize.

    Modern technology is advancing at a breakneck pace. We are on the verge of artificial intelligence on the same level of the human brain, automation that will replace countless jobs, and power sources far beyond what was capable a mere century ago. These are resulting in mind-blowing advancements for many, but those with disabilities are not truly reaping those benefits. Innovation of mobility devices has been surprisingly slow, with the same prototype for the modern wheelchair still being used since 1933. A lot has changed since the 1930s in unbelievable ways, but for many people things have remained very much the same.

    These issues persist because the issue goes beyond discrimination. Even in progressive cities and countries, simply doing away with discrimination is not enough. We must push for policies and changes that do away with the structures that hold certain people back. These barriers range from the assumptions we make when we see someone who uses canes when walking, to assuming that a small set of stairs leading to a public space is not an issue. Mobility Unlimited is a global initiative looking to change that by having inventors and technologists submit ideas that can transform mobility for those afflicted with lower-limb paralysis. Initiatives such as that one, as well as Austria requiring that 4% of all jobs be filled by those with long-term disabilities, help move things in the right direction. But it will take persistent similar steps to truly solve the problem.

    With the amazing strides seen in modern technology, advancements made for the differently abled, and the improved attitudes regarding inclusivity, it is easy to mistake progress for success. We cannot afford to fall for that trap. There is still much to be done to create a world of equality and inclusivity. It starts with awareness, which paves the path for new ways of thinking and concrete actions for genuine change. We must simultaneously cheer our progress and acknowledge our shortcomings. Transforming our ways of thinking, coupled with advancing technology, gives us the potential for a radically different and inclusive future. But we must choose to make it happen.

    Sources:

    Barriga, Shantha Rau. “We need to stop treating people with disabilities as less than human.” The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2016/jun/20/we-need-to-stop-treating-people-with-disabilities-as-less-than-human

    McFadden, Tatyana. “Technology has changed our world, but hasn’t done enough for people with disabilities.” CNN.  https://www.cnn.com/2017/11/21/opinions/technology-can-help-people-with-disabilities-opinion/index.html

    Saba, Roberto. “Around the globe, people with disabilities face unseen discrimination. We must do better.” The Conversation. http://theconversation.com/around-the-globe-people-with-disabilities-face-unseen-discrimination-we-must-do-better-70235

  • How You Can Soar to New Heights as a Flight Attendant

    How You Can Soar to New Heights as a Flight Attendant

    Many people dream of seeing the world, though the goal is a terribly expensive one. Unless you are traveling for work or you have trips paid for by other means, it could severely break the bank. This is exactly why so many people are attracted to the idea of becoming a flight attendant: you practically get paid to see the world! This job is definitely suited for the person-friendly and charismatic student who is looking for a career path that will allow them to meet many interesting people on their travels.

    It is not all fun and games, however. Flight attendants have many responsibilities, including: ensuring that all emergency equipment is ready and fully functional just in case an emergency situation arises, give safety briefings for all passengers on the flight so that everyone knows what to do in an emergency situation, distribute snacks and refreshments, take care of passengers’ needs, helps out in cabin cleaning between flights, amongst other general day-to-day tasks to make a flight run more smoothly.

    What are the perks of the job?

    The biggest perk of the job is not only being able to see the world, but actually being paid to do it! As well, you can interact with many different worldly people and hear interesting stories. If you are a people person, you may find that this job is quite enjoyable. There is also a clear line of promotions that you can enjoy if you are hard-working and talented enough. A flight attendant only needs to have a high school diploma to be able to earn the job, though post-secondary graduates are more likely going to earn the job over an applicant who did not graduate from a college or university.

    What are some of the setbacks?

    This career can be somewhat stressful when you have to constantly tend to the needs of all passengers on board and many people can come across as rude and ungrateful. It can also be a very physically demanding and exhausting job to constantly run around a flight cabin and keep everything in order, especially on flights lasting over six hours. Furthermore, the median wage in Canada can be somewhat low with an annual salary of about $35,977 according to PayScale.

