(Copied from the Department of Neuroscience site)
Last semester, students in a first year neuroscience course (An Introduction to Mental Health and Disease) were challenged with creating a mental health awareness campaign using social media as their platform.
The campaign would be geared toward students in Residence (particularly first year students) and would use content from the course to inform students not only about the basics of mental illness, but perhaps more importantly, how to keep a healthy brain. For example, why is sleep important to mental health? What kinds of foods are better for brain function? How does exercise reduce stress? As such, the campaign is called #justonething, as in, what is one thing each of us can do every day in support of our mental health?
We have selected the top three campaigns from the class submissions. In partnership with Residence Services, these campaigns will be going 'live' as of March 1, and will run the entire month of March. We opted for this time as it will coincide with Brain Awareness Week (March 10-16).
Each of the campaigns has an individual Facebook page (see below for links; note that not all the content is on the site yet as the students will be populating it throughout the month). We will also be putting up posters throughout residence and in key areas on campus to promote the campaign. At the end of the month of March, Residence Services will award the campaign with the most number of 'likes' on their facebook page with a prize.
We are very excited to be presenting this campaign as a way to highlight mental health, and in particular, to target a vulnerable population (university students). We are encouraging all the student contributors to spread the word via Facebook, twitter, etc. to their friends, family and co-workers and the broader Carleton community. Any exposure you can give the campaign would be wonderful.
If you want to contribute to the campaign, consider posting on your personal facebook page every day throughout the month of March, along with the #justonething, something you do every day in support of your own mental health!
Facebook Pages: