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Stigma Free Society
The Stigma-Free Society, formerly the Bipolar Disorder Society of BC, is a registered non-profit since January 2010. Charity Registration Number: 827676867 RR0001
The Stigma-Free Society, formerly the Bipolar Disorder Society of BC, is a registered non-profit since January 2010. Charity Registration Number: 827676867 RR0001
The Importance of Mental Health Education in Schools
/in Blog /by Andrea PaquetteEarly social and emotional development lay the foundation for resiliency throughout the lifespan. However, 70% of adults with mental illness see symptoms emerge in childhood and adolescence. Some facts you should know… • Mental illness affects approximately 1.2 million youth in Canada. • By age 25, that number increases to 7.5 million (1 in 5 […]
The Stigma-Free Society Supports You this Coming Fall and Always
/in Blog /by Andrea PaquetteSummer is ending and Fall is definitely in the air and our team at the Stigma-Free Society is feeling a little humbled, nostalgic and thankful. We are all living through a global pandemic and no one knows what is to come next, but for now, we want to take a moment to wish all of […]
Mental Well-Being and Our Canadian Farmers
/in Blog /by Andrea Paquette“I wonder how the farmers’ mental well-being is today, this week, this month, or this year?” Has this thought ever crossed your mind?
5 Ways to Boost your Mental Health in 35 Minutes or Less
/in Blog /by Andrea PaquetteLet’s face it – some days you just feel crummy. Whether you had a terrible sleep, you’re stressed out or you just woke up in a negative mood – bad moods and negative mental health days happen. The good news? There are quite a few ways you can positively impact your mood and put yourself […]
Apply Today for a $2000 Stigma-Free Scholarship for Post-Secondary Students
/in Blog, News & Events /by Andrea PaquetteThe Stigma-Free Society is extremely proud to announce that we are once again partnering with Otsuka-Lundbeck Alliance to offer TWO deserving post-secondary students a $2000 scholarship to be allocated toward their educational pursuits. This is the third year that the Society has been able to provide these amazing scholarships and it is because of our […]
The Stigma-Free Society is Growing, Expanding & Looking for Feedback!
/in Blog /by Andrea PaquetteWhat a ride it’s been since March 2020 with COVID-19 and all the things that come along with living through a pandemic! Before COVID-19, much of the work of the Stigma-Free Society was conducted through in-person presentations at schools and organizations where we would educate youth and teens about mental health awareness, the elimination of […]
We Reached our $20k Goal! THANK YOU!
/in Blog, News & Events /by Andrea PaquetteA Warm and Grateful Message from the Stigma-Free Society Team… We had an INCREDIBLE week last week with our first ever online fundraiser “”Helping Stigma-Free Society During COVID-19”. Through the generous support of the beautiful community around us, we reached our goal of $20,000 and we couldn’t be more grateful to everyone who donated and […]
Special Guest Blogger – Jenica Pong: On COVID-19 as a Student and Taking Virtual Action!
/in Blog /by Andrea PaquetteIt was a huge change not returning in class after spring break. With the weight of the pandemic sinking in I began to understand how this would affect the rest of my year: no band concert, no year end dance show, no school carnival; I wouldn’t be playing Pomp and Circumstance or get to watch […]
Stigma-Free COVID-19 Online Full-Day Fundraiser – We Need Your Help!
/1 Comment/in Blog, News & Events /by Andrea PaquetteAt the Stigma-Free Society we are extremely proud of the work we have been doing to educate and raise awareness about various stigmas, with a focus on mental health in schools, businesses and organizations. When COVID-19 hit, the way we educate and help students and individuals in the community had to change. We responded urgently […]
10 Ways to Boost Your Mental Health on a Rainy Day
/in Blog /by Andrea PaquetteA lot of people love a good rainy day. It’s a great excuse to hunker down under your blankets and stay inside for the day. However, for some, rainy days can be really difficult, particularly if they’re battling a mental illness like depression or anxiety. The good news? There are ways for you to boost […]
Tips for Parents to Help Their Kids Cope with “Increasing the Bubble”
/in Blog /by Andrea PaquetteFor months now, we have been waiting for news on when and how we will get back to our new “normal” after COVID-19. Now, as we begin to see our world slowly opening back up, be aware that your kids may have more questions, more anxiety and more worry over the coming weeks. While this […]
How Educators Can Use our NEW COVID-19 Youth Wellness Toolkit
/in Blog, News & Events /by Andrea PaquetteThe Stigma-Free Society has been extremely pleased with the feedback on our new Stigma-Free COVID-19 Youth Wellness Toolkit. This new Toolkit is an online community-based participatory program that aims to promote mental wellness in grades 4-6 and grades 7-12. Both parents and students have provided incredibly useful feedback on the site, and the Charity is […]
Stigma-Free COVID-19 Youth Wellness Toolkit – COMING SOON!