    How can I grow with this career?

    There are a few career advancement roles that a flight attendant can take once they have proven themselves to be effective in the field. A flight attendant can be promoted to be a “ready reserve” flight attendant, a senior flight attendant, a check flight attendant, a flight attendant supervisor, a base manager or an inflight manager (also known as an inflight vice president). A flight attendant may also find themselves earning small salary increases on an annual basis after supervisors assess how well they have done over the course of the year.

    That’s all great, but could I be hired for other careers?

    Other relevant fields include becoming a flight attendant instructor (where you can teach up-and-coming flight attendants the ropes) and a flight attendant recruiter (because at this rate, no one knows the role better than you do, so you should be able to find the right person for the job). A flight attendant can be hired for many other careers that require strong social skills and have a patient disposition within the service industry.

    Reference:

    Career Flight Path, “Flight Attendant Career Advancement: What’s Next?”:

    https://careerflightpath.com/flight-attendant-career-advancement/

    Government of Canada, “In-charge Flight Attendant near Toronto, ON”:

    https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/marketreport/outlook-occupation/20655/22437

    Truity, “Flight Attendant”:

    https://www.truity.com/career-profile/flight-attendant

    PayScale, “Flight Attendant Salary”:

    https://www.payscale.com/research/CA/Job=Flight_Attendant/Hourly_Rate

  • Career Profile: Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment

    Career Profile: Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment

    Everyone needs help sometimes. Do you ever clean your family’s car? Some people do that for a living. Cleaners of vehicles work on the inside and outside of trucks and cars to make them look nice and work better. This could be a good job for you if you like working with your hands.

    At home, you might usually just wash the outside of your family’s car and maybe vacuum it at the end of the winter. Car cleaners do much more than that. They clean the windows on the inside and outside, and they clean all of the surfaces where dust and dirt can gather. They even take sections of the car apart and put them back together to make sure that they work smoothly.

    Making sure that everything in a car or truck is working well can take many people. Mechanics fix many of the big problems, like brakes that need repair. When people need someone to take care of the rest of the car, they might take it to a vehicle cleaner. The job can also involve cleaning engines, wheels, and other parts. Because of this, the work of a vehicle cleaner can be quite dirty and you should expect to get oil on your face and clothes.

    Becoming a vehicle cleaner takes knowledge and experience. If you want to get into this work, you should start by learning mathematics as well as possible. This will help you calculate the right amount of cleaning fluid to use to get the job done. Courses in chemistry can also be helpful, and a strong ability to read instructions is very important. The work itself is not very physically difficult, but it can be hard on the back and knees. Sometimes the chemicals can be hard on the skin, and they might cause problems with allergies or other breathing issues.

    Jobs in this field can vary from place to place, and they depend a lot on the general economy. People will always need their vehicles cleaned, but they might decide to do the work themselves when money is scarce. Still, you could get a job with a car dealership or a mechanic’s garage, especially in a large city. Wages start at about $11 per hour or almost $24,000 per year. With experience, pay can often rise to almost $18.00 per hour or over $40,000 per year. The hours can be very regular in some places, but evening work might be necessary in others.

    Do you like to work with tiny details? Vehicle cleaners have to be very careful to cover every bit of the car or truck to make sure that all of it is as clean as possible. If you develop habits of keeping your own room clean, that might help you learn the skills you need. The work can be boring and hard on the arms and back, but it can also be rewarding.

    Working as a cleaner of vehicles can be a good job if you enjoy making things look nice and run well. Why not check into it?

    Bibliography:

    Career Planner.com. “Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment.” https://job-descriptions.careerplanner.com/Cleaners-of-Vehicles-and-Equipment.cfm.

    Indeed.ca. “Detailer Jobs in Toronto.” https://ca.indeed.com/Detailer-jobs-in-Toronto,-ON?vjk=c4f8076095b92824.

    Payscale.com. “Automobile Detailer Hourly Rate.” https://www.payscale.com/research/CA/Job=Automobile_Detailer/Hourly_Rate.

