About Us

Community of Practice

Healthy Campus Saskatchewan (HCSK) is a Community of Practice that brings together 19 post-secondary institutions (including staff, students, and faculty), and 2 community organizations to create shared opportunities that support the health and wellbeing of students enrolled in post-secondary education programs.

Our vision is to create healthy, resilient campus communities where students feel safe, supported, and have the knowledge, tools, and resources they need to achieve their personal, academic, and future career goals.

HCSK is passionate about student health and wellbeing and is using this provincial platform to:

  • Research, create, and share evidence-based information and resources
  • Build relationships and innovative partnerships to mobilize knowledge
  • Improve collaboration and problem-solving between campuses
  • Celebrate successes and help navigate challenges
  • Use resources efficiently and effectively to achieve maximum impact on measurable goals

JOIN US

Join our community of practice forum to access resources and information, learn from others, share your knowledge, and contribute to the community. Send an email to info@hcsk.ca and she will forward you an email invitation to join.

About Us

Community of Practice

Healthy Campus Saskatchewan (HCSK) is a Community of Practice that brings together 19 post-secondary institutions (including staff, students, and faculty), and 2 community organizations to create shared opportunities that support the health and wellbeing of students enrolled in post-secondary education programs.

Our vision is to create healthy, resilient campus communities where students feel safe, supported, and have the knowledge, tools, and resources they need to achieve their personal, academic, and future career goals.

HCSK is passionate about student health and wellbeing and is using this provincial platform to:

  • Research, create, and share evidence-based information and resources
  • Build relationships and innovative partnerships to mobilize knowledge
  • Improve collaboration and problem-solving between campuses
  • Celebrate successes and help navigate challenges
  • Use resources efficiently and effectively to achieve maximum impact on measurable goals

JOIN US

Join our community of practice forum to access resources and information, learn from others, share your knowledge, and contribute to the community. Send an email to info@hcsk.ca and she will forward you an email invitation to join.

Our Work

Strategic Priorities

Data-Driven Collaboration

Healthy Campus Saskatchewan and 17 post-secondary institutions deployed the Canadian Campus Wellbeing Survey (CCWS) to over 3,000 students in the Spring of 2021. This data provides baseline information around the mental health and wellbeing of our Saskatchewan post-secondary students. The CCWS assesses the overall campus climate and various factors that contribute to student mental health and wellness. Our goal is to repeat the survey every two years to measure changes and trends.

Data from the survey indicated most students felt their campus provided a respectful, inclusive climate and a supportive learning environment. The majority of students knew where to access mental and physical health services on and off-campus, and believed there was a good support system for students who were going through difficult times. Students indicated they had high levels of social support and risky alcohol use was comparatively lower than in previous surveys.

However, concern for student mental health remains, with 32% of students reporting severe mental distress and 28% reporting low mental wellbeing.

Community Engagement

Advancing post-secondary student health and wellbeing will be enhanced by reaching out to each other and the broader community. We actively seek partnerships with organizations that share our vision for healthy and resilient campus communities. Through our online Community of Practice forum to our outreach efforts to the broader community, we support collaboration, innovation, and co-creation in the post-secondary education sector.

Health Education, Training, and Awareness

Bringing attention to and advocating for post-secondary mental health and wellbeing is core to our mission as a Community of Practice. Through social media, awareness campaigns, Peer Health Outreach Networks, mental health training, discussion forums, and online education opportunities, HCSK will promote and advance student wellness in post-secondary institutions across the province.

“Since our College does not have in-house crisis counselling or a student
wellness centre, this program helps us fill the gap between student health needs and students accessing other community supports”.
Staff member, Parkland College

Canadian Standard for Mental Health and Well-Being for Post-Secondary Students

The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC), in collaboration with the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) Group, has developed a set of voluntary standards that post-secondary institutions can use to measure how they are doing in terms of student mental health. Work toward meeting the Standard will influence, shape, and set benchmarks for post-secondary institutions to create healthy and safe environments for students.

The Standard was developed with input from experts, scoping research, and cross-country dialogue with students, administrators, health agencies, governments, and people with lived experience of mental illness. This work was funded by Bell Let’s Talk and the Standard is the first of its kind in the world.

