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By Communications Staff

Queen’s student athletes recently held a Mental Health Awareness Day to promote the resources and services available on campus and in the community and to make the link between physical and mental health.

The event was funded by The Jack Project @ Queen's Student Initiative Fund that provides grants for mental health projects, events and activities.

Queen's student athletes recently held a Mental Health Awarenss Day. The event was funded by The Jack Project @ Queen's Student Initiative Fund. 

“We know that taking care of our mental health helps us succeed as students and athletes in all facets of our lives,” says Varsity Leadership Council co-president Shannon Walsh, a member of the women’s volleyball team. “We want to raise awareness among all students about the importance of reaching out for support if you need it because there are lots of resources around us that can make a difference.”

The Varsity Leadership Council is one of four student-led groups that received the first round of grants from the fund. The other recipients are the Canadian Undergraduate Conference on Healthcare, the AMS’s Mental Health Awareness Committee and the Peer Health Educator Mental Health Team.

“Students have so many creative ideas about how to effectively promote mental health and reduce stigma,” says Jenna Dibblee, a third-year kinesiology and health studies major who sits on The Jack Project @ Queen’s Advisory Board. “I am happy that mental health is no longer the taboo subject it once was. I'm glad people are becoming more open to talk about it and willing to actively instil change in our society and our perceptions.”

The next deadline for applications is February 1.