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Stay healthy at Durham College with our Wellness Directory

We are here to support all members of our Durham College community. Whether you’re a student or an employee, we want to help you be the best and healthiest version of yourself.

With the recent launch of our new Wellness Directory, we’ve put all of our wellness supports and resources at your fingertips. They’re organized by the eight dimensions of wellness: physical, occupational, social, mental, spiritual, intellectual, environmental and financial. Whatever challenges you’re facing, you’ll find everything you need to manage them with confidence.

Here’s a brief look at each dimension, and how we’re here to help you with each one.

Physical wellness

It’s hard to overstate the importance of taking care of your body. Exercise, proper nutrition, and healthy sleep habits are just some of the important factors that contribute to your physical wellness.

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You can get (and stay) healthy by working out at the Fitness Centre, ensure your nutritional needs are being met at the Durham College Student Association (DCSA) Food Bank, or learn more about wellness at the Campus Rec Resource Library.

Occupational wellness

It’s important to maintain a balance between your work (as a student or professional) and the rest of your life. When you’re in class or at your office, your focus should be on doing your work to the best of your ability. But at the end of the day, you should leave your work behind you and make the most of your leisure time by doing the things that bring you joy and satisfaction.

We have a number of resources that help both students and employees perfect their work/life balance, from Career Development to our range of Employee Supports.

Learn more

Social wellness

Are you engaged with your community? Do you have healthy relationships with people who support you and give you a sense of belonging? Learning how to communicate respectfully and relate to all kinds of people is critical for your social well-being.

The DCSA offers students lots of opportunities to get involved, from events to support groups. Our employees have options too, whether they’re just starting their career with us or bringing it to a close.

Learn more

Mental wellness

Mental health encapsulates everything from your emotional state to the way you think and feel about the world and your place in it. As we face all of life’s challenges, good mental health allows us to understand, manage and accept our emotions and behaviours.

Are you okay? We want to know. Take part in our Better Together Series, make an appointment to speak to a professional at the Campus Health Centre or visit our Wellness Den.

Learn more

Spiritual wellness

Do you feel connected to your culture or community? Is spirituality and religion important to you? It’s important to find a sense of meaning and purpose in your life, no matter where it comes from.

Prayer rooms are available on our campuses for those who wish to make use of them. The First Peoples Indigenous Centre offers opportunities to learn important lessons about history and reconciliation.

Learn more

Intellectual wellness

As an institute of higher learning, DC offers many ways for you to expand your knowledge and promote your self-development and self-discovery. Effective goal setting and time management are crucial to your success.

A number of resources are available to help you develop these important skills, from the Institute of Student Leadership and Peer Tutoring to Prep 1000, DC’s online first-year student experience course.

Learn more

Environmental wellness

At DC, we want to provide you with welcoming, engaging environments that positively support your well-being. Whether you’re outside interacting with nature or studying indoors, you deserve to feel safe and content.

We are committed to providing safe spaces on our campuses, from Residence to Student Study Spaces and our Wellness Den.

Learn more

Financial wellness

Whether you’re a student paying your tuition or an employee supporting your family, matters of finance are bound to be on your mind. Maintaining a healthy relationship between your goals and your financial obligations is crucial to being financially healthy.

Our budget calculator can help you live within your means. Financial Aid and Awards are available for students in need of assistance.

Learn more
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To learn more about DC’s commitment to your health, see our mental health and well-being framework.

Supporting rising mental health demands through responsive programming

In her job as an Emergency Room nurse, Grace Li sees the pressing demand for mental health services in the community every day.

Hope Peters saw the same critical need as she trained to become a police officer.

And data supports what Li and Peters are seeing firsthand. A recent study by the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontariomore than 60 per cent of students struggle with mental health before starting college. A February report from Toronto-based non-profit People for Education found that 91 per cent of schools were in need of mental health supports, largely a result of the pandemic and the toll it’s taken on young learners.

Though both Li and Peters have had incredibly different experiences in their capacities as first responders, they share a common goal: to develop the necessary skills to help address the increasing demand for mental health supports in the community.

To meet this urgent demand, Durham College (DC) has launched a brand-new Honours Bachelor of Community Mental Health (HBCMH) degree program, slated to start this September, and Li and Peters are among its first applicants.

“I chose DC’s Honours Bachelor of Community Mental Health degree program so I could learn about the many aspects of mental health,” said Peters. “My previous post-secondary classes were entirely virtual so I’m excited to interact with my classmates and professors in person again.”

Students in the HBCMH program will combine theory-based knowledge with hands-on learning in the community through a field placement in any one of a number of spaces such as public health facilities, hospitals, private counselling offices or social services. There they will put their knowledge and skills to use while immediately supporting the urgent needs of the community.

“My goal is to try and learn new approaches for mental health and law enforcement to ensure that not only are police officers equipped with knowledge and skills, but also those going through a crisis have their rights protected and receive the help they need,” said Peters.

Interested in a career in mental health? Visit our programs and courses page to learn about the HBCMH program as well as others that prepare students with the skills needed to be in demand in their chosen field.

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Grace Li (front left) and Hope Peters (front right) are welcomed by Ralph Hofmann, executive dean (back right) and Joanne Spicer, associate dean (back left) of the Faculty of Social & Community Services for a campus visit in February.