From Jan. 27-31, UFV is hosting its first-ever Thrive Week, a series of events and activities designed to promote mental health literacy and improve students’ mental and physical well-being. Each day follows a theme, such as Mindfulness Monday, and features events that promote different aspects of self-care, including meditation, yoga, dance, and more.
Thrive Week was first conceived at UBC just over a decade ago as a way to fight the stigma surrounding mental health issues, and the event has since been adopted by schools across Canada including SFU, Queen’s University, the University of Winnipeg, and over a dozen more.
UFV’s Thrive Week is the result of a partnership between Campus Recreation and the Peer Resource and Leadership Centre (PRLC), who provided financial support for the week’s events. Several other organizations have also contributed to programming, including UFV’s Mental Health Club, who hosted “Cups of Calmness and Colouring,” an event for students to enjoy a hot beverage and colour while conversing about mental health topics.
This year’s Thrive events are primarily occurring at UFV’s Abbotsford campus, although a few of the Chilliwack campus’s regularly scheduled events, including multiple yoga sessions and dance fitness, are being included in Thrive as a way of promoting them to students who may otherwise be unaware of what’s going on on campus.
Cheryl Van Nes, program manager for Campus Recreation and Wellness, is responsible for coordinating the week’s events (along with some assistance from her colleague Ashley Ward-Hall at the PRLC) and said the idea of hosting a Thrive Week at UFV was inspired by some of those other schools.
“Thrive happens within the campus recreation community at other universities, and my colleagues that I know from other universities have participated in it and promoted it,” she said. “Health and wellness, and mental health, is a hot topic these days.”
Van Nes also said she hopes future Thrive weeks can be even more comprehensive.
“The Chilliwack campus is a bit more challenging because of resources,” Van Nes said.
Students interested in volunteering in the future (and receiving co-curricular record credit) or being involved in the event should email CampusRec@UFV.ca or send her “an email if they have something cool that they want to do that’s related to health and wellness.”
Students can find more information about Thrive and view the full schedule of events at UFV.ca/Thrive, or by following UFV Recreation on Twitter at @UFVRec.
Image: UFV Cascade
