Students and teachers throughout the province are wearing hats at school today all in support of Mental Health Awareness Week.
 
Hats on for Mental Health is supported by the Alberta Teachers' Association and the Canadian Mental Health Association.
 
It's one of many events happening this week in Wolf Creek Public Schools with students learning about self-care, modelling balance in their lives, healthy lifestyles and just gaining a better understanding of what mental health is and the supports that are available.
 
Assistant Superintendent with Inclusive Learning Services Amber Hester says there's definitely more students within the school division that need support in the area of mental health.

“When we look at the number of students who have suffered with things like anxiety and depression, those are really prevalent in our society and with our youth as well. I think part of it is reducing that stigma, and having people understand that there are people other than themselves who may be experiencing and really also identifying what they are experiencing”.

Hester says the school division has made some great strides to offer students more support, most recently with the introduction of mental health first aid training.

“We’ve had groups of teachers, principals and educational associates that have come for the training around mental health first aid so that they can be almost like first-aiders where they are first responders so that they can help identify when students, or staff, or friends or family are experiencing mental health concerns and have some first steps of what they can do to support”.

Every school within the division also has a Social Worker who provides supports and services both to students and families.