PostSecondary Education Training and Labour Positive Mental Health

Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour Positive Mental Health Initiative Dr. Bill Morrison Dr. Patricia Peterson

Benefits of Mental Fitness in the Workplace High Engagement/Performance High Mental Fitness üMotivated and Healthy Team Members üSustained Team Energy and Action üEnhanced Organizational Productivity and Service Quality üIncreased Employee Attendance and Engagement

Mental Fitness Needs Fostering People at their Best Mental Fitness approaches emphasize the importance of: • Fostering healthy and pro-social interactions (Relatedness) • Building on strengths and motivations (Competency) • Encouraging initiative and engagement of all in setting a vision and working together to accomplish personal and organizational goals (Autonomy Support)

Integrated Wellness Platform

Positive Mental Health Initiative Intention • To promote greater awareness regarding the importance of positive mental health perspectives and practices • To set the stage for developing and implementing such practices as part of organizational routines and relationships • To support: • Student retention and engagement • Employee retention and engagement • Healthy learning and work environments • Positive relationships and resiliency • The social-emotional needs of all students and employees, especially those with mental health concerns

Post-Secondary Positive Mental Health Initiative Training of Positive Mental Health Champions May - August 2013 • Two positive mental health champions will assist with the facilitation and coordination of positive mental health activities and processes • Institutional champions will be trained in the delivery of a range of key activities related to the promotion of positive mental health perspectives and practices • Champions will assist in the development of plans on rolling out the initiative in their institutions • The initiative team will organize and provide positive mental health training at two training locations - one in French and one in English. COMP ONEN T 1

Post-Secondary Positive Mental Health Initiative Baseline Mental Fitness and Resiliency Assessment September - December 2013 • Development of a baseline profile of institutional levels of positive mental health and resiliency factors through administration of: • The Mental Fitness and Resiliency Inventory (MFRI) • The Organizational Resiliency Inventory • Fact sheets outlining the results of these instruments will be created for each postsecondary institution. • The outcomes of this effort will provide valuable information for assisting with Component 3 of the engagement process in each participating institution. COMP ONEN T 2

Post-Secondary Positive Mental Health Initiative Wellness Engagement Process November 2013 – December 2014 • • Implementation of a wellness engagement process to assist participants in identifying, creating and carrying out practices to promote positive mental health perspectives and practices Key outcomes envisioned for this initiative include: • An increased sense of community and • • connectedness An increased recognition and celebration of individual and team strengths An increased commitment to promote and implement positive mental health perspectives and practices within institutional routines and relationships COMP ONEN T 3

Post-Secondary Positive Mental Health Initiative Mental Fitness Awareness & Mental Fitness in Action January – December 2014 Mental Fitness Awareness: Embracing Strengths and Wellness This learning session is designed to introduce employees, educators and students to the key psychological wellness needs that promote personal and institutional wellness. COMP ONEN T 4 Learning Products and Tools Employees, Students, Leaders and Managers are provided with access to online video training, as well as an e. Book module with summary content and activities to prepare for the Mental Fitness in Action Module.

Component 4 cont’d Mental Fitness in Action I: Understanding Others This learning session builds employees' and students’ mental fitness practices related to effective listening and communication skills. Core mental fitness practices are linked with the psychological wellness needs of inclusion and relatedness. Mental Fitness in Action II: Encouraging Others This learning session builds employee and student mental fitness practices related to encouragement and affirmation. Core mental fitness practices are linked to the psychological wellness needs of recognition and competency. 
 Mental Fitness in Action III: Encouraging Others This learning session builds employee mental fitness practices related to employee engagement and empowerment. Core mental fitness practices are linked to the psychological wellness needs of respect and autonomy.

Post-Secondary Positive Mental Health Initiative Year 1 Follow-up and Strategic Planning for Embedding Mental Fitness and Resiliency Practices January - March 2015 Benchmarking of Mental Fitness and Resilience Practices • Completion of the Mental Fitness and Resiliency (MFR) Indicator Framework • Four major organizational domains: social and physical environment, learning and professional development, employee relations and interactions, and policies and routines. Strategic Plans for Moving Forward • Development of key practice and policy actions for embedding positive mental health perspectives and actions across provincial post-secondary institutions. COMP ONEN T 5