Healthy Campus Saskatchewan will work to support our Saskatchewan post-secondary institutions to adopt and meet the Standard. Email bev@hcsk.ca to join our Standard Committee and begin working on the Standard at your campus with the help of our HCSK community. You can find the Audit Tool on page 36-53 in the downloadable Starter Kit below. The Audit Tool will help your campus assess where you are already meeting the Standard and where to focus some attention.

Summary of the Scoping Review of current literature related to post-secondary student mental health
Download your copy of the Standard
Download a copy of the Starter Kit that will help you begin
Download FAQ Resource

To view past webinars we have hosted about the Standard, please go to Upcoming Events and check under Recorded Webinars.

Our Work

Strategic Priorities

Data-Driven Collaboration

Healthy Campus Saskatchewan and 17 post-secondary institutions deployed the Canadian Campus Wellbeing Survey (CCWS) to over 3,000 students in the Spring of 2021. This data provides baseline information around the mental health and wellbeing of our Saskatchewan post-secondary students. The CCWS assesses the overall campus climate and various factors that contribute to student mental health and wellness. Our goal is to repeat the survey every two years to measure changes and trends.

Data from the survey indicated most students felt their campus provided a respectful, inclusive climate and a supportive learning environment. The majority of students knew where to access mental and physical health services on and off-campus, and believed there was a good support system for students who were going through difficult times. Students indicated they had high levels of social support and risky alcohol use was comparatively lower than in previous surveys.

However, concern for student mental health remains, with 32% of students reporting severe mental distress and 28% reporting low mental wellbeing.

Community Engagement

Advancing post-secondary student health and wellbeing will be enhanced by reaching out to each other and the broader community. We actively seek partnerships with organizations that share our vision for healthy and resilient campus communities. Through our online Community of Practice forum to our outreach efforts to the broader community, we support collaboration, innovation, and co-creation in the post-secondary education sector.

Health Education, Training, and Awareness

Bringing attention to and advocating for post-secondary mental health and wellbeing is core to our mission as a Community of Practice. Through social media, awareness campaigns, Peer Health Outreach Networks, mental health training, discussion forums, and online education opportunities, HCSK will promote and advance student wellness in post-secondary institutions across the province.

“Since our College does not have in-house crisis counselling or a student
wellness centre, this program helps us fill the gap between student health needs and students accessing other community supports”.
Staff member, Parkland College

Canadian Standard for Mental Health and Well-Being for Post-Secondary Students

The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC), in collaboration with the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) Group, has developed a set of voluntary standards that post-secondary institutions can use to measure how they are doing in terms of student mental health. Work toward meeting the Standard will influence, shape, and set benchmarks for post-secondary institutions to create healthy and safe environments for students.

The Standard was developed with input from experts, scoping research, and cross-country dialogue with students, administrators, health agencies, governments, and people with lived experience of mental illness. This work was funded by Bell Let’s Talk and the Standard is the first of its kind in the world.

Healthy Campus Saskatchewan will work to support our Saskatchewan post-secondary institutions to adopt and meet the Standard. Email bev@hcsk.ca to join our Standard Committee and begin working on the Standard at your campus with the help of our HCSK community. You can find the Audit Tool on page 36-53 in the downloadable Starter Kit below. The Audit Tool will help your campus assess where you are already meeting the Standard and where to focus some attention.

Summary of the Scoping Review of current literature related to post-secondary student mental health
Download your copy of the Standard
Download a copy of the Starter Kit that will help you begin
Download Stages of Implementation Infographic
Download FAQ Resource

To view past webinars we have hosted about the Standard, please go to Upcoming Events and check under Recorded Webinars.

Upcoming Events

Please email info@hcsk.ca to check if there are scheduled events coming up. Click the links below to check our previous events.

Upcoming Events

Please email info@hcsk.ca to check if there are scheduled events coming up. Click the links below to check our previous events.

Our Team

Our Partners

Working together to advance post-secondary student health and wellbeing in Saskatchewan.

Our Team

Our Partners

Working together to advance post-secondary student health and wellbeing in Saskatchewan.

Post-Secondary Institution Partners

Community Partners

Post-Secondary Institution Partners

Community Partners

Our Staff

Hover over each photo and click on the arrow to learn more about each staff member.

