My first post

My name is Rebecca and I just finished my third year at Brock University. I am 20 years old and in the Concurrent Education program, specializing in Child and Youth studies. I have chosen the topic of mental health and youth for this blog for COMM  2F00 as I believe it is a very important issue that has increasingly begun to be acknowledged and should continue to be acknowledged through various facets. 1 in 5, approximately 500,000, children in Ontario struggle with a mental health problem. This statistic is one that can no longer continue to be ignored.

Mental health has been a topic I have greatly gained interest in as I have progressed through my university, volunteer and work experience. I worked at the Canadian Mental Health Association last summer and am doing so again this summer facilitating the youth after school program. I have also participated in the on-campus club called 'Active Minds' that raises awareness regarding mental health for youth and the stomping out the stigma associated with such mental health concerns. Too many youth are ashamed of how they feel and therefore do not reach out to receive the support or help they need and could acquire if they decided to speak up. Youth and adolescents must be supported and encouraged to speak up, rather than being fearful of being made fun of or that people will think they are 'crazy' or 'psycho'; it is stigma such as this that needs to be eliminated in order for children and youth to step forward when potentially struggling with mental health issues. My intent of this blog is to provide an educational and informative blog that appropriately informs people about mental health, the stigma associated with mental health, and how to handle such concerns.

Every child and adolescent should feel they have somewhere to go or someone to talk to. Mental health is as equally important as physical health, and the stigma that is attached to certain mental health concerns must be eliminated in order for others to develop a proper understanding and appreciation for those who struggle with mental health concerns and provide the help and support for such youth. This is a great time to begin this blog as this week is actually children's mental health week!

I hope you enjoy my blog! This is my first official blog using something like wordpress or blogger. It should be interesting but I am looking forward to it!

Here are some interesting links to other sources regarding mental health and youth:
Blogs
http://teenmentalhealth.org/blog/
http://www.healthyplace.com/blogs/
http://beingtrulypresent.com/
http://curiouscuratio.blogspot.ca/
http://www.aliceboyes.com/blog/

Twitter hashtags
#mentalhealth
#cmha
#bellletstalk
#mentalhealthcanada
#mentalhealthweek (children's mental health week is actually this week!)

Websites
http://www.cmha.ca/mental-health/your-mental-health/youth/
http://www.teenmentalhealth.org/
http://mindyourmind.ca/
http://www.kidsmentalhealth.ca/
http://werkidsmentalhealth.ca/