On January 25, 2023 and every day throughout the year, we can all take meaningful action to create positive change. You can use the actions below for inspiration or come up with your own. Share your actions using #BellLetsTalk to help inspire others.

 

Ways to take action:

 

- Choose a mental health organization to learn about or support

Let's create positive change!

Explore some of our Bell Let's Talk partners that are making a difference from coast to coast to coast.

Discover stories about the impact they are having.

 

- Help a friend struggling with mental health issues by learning ways to support them

Here are some resources that can help you support your friends.

Earn your Be There certificate, a free online course from Jack.org to learn how to recognize when someone is struggling, safely support them, and maintain your own mental health.

Talk to your workplace or school about arranging a mental health training course. Some programs include:

Mental Health First Aid or Psychological First Aid

Find a local provider such as the Mental Health Commission of Canada, St. John Ambulance and Canadian Red Cross

Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) or safeTALK training, available through various providers including some local CMHA branches

Become an Opioid Harm Reduction Champion with a free self-directed online course from Canadian Red Cross.

 

- Ask about how your school, workplace, or community is creating change for mental health

Here are some ways you can get started!

Discover supports and services available through the Government of Canada, including Wellness Together Canada.

Learn about the Canadian Mental Health Association's plan for mental health care in Canada.

Visit School Mental Health Ontario for mental health resources for teachers and classrooms.

 

- Nurture your own well-being by practicing and learning mental health strategies

Here are some ideas to get started!

Download our self-care activity or mandala for some ideas for supporting well-being.

Visit Kids Help Phone for resources and activities for supporting yourself and others.

Learn about programs that can help you build skills to improve your mental health, like CMHA’s Bounceback.

Discover strategies you can practice at home like self-care, mindfulness, calm breathing or at-home workout videos to help you stay active.

Get involved in a mental health initiative or organize an event to support mental health

Here are some ideas to get you started!

Download the Bell Let’s Talk toolkit for material and activities you can share with your family, friends and colleagues to help start the conversation and show your support for mental health.

Use our facilitator guide to help start a conversation about mental health in your community. The guide covers everything from facilitating a virtual conversation to identifying the next steps that participants may want to take in order to increase education and raise awareness about mental health where they live.

 

- Engage in conversations about mental health to fight stigma

Talking openly about mental health and mental illness is the first step to reducing the stigma that prevents people from seeking help.

5 simple ways to end stigma

Helping to end the stigma around mental illness can help people seek the help they need and create positive change. One of the biggest hurdles for anyone suffering from mental illness is overcoming the stigma of having a problem and asking for help. It is the number one reason why two-thirds of those living with a mental illness do not seek help.

Developed in partnership with Dr. Heather Stuart, the Bell Canada Mental Health and Anti-stigma Research Chair at Queen’s University, here are 5 simple ways to help end the stigma that keeps too many who struggle with mental illness from seeking the help they need:

- Language matters: the words you use can make all the difference.

- Educate yourself: knowing the facts and myths about mental illness can be a great way to help end the stigma.

- Be kind: simple acts of kindness can help open up the conversation and let someone know you are there for them.

- Listen and ask: being a good listener and asking how you can help can be the first step in recovery.

- Talk about it: mental illness touches us all in some way directly or through a friend, family member or colleague.

Download the Bell Lets Talk Conversation Guides that can be used to lead your own discussion about mental health or talk with someone you might be concerned about.

Educate yourself about mental health and mental illness. The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health’s Mental Health 101 site offers a series of free online tutorials about mental health, depression, addiction and other topics.

 

- Use #BellLetsTalk and help inspire others to join the movement to create positive change

On Bell Let's Talk Day and throughout the year, take concrete steps to make a difference in mental health and share them with us to inspire others!

 

Bell Let's Talk Funding Opportunities

- Community Fund

- Diversity Fund

- Post-Secondary Fund

- Bell TPL Fund

 

Investments in action

Bell Let’s Talk partners from coast to coast to coast are making a difference for mental health in their communities. Learn more about their impact.

Impact Stories

 

To learn more, please visit letstalk.bell.ca.