A weeklong initiative focused on building positive mental health is set to return to Brock University from Monday, Nov. 5 to Friday, Nov. 9.

Organized by Student Wellness and Accessibility Services, Student Life and Community Experience, Active Minds and Development and Alumni Relations, Thrive Week offers events and workshops for the entire Brock community designed to educate, reduce stigma and promote conversation about mental health.

Through activities like nature walks, coping skills workshops and a puppy room, Brock Health Promotion Educator Julie Fennell hopes to encourage those participating to develop appropriate mental health practices as they head into the winter exam period.

“When you are building tools and learning appropriate coping mechanisms, they become practices that are second nature,” she said. “Our numbers for mental health-related appointments often increase in November and we are hoping to be proactive to help students stay well.”

The Thrive Week initiative was first developed by the University of British Columbia in 2009, and was run for the first time at Brock in January, with more than 1,000 people participating in various events.

A full calendar of this year’s events can be found on the Thrive Week website and will include workshops that will feature current students speaking out about their mental health journeys in small-group settings.

Fennell said the individual activities and the week as a whole reflect the University’s commitment to the mental health and well-being of the entire Brock community throughout the year.

“We value mental health at Brock, and we are known for teaching people how to cultivate positive mental health practices,” she said.   

To help students find the supportive services they need on campus, staff members are asked to again wear “Ask Me” buttons for Thrive Week. Buttons are available in Student Life Involvement Commons in MCA 204.

To learn more about the many mental health initiatives at Brock, visit brockmentalhealth.ca or brocku.ca/swac