Bev Drew

Strategic and Operational Lead

Bev is passionate about mental health and wellbeing. She is committed to leading an organization that supports Saskatchewan post-secondary institutions to provide learning communities where students can thrive.

Bev has a B.A.Sc. in Family and Consumer Studies from the University of Guelph and an M.Sc. in Human Development and Family Studies from Iowa State University. She is a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT).

Bev loves to be creative in work projects and in her spare time. She is a potter and a quilter. She loves spending time with friends and family, especially her two granddaughters.

Julian Wotherspoon

Student Engagement Coordinator

Julian Wotherspoon (she/her) is a queer neurodiverse white settler woman, single parent, and community organizer living and learning in Treaty 4 Territory. Julian brings a wealth of experience collaborating with and supporting various student movements at the University of Regina. She is also an experienced evaluation, community engagement, and program coordinator in the non-profit sector providing consultation and support to organizations across Saskatchewan. Her academic background is in Health Studies, which helps her to understand health and wellness in broader social and environmental terms. Julian has contributed to community health research concerning social isolation in older adults, mental health service delivery, and cultural continuity in social service delivery. Julian believes that building healthy campuses requires holistic and participatory action led by students. When not at work, Julian spends her time nurturing her sourdough starter, gardening, and exploring mosses on nearby hiking trails.
Justin Mataverde

Justin Mataverde

Outreach Facilitator

Justin is the Student Outreach Facilitator whose role is to reach out and connect with post-secondary students across Saskatchewan. He’s passionate about spreading awareness and providing training so students have the resources to start their own Peer Health groups. Starting as a Peer Health Volunteer himself, he will bring his experience and dedication to the HCSK team.

Justin is currently enrolled in the B.Sc. Computer Science program at USask. His aspiration is to use programming languages/technology and implement them into mental health resources. Before joining HCSK, Justin was the Student Coordinator/Student Facilitator for the USask Peer Health program taking on several initiatives, particularly the transition from virtual back to in-person learning.

His hobbies include cooking, programming, fitness, and watching movies. He enjoys taking time for himself to work on projects, be it a puzzle or writing stories.

Our Staff

Hover over each photo and click on the arrow to learn more about each staff member.

Bev Drew

Strategic and Operational Lead

Bev is passionate about mental health and wellbeing. She is committed to leading an organization that supports Saskatchewan post-secondary institutions to provide learning communities where students can thrive.

Bev has a B.A.Sc. in Family and Consumer Studies from the University of Guelph and an M.Sc. in Human Development and Family Studies from Iowa State University. She is a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT).

Bev loves to be creative in work projects and in her spare time. She is a potter and a quilter. She loves spending time with friends and family, especially her two granddaughters.

Julian Wotherspoon

Student Engagement Coordinator

Julian Wotherspoon (she/her) is a queer neurodiverse white settler woman, single parent, and community organizer living and learning in Treaty 4 Territory. Julian brings a wealth of experience collaborating with and supporting various student movements at the University of Regina. She is also an experienced evaluation, community engagement, and program coordinator in the non-profit sector providing consultation and support to organizations across Saskatchewan. Her academic background is in Health Studies, which helps her to understand health and wellness in broader social and environmental terms. Julian has contributed to community health research concerning social isolation in older adults, mental health service delivery, and cultural continuity in social service delivery. Julian believes that building healthy campuses requires holistic and participatory action led by students. When not at work, Julian spends her time nurturing her sourdough starter, gardening, and exploring mosses on nearby hiking trails.
Justin Mataverde

Justin Mataverde

Outreach Facilitator

Justin is the Student Outreach Facilitator whose role is to reach out and connect with post-secondary students across Saskatchewan. He’s passionate about spreading awareness and providing training so students have the resources to start their own Peer Health groups. Starting as a Peer Health Volunteer himself, he will bring his experience and dedication to the HCSK team.

Justin is currently enrolled in the B.Sc. Computer Science program at USask. His aspiration is to use programming languages/technology and implement them into mental health resources. Before joining HCSK, Justin was the Student Coordinator/Student Facilitator for the USask Peer Health program taking on several initiatives, particularly the transition from virtual back to in-person learning.

His hobbies include cooking, programming, fitness, and watching movies. He enjoys taking time for himself to work on projects, be it a puzzle or writing stories.