    Recruiter.com. “Salaries: Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment.” https://www.recruiter.com/salaries/cleaners-of-vehicles-and-equipment-salary/.

  • More Scholarships: November Deadlines!

    More Scholarships: November Deadlines!

    Ontario

    Cambrian College Bursaries for Students with Disabilities

    Number & Amount: 5 x Varies

    Contact Information:

    Cambrian Foundation

    1400 Barrydowne Road

    Sudbury, ON P3A 3V8

    Phone: 705.673.2900

    Fax: 705.671.1417

    Email: foundation@cambriancollege.ca

    Address to apply: https://student.ftlams.com/?surl=1a4248ad-333d-4384-a410-5dd892bbd545

     

    Copper Cliff High School Alumni Association Bursary

    Number & Amount: 1 x TBD

    Contact Information:

    Cambrian Foundation

    1400 Barrydowne Road

    Sudbury, ON P3A 3V8

    Phone: 705-673-2900

    Fax: 705-671-1417

    Email: foundation@cambriancollege.ca

    Address to apply: https://student.ftlams.com/?surl=1a4248ad-333d-4384-a410-5dd892bbd545

     

    Alberta

    ACT/UCT Jack Lyall Memorial Bursary

    Number & Amount: 2 x $500

    Contact Information:

    Grande Prairie Regional College

    10726 – 106 Ave

    Grande Prairie, AB T8V 4C4

    Phone: 780-539-2943

    Fax: 780-539-2888

    Email: financialaid@gprc.ab.ca

    Address to apply: http://www.gprc.ab.ca/downloads/documents/Awards_booklet_2009.pdf

    https://www.gprc.ab.ca/downloads/documents/2009_Bursary_Application.pdf

     

    Lion Bruce Thornicroft Memorial Bursary

    Number & Amount: 1 x $750

    https://www.gprc.ab.ca/downloads/documents/2009_Bursary_Application.pdf

    Contact Information:

    Grande Prairie Regional College

    10726 – 106 Ave

    Grande Prairie, AB, T8V 4C4

    Phone: 780-539-2943

    Fax: 780-539-2888

    Email: financialaid@gprc.ab.ca

    To Apply:

    http://www.gprc.ab.ca/downloads/documents/Awards_booklet_2009.pdf

     

    British Columbia

    Elks & Royal Purple Endowment Bursary

    Number & Amount: Varies x $500

    Contact Information:

    College of New Caledonia

    Financial Aid Department

    3330 – 22nd Avenue

    Prince George, BC, V2N 1P8

    Telephone: 250-561-5838

    Toll free: 1-800-371-8111, ext. 838

    Fax: 250-561-5863

    Application: www.cnc.bc.ca/financialaid

     

    Katherine Hazelwood Endowment Bursary

    Number & Amount: Varies x $400

    Contact Information:

    College of New Caledonia

    Financial Aid Department

    3330 – 22nd Avenue

    Prince George, BC V2N 1P8

    Telephone: 250-561-5838

    Fax: 250-561-5863

    Toll free 1-800-371-8111, ext. 838

    Apply: www.cnc.bc.ca/financialaid

  • Career Profile: Furniture Finisher

    Career Profile: Furniture Finisher

    Have you ever sat on a rough piece of furniture that gave you a splinter in your finger or leg? No one likes to use uncomfortable chairs or to sit at tables that might collapse under the weight of their lunch, but they might not realize that a special kind of trade is all about making sure that furniture is ready to use when people buy it. Furniture finishers help to make people’s homes comfortable and livable.

    Making a piece of furniture involves many different tasks. First, people have to get the wood, cut it to the right size and shape, and get it ready to put together. That is where furniture finishers begin their work. They repair any parts that need it, including filling in gaps where wood might have been gouged out, or sanding down rough edges if necessary. They apply stain to turn the wood into different colours to match people’s homes, and add lacquer or paint if necessary.

