This week, May 6-12, marks National Mental Health Week in Canada, a time to reflect on the importance of mental health in our lives.
Approximately 1 in 5 children and youth in Ontario will experience a mental health challenge. Additionally, children living through poverty, social change and violence or abuse are much more vulnerable to mental health challenges.
There are many ways to prioritize our mental health and make sure we are properly looking after ourselves, and each other.
The City and Camp programs that Moorelands Kids offers are centered around positive youth development. Kids at Moorelands develop leadership, confidence, character and skills to strengthen their emotional and social well-being.
These skills work on giving kids the tools to handle difficult situations, and to build their confidence, allowing them to believe in themselves so they can try new things and set goals.
Moorelands Kids also works on building positive social connections with their peers. Being socially connected and having healthy and stable relationships have been shown to lead to increased mental and physical health. This also empowers people to cope with difficult situations and feelings like stress, anxiety and depression.
Moorelands Camp focuses on spending time outdoors. Many children from cities like Toronto are not able to spend considerable time in nature, which has been proven to have many benefits for mental health, including boosting positive emotions, attention span, and empathy. With the outdoor activities that children are exposed to at Moorelands Camp, they are able to build positive experiences in nature which can lead to improved mental health.
This Mental Health Week, set time aside to check in with yourself, and loved ones, on your mental well-being. Don’t hesitate to seek help if you or someone you know is struggling. You are not alone!
Moorelands Kids’ program staff receive mental health certification as part of our intentional approach to train staff in supporting children and youth in our City and Camp programs.
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If you are struggling with your mental health, please reach out for help.