Staff and students at Spectrum Community School are celebrating their first year being stigma-free.
The school was the first in Victoria to align with the Stigma Free Society of Victoria, switching their philosophy club to a stigma-free club to ensure students felt safe and welcome.
B次元官网网址淧art of the reason we decided to do that is we really wanted to tackle questions about mental health and addiction and talk to kids about how to reduce stigma, and how to make Spectrum a more welcoming place,B次元官网网址� said Nora Havelaar, French and English teacher and co-sponsor of the club.
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In the first year of their campaign, the club focused on one theme per month, including religion, mental health, sexuality and PTSD to help educate students on what exactly stigma means.
For grade 12 student and stigma-free club member Kaitlyn Gordon, the club was something Spectrum needed.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e had people come up to me in the school and recognize me as a friendly face so IB次元官网网址檝e helped a lot of people out,B次元官网网址� Gordon said. B次元官网网址淚 know a lot of people feel very insecure with themselves because they feel depressed one day and donB次元官网网址檛 want to talk to their friends about it, and we really want to say itB次元官网网址檚 okay, itB次元官网网址檚 normal.B次元官网网址�
This year the club has larger goals they want to accomplish, including establishing a mental health panel, sending students to a multi-school mental health summit at the end of October, and hosting a variety show at the end of the year so students can feel confident in showing off their talents.
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But for the first month, itB次元官网网址檚 all about reminding students the club is there.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 something big to look up to, so the students have been told this is who we are, this is what we stand for,B次元官网网址� said Tom Gordon, English and Japanese teacher and club co-sponsor. B次元官网网址淎s part of our welcome back barbecue weB次元官网网址檝e made a new banner and will hang it up in a visible place for everyone to see.B次元官网网址�
The club will also try to reach out to Grade 9 and 10 students as possible club members when they might be feeling the most vulnerable.
Kaitlyn Gordon said the club would have been a helpful tool when she started high school.
B次元官网网址淏eing someone who is very quiet I found everybody above me very intimidating,B次元官网网址� Gordon said. B次元官网网址淚 think if thereB次元官网网址檇 been a group with a bunch of different ages, and you could go somewhere and just feel comfortable and just be yourself and working together. I think thatB次元官网网址檚 really important and I really would have enjoyed that.B次元官网网址�
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