/in Blog, News & Events /by Andrea PaquetteThe Stigma-Free Society is bound and determined to continue to educate youth on mental health issues and combat stigma of all kinds. With COVID-19 putting a halt to our school presentations, we decided to create a new online Stigma-Free COVID-19 Youth Wellness Toolkit. Our new online COVID-19 Toolkit Program will inform educators and students in […]
Take Care of Yourself! Mental Health Supports during COVID-19 Crisis
/in Blog /by Andrea PaquetteAuthor Daniel To, District Principal, Surrey School District (Guest Post) Take Care of Yourself! Mental Health Supports during COVID-19 Crisis Other than for those who are true introverts – and are really relishing this current opportunity to stay home during the COVID19 crisis – (aka my father and my brother Dr. Nathan To https://www.thecounterstory.com) this […]
Stigma Free Society’s Program Delivery & Covid-19
/in Blog, News & Events /by Andrea PaquetteIn light of the current uncertainty surrounding the spread of Covid-19; the Stigma Free Society has determined that our responsibility to our staff and the community is best served by suspending all group gatherings, school presentations and public interactions effectively immediately. As such, the women’s group meetings, school and business presentations and other activities, which […]
From Battling Lifelong Stigmas to Scholarship Award Winner – Meet Juls
/in Blog, News & Events, Stories /by Andrea PaquetteWe are incredibly proud to introduce you to Juls Budau, winner of the Stigma-Free Society – Otsuka Lundbeck Alliance Scholarship. Registered in the Masters in Social Work program at the Northern University of British Columbia, Juls will use this scholarship money to pay for her tuition, something she wasn’t sure how she was going to […]
#ThatWellnessThing – Join us at the Langley Education Centre – Feb. 26th, 2020
/in Blog, News & Events /by Andrea PaquetteJoin us to learn more about mental health and wellness at our 3rd Annual Open House & Community Resource Fair! #ThatWellnessThing WHEN: Wednesday February 26, 2020 – 4:30 – 7PM @ Langley Education Centre. WHERE: 21405A 56 Avenue, Langley, B.C. Students 16+, adults, and school staff welcome. No registration required. Light refreshments and on site […]
Embracing Emotions to Create Change: Meet Scholarship Winner Kristine Robles
/in Blog, News & Events, Stories /by Andrea PaquetteWith the support from the Otsuka-Lunbeck Alliance, we are so proud to announce Kristine Robles as one of the recipients of a Stigma-Free Society scholarship for post-secondary education. Kristine is currently enrolled as a full-time student in the Master of Counselling Psychology: School and Youth program at Adler University. These scholarships are awarded to inspirational […]
RSVP Today for SFS Annual General Meeting Nov. 11th !
/in Blog, News & Events /by Andrea PaquetteOur Annual General Meeting will be held on November 11, 2019, at 6:00 – 7:30 pm at the Century Plaza Hotel in Vancouver. Our AGM is sponsored by Century Plaza Hotel and we are extremely grateful that they have offered the Burrard Ballroom for our event. There will be light refreshments provided by our generous […]
Stigma-Free Society Scholarship Opportunity!
/in Blog, News & Events /by Andrea PaquetteThe Stigma-Free Society is thrilled to be partnering with the Otsuka-Lundbeck Alliance to offer two deserving youth a scholarship of $2000 to be allocated to their educational pursuits. Two B.C. students experiencing the effects of social stigmatization, either because of mental illness, LGBTQ+, homelessness, race, or addictions issues, will be selected to receive this scholarship […]