Supporting the Mental Health of Newcomer Students at School
Creating welcoming and identity-affirming school environments helps to promote and support the mental health of students who are newcomers to Canada.
Why is it important for school staff to create welcoming environments for newcomer students?
A welcoming school climate and support from caring adults at school are both related to better emotional health in newcomer students.
School staff are well-positioned to notice when a newcomer student may need additional support through the transition to their new country or school or when they show signs that their mental health might be impacted.
The resource proposes suggestions:
- for creating welcoming school environments for newcomer students
- to identify when a student may need more support with their mental health
- to provide ongoing support when a student is struggling
How might I use this tool?
The information and reflection questions in this info sheet could be used during a PD day, a staff meeting, or a family of schools meeting to increase dialogue and help enhance capacity around supporting newcomer well-being in schools.
