Western School Division took time to focus on mental health for Mental Health Awareness Week. A variety of activities and learning opportunities took place across the division.
On Wednesday, Comedian and Mental Health Speaker Big Daddy Tazz spoke to students from grades 5-10 in three different segments: 5/6, 7/8, 9/10.
Amy Warms, guidance counsellor at Morden Collegiate, said he did a great job of tailoring his message to each age group.
"The way he shares his heart speaks to them as much as his words. He made himself vulnerable by telling the reality of his struggles, in that way, makes it ok for them to admit when they're struggling."
Grade 12 student Evee Jackson said his presentation resonated with her.
"It just really connected with me because I struggle with mental health myself, and it just really made me feel not as alone with his performance. It just kind of helped me understand more and not be so afraid to speak out for help."
Warms explained a part of the presentation where students anonymously filled out a 10-question survey the day before with yes or no answers.
"How many of you have ever felt lonely? Or, how many of you have ever felt like harming yourself?"
Then the next day, as they walked into the presentation, they were given someone else's responses to use when Tazz asked these questions.
"Students would put up their hand if the paper said, 'yes' and that in that way it allows them to see how many of their peers actually feel that way, but yet still protecting their own vulnerability. They weren't speaking for themselves. They were speaking for the paper, which just gives them the ability to do that without putting themselves out there."
Tazz explained, "You see, when you feel alone, that's when you become despondent. When you feel like you're the only one, then there's no help. Then they look around the group here, I watch the kids look, and they're nodding and they're like, 'Ok, that's it. I'm not alone."
Grade 9 student Trinity Jackson explained how the presentation impacted her.
"His performance is really good because he explained it's not bad to talk to someone about how you're feeling and how to express it, and I have struggled with mental health for a while now and I think it does get better, but sometimes you just go back down again and you have to get just take yourself back up."
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Tazz had a message for people who are struggling.
"I just need people who are listening (reading) to understand that if you're struggling, ask for help. Especially the men, because men have been told for so many eons, 'Pull yourself up by your bootstraps' and 'You have to do this and you have to do that.' 'You have to be the rock.' Well, you can't be the rock sometimes, and you also have to take care of yourself."
Grade 10 student Andrew Rothenburger liked how he was able to positively and humorously spread awareness.
"I think it's important for our school and for our students who are struggling, and even people who aren't struggling, just so we can help support the people who are struggling and going through those mental health issues."
Rothenburger also liked how Tazz opened up about his own mental health journey to back up what he said about mental health.
Warms found a particular part of the presentation impactful.
"I loved his answer when he talked about when you ask someone if they're ok and they say, 'Fine.' They're not fine. They just don't know if they can trust you. And so, if you have a feeling that they're not ok, ask again and keep asking because it's not easy to be vulnerable and to share that you're struggling with someone else. I thought that was a great, great reminder."
Warms said she was watching the staff's reactions at the back of the gym when the students were raising their hands for the survey questions.
"I saw quite a few react to how many students put down they feel alone, even in a group, or that they don't feel like people understand them, or that they have contemplated hurting themselves. We know those things are true, but it means that we know we have more work to do in terms of supporting students. We hope that a morning like today and this week's emphasis on mental health will go a long way in terms of helping students to just feel that they are not alone, and also that there are supports in place for them to turn to."
Tazz said he used humour to increase dopamine levels in his audience through laughter, so when he gets into the tougher subject matter of his presentation, humour helps to make the topic seem less scary, and his audience is more able to embrace the message.
He believes Mental Health Week is important and thinks there should be a Mental Health Infinity.
