Bell Let’s Talk Day at Durham College

This message is being shared on behalf of Darlene Heslop, director, Campus Health and Wellness Centre. Please direct any questions to Kymberly Kvasnak, health promotions co-ordinator, campus Health and Wellness Centre.

Bell Let’s Talk Day is today, January 26 and Durham College’s (DC) Campus Health and Wellness Centre (CHWC) is joining in to help drive meaningful progress in mental health.

COVID-19 has impacted every aspect of our lives, including mental health. However, tools are available to support ourselves and each other.

Since 2010, Canadians and people around the globe have joined in the world’s largest conversation around mental health on Bell Let’s Talk Day. Together we have taken big steps to reduce the stigma around these issues and inspire one another to take action and help create a Canada where everyone can access the support they need.

In a recent survey conducted by Nielsen Consumer Insights, 82 per cent of Canadians now say they are comfortable speaking with others about mental health, compared to only 42 per cent in 2012. By joining in and taking action, we are all helping to make a real difference.

The 2022 Bell Let’s Talk Day campaign highlights the ways that we can support ourselves and those we care about through actions like listening, being there and talking. Every Canadian can play a part in their communities, workplaces, schools and at home.

Some events and resources available today include:

  • Instagram Live Session (@wellnessatdc), 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. – Join the CHWC mental health team to discuss supports on campus, self-care, stigma, and answer any of your questions!
  • An Evening with Andre De Grasse, 7 to 9 p.m. – organized by the Durham College Student Association, join Andre De Grasse as he speaks on mental health and how to overcome adversities at any stage in life: whether you’re dealing with school pressure, or standing on the Olympic podium. Register for this free event online.
  • Giveaway – Follow @wellnessatdc on Facebook and Instagram over this week and join in our social media Bell Let’s Talk campaign to “keep being there, keep talking.” When we post our Bell Let’s Talk Bubble, follow @wellnessatdc, like our Talk Bubble post, and share your own Talk Bubble with a message of hope to create positive change. We will randomly select one winner from the IG LIVE session and one Bubble Talk participant. Prize includes: a one-year subscription to Headspace, a coop pillow, weighted blanket, happy light, Bell Let’s Talk and CHWC swag! Draw closes at 8 a.m. on Thursday, January 27. You must be a DC student and 18 years or older to participate.
  • Bell Let’s Talk Toolkit – Find resources, learn more about some of the organizations providing meaningful mental health supports and services throughout Canada in the Bell Let’s Talk toolkit to begin your own conversation about mental health at home, school or in the workplace.

Keep listening, talking and being there for ourselves and each other.

On Bell Let’s Talk Day, Bell donates 5 cents to Canadian mental health programs for every applicable text, local or long distance call, tweet or TikTok video using #BellLetsTalk, every Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Snapchat, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube view of the Bell Let’s Talk Day video, and every use of the Bell Let’s Talk Facebook frame or Snapchat lens. All at no cost to participants beyond what they would normally pay their service provider for online or phone access.

Please join us this Bell Let’s Talk Day by showing your support for all those who live with mental illness and those taking action to help them.