By Catherine Tang and Zelyn Fung

According to The State of the World’s Children 2021, 13% of children ages 10-19 are affected by mental illness or substance use. Mental health conditions include anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, eating disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and many more. Mental health can affect how we think, feel, and act in our daily life from childhood to adulthood. How does our school remind students that we are never alone and spread mental health awareness? 

These posters remind students to prioritize their mental health and inform us of how we can take care of ourselves during difficult times. Take a look at the There’s no problem too big or too small to reach out and ask for help poster. Your problems and feelings always matter. Pause for a moment when you need a break during the day and think about the question, “Where do you feel the most relaxed?”

At St. Augustine, we have mental health awareness week and specialists in the school who will be there to listen to you. Help can come from teachers, guidance, family, friends, online services, or a professional. Additionally, the fundamental improvement of mental health recognition is self care, to bring attention to what could be done to lessen the negative feelings. There are self care posters such as the Self-care 101, going in depth about eating, staying hydrated, movement, enjoyment, and sleep.  


Essentially, the posters can be seen in classrooms to allow students to work together and support student mental health provided by School Mental Health Ontario. Next time you’re in a classroom, take a look at the posters posted around the room. Here’s an example:

If there is a crisis, call 911 or reach out to the KIDS HELP PHONE at 1-800-668-6868 or by texting CONNECT to 686868. Remember, there’s no problem #TooBigOrTooSmall.