As May marks Mental Health Awareness Month, student well-being is front and center at Queen’s.
According to the Student Health Surveys Overview of 2025 Results, covering the Canadian Campus Wellbeing Survey, Queen’s student mental health has slowly trended upwards since 2022, post-pandemic.
Still, 50 per cent of students report experiencing loneliness, social, and identity-based determinants continue to play a large role in student well-being on campus, according to the results.
Linda Henderson and Danielle Dias, employee wellness and engagement coordinators for Queen’s human resources department, spoke to The Journal about efforts made to support staff and faculty well-being this month.
Dias, taking the lead on the Thrive 365 wellness programming for faculty and staff programs this month, said more than 420 people had registered for events and initiatives as of May 15.
Henderson and Dias both emphasized the necessity of time and resources dedicated to preventative mental health support and mental health awareness.
“We want this specific awareness month to reduce the stigma around mental health talks and mental health illness,” Dias said. “So many employees are navigating challenges that aren’t visible,” Henderson added.
Wellness is an ongoing effort for both coordinators, but Mental Health Awareness Month provides an opportunity to build on existing momentum and make further progress.
Henderson and Dias echoed this sentiment, considering the muti-dimensionality of wellness. Especially after COVID-19, they found “social connection and belonging” is often forgotten. They said rebuilding a sense of belonging can support mental well-being and reduce stigma surrounding students-mental health.
While not engaging in programming in May, Edward Sy, AMS vice-president (university affairs), explained in an interview with The Journal they intend to plan over the summer to support mental wellness during the school year, when more students are physically on campus.
“This goes beyond just the social media campaigns, but also how we incorporate mental health throughout our student focus,” Sy said. “A constant concern I hear from students is around the wait times for psychologists, or how, if you are seeking external psychotherapists or mental health supports, it isn’t always fully covered.”
He pointed out current challenges students face in relation to well being, noting that the Canadian Campus Wellbeing Survey ranks financial stressors as students’ highest mental health concern.
The concerns come as Queen’s approved tuition increases earlier this month. Overall, he feels pressure has heightened for students. He added that mental health supports and services from the University, the AMS, and the provincial government should be able to step up and respond to that additional pressure.
Tags
Mental Health Awareness Month, Post-pandemic, Student Health Survey, Student well-being
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