Mental Health Commission of Canada:

"This guide was developed to provide system leaders with key information to support their important role in mental health and life promotion. Mental health promotion, early identification related to mental health problems; and suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention. Where the research literature in this area is incomplete, the authors drew on practice-based evidence and inputs from those with lived experience to arrive at recommendations that they hope will be helpful in school districts across Canada. Working together, with the best available information, school systems can help to realize the promise of school-based suicide prevention and life promotion efforts, truly making a difference in the lives and well-being of Canadian students."

LINK: Suicide Prevention and Life Promotion in Schools PDF

Keep your eyes out for exciting professional development opportunities in the coming months!

Communications will be sent out via our PSAC44 email. 

For those who are interested, click the link below to register for a free conference on Feb.20/25 put on by The Bahá'í Chair for World Peace, University of Maryland. 

Below is an excerpt from the description:
"In a world where the concept of “race” continues to permeate our societies and shape our perceptions, the need for a radical shift in our approach to combating racism has never been more evident. The “Abolishing Racism: Creating a Future without Race” conference is a groundbreaking event that brings together a diverse range of speakers, scholars, artists, and activists who advocate for racial eliminativism — the bold belief that to truly end racism, we must dismantle the very notion of “race” itself."

UniversityStudy.ca, an online initiative of Universities Canada for over 14 years is relaunching on November 7, 2024 with an enhanced and interactive platform to help your students find the best fit for their future! Explore over 17,000 programs across Canadian universities and compare schools or programs side-by-side, so you can help students make informed decisions tailored to their goals. Dive into the new database of over 1,000 scholarships for all post-secondary programs,  Plus, explore a wealth of student support resources covering academics, financial and social matters, and career
planning. 
 
UniversityStudy.ca is there to support students at every step in their journey from application to graduation!

The Intimate Images Legal Advice Project is a NEW free legal advice service for people whose intimate images have been shared without consent. This is a pilot project through CLAS’ Stand Informed Legal Advice Services and will be serving clients until March 2025.

The Intimate Images Legal Advice Project can provide up to three hours of free, confidential legal advice to anyone in British Columbia who has experienced the sharing (or threat of sharing) of their intimate images without their consent. Our lawyer will explain your rights and the legal options available to you. We can also help connect clients to support services. There are no age or gender requirements.

Please see our website and blog for more information on how to apply for the service. The Intimate Images Legal Advice service can be reached at standinformed@clasbc.net or 604-673-3143 (or toll-free 1-888-685-6222).

The Ministry of Children and Family Development’s HealthyMindsBC website provides no-cost,
evidence-informed prevention and early intervention courses and resources for B.C. educators,
families and others to help them support the everyday mental health of children and youth.
These resources have been developed in B.C. in collaboration with educators, parents and
caregivers with lived experience and a variety of experts. In addition to the Everyday Anxiety
Strategies for Educators collection, other mental health resources address Suicide prevention, self harm, depression, and more. Find out more.

"The Language Matters: An Introductory Guide for Understanding Mental Health and Substance Use resource is meant to help facilitate conversations, build common understandings, and support practice by defining and discussing key mental health an­­d substance use terms and topics. This resource is designed for educators, administrators, school support staff and school community partners."

LINK: Introducing "Language Matters!" webinar

LINK: Download the PDF

Have you joined the "BCSCA Members Only" Facebook page or followed "bcschoolcounsellors" on Instagram yet?

Check out our social media pages for updates and opportunities to connect with colleagues!

Thank you to those who attended our exciting 2024 BCSCA Conference in Victoria!

We look forward to seeing familiar and new faces next year at our fall 2025 BCSCA Conference, to be held in the Lower Mainland!

More details to come... 

The Fall/Winter 2024 edition of BC Counsellor Magazine is now live!

This edition features three articles focused on how School Counsellors can address the mental health crisis through promotion and prevention approaches. The authors featured in this edition are Lisa Baylis; Shirley Giroux and Amar Sull; and Christine Schwartz, Jessica Tang, Jen Barican, and Charlotte Waddell.

Twice a year, the BC School Counsellors' Association publishes an issue of BC Counsellor magazine. Click this link to visit the issue library and read past issues of the magazine.

We are always looking for ideas and contributors. If you enjoy writing and have an idea for an article or a review of a counselling-related book you would be willing to share with colleagues in BC and beyond, then please email publications chair, Lexa Villette (lexavillette@gmail.com), and see the attached author guidelines for more information.

The deadline for submissions to the Spring 2025 edition is January 30th.
The deadline for submissions to the Fall 2025 edition is July 31st.

Click the link bellow to read the Writer Submission Guidelines