Development of our Mental Wellness Strategy marks a significant milestone for the Douglas College community. This strategy is the first of its kind, with a College-wide focus on the mental well-being of all our community members. It will serve as a catalyst for engagement, dialogue and actionable initiatives.
The work leading to our Mental Wellness Strategy was completed between 2020 and 2022 through the formation of a mental wellness committee which included members from across various areas of the College. The committee chose a socio-ecological model as a framework to help guide the focus of the strategy and recommends adoption of the Okanagan Charter: An International Charter for Health Promoting Universities and Colleges.
This Mental Wellness Strategy will guide us in the next five years as we work to achieve the overarching goals of creating an environment that supports students and employees in achieving positive mental wellness and fostering a culture of psychological safety and resilience for all members of the college community.
Download a copy of the Douglas College Mental Wellness Strategy.
Defining mental wellness
Our definition of mental wellness is informed by the Public Health Agency of Canada’s definition of mental health (2014) and discussions with the mental wellness committee on the importance of both individual and community dimensions of mental wellness.
“Mental wellness involves both individual and community aspects. At an individual level, Douglas College strives to support students and employees to thrive and to benefit from full engagement in their learning and work. Individual mental wellness is a holistic concept, which includes having a positive sense of emotional and spiritual well-being that respects the importance of culture, social justice and personal dignity. At a community level, Douglas College strives to create an inclusive environment where policies, practices and supports are in place to promote psychological safety of students and employees.”
Our commitment to mental health and wellness
Our overall goals:
Douglas College creates an environment that supports students and employees in achieving positive mental wellness, promoting full engagement in their learning and work experiences.
Douglas College fosters a culture of psychological safety and resilience for members of the College community.
College commitments
As a key commitment within the Strategy, Douglas College has adopted the Okanagan Charter: An International Charter for Health Promoting Colleges and Universities. The charter was developed in 2015 by engaging researchers, practitioners, administrators, students and policy makers from 45 countries and provides institutions with common language, principles and framework to become health and well-being promoting campuses (Okanagan Charter, 2015).
Douglas College will use the principles from the Okanagan Charter to integrate mental wellness into all aspects of our community. As a health-promoting college, we recognize the interconnectedness of individuals and their environments. The whole college benefits when students and employees are well and can fully engage in teaching, learning and our campus community.
Implementation
Our next step as a College will be to develop an implementation plan, which will outline milestones for this first five-year Mental Wellness Strategy. We will further identify areas of strength and prioritize the areas that require urgent attention, through a process of College-wide engagement and consultation.
These activities are not set in stone – they will evolve over time and as we continue to engage with the College community on the best path forward. The work will be ongoing and will live beyond the life of this Strategy.
If you have questions about the Strategy, or you would like to bring forward an idea for initiative that aligns with the Strategy, please contact: mentalwellness@douglascollege.ca.