It’s no secret that college can be stressful, and for many students, the extra work, along with a whole host of other factors, could potentially cause students to feel anxious, depressed, or generally mentally unwell. It can be difficult to speak to others about having mental health struggles. Active Minds seeks to not only provide students with an ability to voice their struggles, but to foster a healthier and more accepting campus environment.
“We want to make it easier for students to ask each other ‘are you OK?,’” said Adriana Brogger, Digital Media Professor and a supervisor of Active Minds.
The Delta College chapter of Active Minds, a national organization, opened six years ago.
“I had several students who were involved in a multimedia project called ‘Breaking the Silence’ that focused on the mental health landscape on college campuses,” said Brogger. “After the project was done, the students wanted to continue the conversation. That was when Heather Bradford contacted the Active Minds organization, which allowed for students to talk about mental health on a one-to-one level. The initial Active Minds members were the students who worked on ‘Breaking the Silence.’”
The program separates itself from a typical student club by involving students, the faculty, and the campus in general.
“We don’t operate in isolation,” said Brogger, “Bradford links us to the counseling department, which gives us the ability to recommend different services.”
This became much more important as the Covid-19 pandemic impacted every part of college life.
“Once the pandemic hit, we started receiving a lot more referrals from teachers; students who needed help in one way or another,” said Brogger. “We started linking students to crisis intervention, to counseling sessions, and other professionals.”
The program is run by students, who can choose what topics will be discussed. Students can be chosen to serve as wellness ambassadors for the organization, and can steer the organization based on the needs of their own peers.
Since Active Minds has been a part of Delta, Brogger has seen the perception around mental health change.
“I think the Covid-19 pandemic has demonstrated a need for people to have a healthy environment,” said Brogger. “People have realized that most people are struggling with something, and that it’s OK to not always be happy.”