#HearNowON: Student Voices on Mental Health Toronto

#HearNowON: Student Voices on Mental Health

Toronto Forum

Join School Mental Health Ontario (SMHO-SMSO) and Wisdom2Action (W2A) for a day-long forum on ways to enhance student mental health awareness, learning, and leadership. We want to hear from secondary school students about ideas and recommendations for improving student engagement and wellness promotion at school. This forum, and other engagement opportunities taking place across the province, will help inform the SMHO-SMSO Student Mental Health Leadership and Engagement Strategy. Together, we can enhance mental health awareness and knowledge, and help to inspire hope, purpose, meaning and belonging for all Ontario students!

What to expect:

• An engaging opportunity to learn about school mental health and to share ideas about knowledge-building and stigma reduction alongside other students
• A place to offer your perspectives on how to help students to be engaged as leaders in school-based mental health initiatives
• A discussion-oriented, open and inclusive space centred on your voice and viewpoints
• The chance to make an impact—a real difference!

Parent/Guardian Consent:

• Participation in the in-person forum requires that your parent/guardian consent to your participation. Please ensure that your parent/guardian complete the following online form prior to completing your registration for the forum. Consent form: https://forms.gle/qaoz4iVXzPNoADWh7

Travel and Accomodation

• For those travelling from outside of the host city to attend a regional forum, more information regarding travel and eligible expenses will be made available soon. For those traveling 150km or more (each way) to attend the forum, we will provide accommodations for the night before the forum for the participant and a chaperone. Should you have questions, please feel free to contact Sherry Sim at sherry@innovative4you.com or 1-866-655-8548

Important notes:

• Breakfast and lunch will be provided.
• Local bus tickets for youth will be provided, as needed.
• If you require a hotel room and are under the age of 18 you will need to travel with a parent/guardian
• There will be a quiet room for those needing an area to hang out and relax separately from the forum.
• The venue is fully accessible for individuals using mobility aids.
• Mental health professionals will be available on site, as needed.
• Chaperones and adult allies are welcome to attend alongside youth participants. Please ensure any chaperones or adult allies also complete a registration form.
• This is not a forum designed for sharing personal details or experiences with mental illness. The focus is on ways to enhance mental health for all. However, mental health professionals will be available should this come up.
• For questions, please contact Joyce Erogun (Jerogun@smh-assist.ca) or Fae Johnstone (faejohnstone@gmail.com).
• If you are experiencing distress, or just need to talk, you can always contact Kids Help Phone, 24/7, to speak with a trained counselor at 1-800-668-6868. Need help now? You can also text CONNECT to 686868.