    The job of furniture finisher in a factory normally comes at the end of the manufacturing process, and it can be somewhat rushed if there have been delays along the way. Still, with other people around to help, furniture finishing does not have to be very stressful. Often, furniture finishers work closely with other people to get the work done in these situations.

    Another option for finding work in this trade is to work in a small shop where people come to get their furniture repaired and restored. In this situation, furniture finishers also need to know how to take tables, chairs, or dressers apart and put them back together without damaging them. Sometimes, they might work with very dry and brittle wood, and they need to know the right chemicals to use to restore old pieces. In small shops, furniture finishers are likely to work alone or with one or two other people.

    Furniture finishers need to know a lot about the materials that they work with. If you want to get into this field, courses in chemistry and mathematics can help provide the information and skills that you need for choosing the right products to use on the wood and tell you how much you need of each one. If you use too little, it might not be effective, but if you use too much, it might start to eat through the wood or cause the metal parts to rust.

    Furniture finishers might have trouble finding work in difficult economic times when people have little money to buy furniture, but the skills are useful for many other fields, such as working in maintenance at an office or school. Generally, furniture finishers earn between about $30,500 and $57,500, but the salary can vary a lot, depending on how big the company is and other factors. If you want to get into this trade, it is a good idea to have a second or third area where you can work, such as window repair or fence construction.

    Working as a furniture finisher can be a good job for people who are patient and good with their hands. If that describes you, why not consider this career?

    Bibliography:

    Careers.org. “Occupational Profile for Furniture Finishers.” http://www.careers.org/occupations/51-7021.00/furniturefinishers.

    Job Bank. “Furniture Refinishing Varnisher in Canada.”

    https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/marketreport/summary-occupation/12756/ca.

    Payscale.com. “Furniture Finisher: Hourly Rate.” https://www.payscale.com/research/CA/Job=Furniture_Finisher/Hourly_Rate.

    Study.com. “Furniture Finishing Classes, Diplomas, and Degree Program.” https://study.com/furniture_finishing_class.

  • Mental Health Commission of Canada developing a Post-Secondary Students Standard

    Mental Health Commission of Canada developing a Post-Secondary Students Standard

    What is the issue?

    Acquiring a post-secondary education is exciting, transformative, but also challenging. The majority of students must juggle academic, financial, and personal demands on a day to day basis.

    In that context, an increasing number of post-secondary students are experiencing mental health problems. In fact, 75% of first-time mental health diagnoses occur between the ages of 16 and 25.

    What are we doing?

    The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) is embarking on a two-year project to develop a National Standard on Psychological Health and Safety for post-secondary students. Like the Standard developed for the workplace https://www.mentalhealthcommission.ca/English/what-we-do/workplace/national-standard , it will act as a voluntary guideline to help Canada’s academic institutions protect and promote students’ psychological health and safety, and support students’ success.

    As one of the project key steps, a literature review was undertaken by Dr. Heather Stuart and her team at Queen’s University. This work shares information on emerging and promising practices related to psychological health and safety of post-secondary students. A summary is available and you can access the full report by sending an email to studentstandard@mentalhealthcommission.ca

    The MHCC is working collaboratively with the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) Group, as the standards development organization, towards the development of the Standard. Funding is being provided from Bell Let’s Talk, The Rossy Family Foundation, RBC Foundation and Health Canada.

    Consultations will begin to take place across Canada in the fall of 2018. A broad audience from students, family members, post-secondary organizations and faculty will be called upon to give discuss existing challenges and potential opportunities. To learn more:

    Read: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ )
    Email us:  studentstandard@mentalhealthcommission.ca
    View: our Today’s Students – Tomorrow’s Workforce! webinar
    Find us: at these events

    To share this project with your colleagues and other stakeholders, download, email or print our information sheet: https://www.mentalhealthcommission.ca/sites/default/files/downloads/post_secondary_student_standard_one_pager_eng.pdf

    Source: Mental Health Commission of Canada: https://www.mentalhealthcommission.ca/English/post-secondary-students-standard