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Turning Bell Let's Talk Day (Thur. Jan 28) Into a Week!

Thursday, January 28, 2021 is Bell Let’s Talk Day. This year, the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board decided to expand the day to a week! From January 25 – 29, the district and students will focus on initiatives that support Mental Health and Well-being. Our Mental Health Lead and the Student Support Services Team has assembled a wonderful bank of resources for teachers and students to use all week… and afterwards.

"Belonging for All and Wellness for All are two of the three pillars of our District’s Strategic Plan," said Superintendent of Education, Kevin Greco. "This enables us to ensure that mental health and wellness remain a priority and a focus in what we do for both staff and students."

All week, we will be sharing Bell Let’s Talk Self-Care Activities and Kids Help Phone Self-Care Strategies via our Twitter account and we encourage everyone to visit the Bell Let’s Talk website for information like COVID-19 Resources, Ways to Help, Bell Let’s Talk Day, Getting Help, and much more!

Under the guidance of Dianne Wdowczyk-Meade, Mental Health Lead, the team created a Bell Let’s Talk Placement. "The placement is a compilation of fantastic ideas and activities that support wellness for all," said Mrs. Wdowczyk-Meade. "It is a convenient way for staff and families to have access to solid strategies that can be used to support all students during this particular week and beyond. We want people to understand that supporting their mental health is not something exclusively done during days like Bell Let’s Talk or during Mental Health Week, which is celebrated in May. Our mental health is part of who we are and is interconnected with our physical health. Attention to mental health and wellness is something we should be doing daily. It is not an ‘event’, but rather, it is part of our life.”

Mrs. Wdowczyk-Meade indicated National campaigns, like Bell Let’s Talk, provide a great opportunity to encourage conversations about mental health, reduce the stigma still experienced by some, and promote help seeking behaviour when needed. “Times are very challenging for so many of us right now. Remote learning, teaching, parenting, working; all at the same time, is not easy. We want people to know we are in this together,” said Wdowczyk-Meade. “We encourage students and parents to reach out to their teacher or principal if things are difficult with respect to their schooling. Together they can try to problem solve and if needed, assist in making a referral to our Student Support Services team made up mental health professionals who can help directly or assist in connecting families with community mental health resources, which benefit from the Bell Let’s Talk campaign.”

Remember, 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 FacebookInstagramPinterest, SnapchatTikTokTwitter and YouTube view of the Bell Let’s Talk Day video, and every use of the Bell Let’s Talk Facebook frame or Snapchat filter. All at no cost to participants beyond what they would normally pay their service provider for online or phone access.  To learn more, visit Bell Let's Talk Day

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For more information on how BHNCDSB is highlighting Bell Talk Day and Wellness Week, please contact BHNCDSB Mental Health Lead, Dianne Wdowczyk-Meade.

For more information about the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board, please contact Tracey Austin | Manager of Communications and Community Relations | 519-732-5282