The rise of the COVID-19 pandemic has brought about unprecedented change and unforeseen challenges to communities and individuals around the world. Besides the pandemic’s impact on global physical health, mental health has suffered immensely as well. During times of crisis, stress, anxiety and fear are at an all-time high, particularly for youth. Adapting to a new way of learning has been especially difficult for many students, and feelings of burn-out and exhaustion are only worsened by COVID-induced stress and anxiety. Discussing the realities of our current situation will give students an opportunity to find solidarity during challenging times and develop strategies and resources to cope with the negative impacts to mental health.
Through various feedback forms and surveys, the YRDSB student body has shown great interest in this topic. It is impossible to ignore the correlation between mental health issues and the global pandemic, and the topic affects all students across the board.
The YRDSB Well-Being and Mental Health Strategy Section 1.1 outlines the importance of promoting relevant practices for mental health and implementing resources and strategies that respond appropriately to current circumstances. The symposium will follow this pillar of the Director’s Multi Year Strategic Plan, and the YRDSB Mental Health and Addiction Strategy to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on learning, while providing support and resources for resilience. Further YRDSB resources on the topic can be found here.
Register here: bit.ly/weekonesymposium
Schedule:
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE FOR EACH EVENT | |
5:00 — 5:03 |
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5:03 —5:05 |
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5:05 - 5:20 |
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5:25 —6:00 |
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6:00 —6:25 | BREAKOUT ROOM DISCUSSIONS
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6:25 —6:30 |
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