Mental health promotion is the foundational everyday work that educators and school staff do within and beyond the curriculum to welcome and include students, to understand them, to build knowledge of mental health, to promote mentally healthy habits and to partner with families, students and other staff to create a supportive environment (PPM 169). 

Wellness promotion is one aspect of this and includes a focus on relationships, wellness habits and culture, community and faith connections. 

What wellness promotion looks like

Nurturing relationships – Wellness promotion happens in small, everyday moments that build connection and care. It’s reflected in how teachers greet students, how peers treat one another and how schools help everyone to feel they belong. 

Building wellness habits – Wellness promotion also encourages habits known to help in maintaining good mental health, like good sleep habits, nutrition, balanced device use and regular physical activity. Understanding the relationship between a healthy body and a healthy mind can help students achieve a balanced lifestyle that supports good mental health now and into the future. 

Exploring identity – Finally, through wellness promotion, schools can point to the strength and support that students may find through connections to their culture, faith, recreation and community. These aspects of a student’s growing identity help to shape who they are, what they value and how they live their lives with a sense of meaning, purpose and belonging. 

Wellness promotion activities support student mental health by: 

• fostering belonging and connection among students and staff 
• encouraging kindness, empathy, and inclusion in all school interactions, and dealing with hurtful actions that go against school expectations for thoughtful conduct promptly 
• encouraging good sleep hygiene, healthy eating, balanced device use and screen time, and daily physical activity as ways to maintain wellness 
• promoting the importance of culture, faith/spirituality, recreation and community engagement to encourage a sense of strength, resilience, mattering and belonging 
• partnering with families and communities to create supportive environments 

Connection is at the heart of student well-being. When relationships come first, learning and mental health naturally grow stronger. 

Why this is important 

When schools actively promote positive mental health through wellness promotion practices, students are more likely to: 

• feel connected to their school community and build stronger relationships with peers and adults 
• experience lower levels of anxiety and depressed mood, and a greater sense of balance associated with healthy lifestyle habits 
• explore and build on the strengths inherent in their culture, faith, recreation, and community to create a sense of strength, resilience, mattering and belonging 

Research shows that when students feel they belong, they are more engaged in learning and better able to navigate life’s ups and downs. When schools lead with connection, students feel more confident to be themselves and better equipped to face life’s challenges. 

Strength-based considerations and approaches 

Students who see their identities, cultures, strengths, languages and lived experiences reflected and affirmed in all aspects of school life are more likely to feel connected and supported. 

A focus on strength-based, culturally-responsive practices ensures that all students have opportunities to thrive.

More resources to support mental health promotion at school:

Educator preparation: 

• Guide/tool

Mentally Healthy Classroom Reflection Tool

• Tip sheet

Cultural Humility Self-Reflection Tool for School Staff

Learn

• Classroom resource
• Lesson plan
• Video / webinar

Stress Management and Coping Virtual Field Trips

Roadmaps to resources: 

• Classroom resource
• Guide/tool

Starting the School Year with Connection, Community and Calm