Proactivity and Mindfulness

 

As Western’s Mental Health and Wellness Strategic Plan get finalized, we applaud Western’s administration for recognizing and considering the need to combat the mental health and wellness crisis in and outside of campus. While progress has been made around many reactive measures, such as additional counseling services during exam season, we look forward to implementing strategic proactive measures available to all students at any time of the day. It’s time to tackle the issue at the source and collectively improve our community’s wellness. In addition to increasing the volume of puppies and therapy dogs on campus, Team Ocean plans to implement guided mindfulness sessions and stress reduction training to the daily lives of students. Through a subscription to the highly regarded app, Headspace, we anticipate on promoting a culture where students proactively take care of their mental health and wellness on a daily basis. Therefore reducing the number of occurrences where students feel that the buildup of daily stress and anxiety is impeding their ability to succeed academically.

 

RezLife Support

 

The transition from high school to first year can be one of the most challenging parts of a young person’s life. We are fortunate to have such caring and loving support within our residence buildings, facilitated by Rez Staff and Rez Sophs. These community leaders are often the first responders to any issues that first-year students face. To further support RezLife, we look forward to advocating for an accessible academic accommodation program that our residence leaders can access when faced with compassionate issues that affect their academic ability. Ultimately, Team Ocean will work towards extending the benefits of this program to all students at large.

 

Improved Soph Support

 

While Western University is home to both the most unique and the best orientation program in Canada, there’s always room to make it better. Team Ocean is prepared to re-evaluate problems within the orientation program to improve the overall experience. While the soph self-care station located in the Wellness Education Center provides Sophs the opportunity to retreat for a much-needed break, the addition of social workers will ensure Sophs have trained professionals to speak with. Furthermore, we appreciate and understand that certain aspects of training week can be difficult for many of our Sophs. By introducing a space for Sophs to retreat to should they face any difficulty with a part of their training, we can ensure a continued push for a healthier learning and training environment.

 

Sexual Violence Prevention and Response

 

Team Ocean believes that a safe space for students both on campus and the London Community should be a guarantee. With 1 out of every 3 women being at risk of sexual assault and only 1 out of 3 Canadians understanding what sexual consent looks like, it’s time for our community to stand up and combat this issue. Western Consent and Sexual Violence Awareness Week 2017 failed to promote their events and create a large dialogue in regards to the importance of sexual violence prevention and sexual consent. Team Ocean is prepared to re-evaluate current practices and is eager to find effective new ways to shield our community from sexual violence.

 

Rec Centre

 

Team Ocean recognizes the Rec Centre as a great place for students to de-stress through exercise. The unfortunate fee placed upon various workout classes has created an additional financial burden for students. To promote student wellness and incentivize participation in regular exercise, we will be fighting to bring back free classes at the Rec Centre. We look forward to working with the Faculty of Health Sciences, specifically the School of Kinesiology to hopefully work towards the introduction of a course or course component where their students can teach Rec Centre courses for credit.