As AV俱乐部 continues to improve its health and wellness resources to students, new and innovative projects are being implemented. The latest is Q-Life, a program designed to teach resilience that started in mid-October.
Resilience is defined as one of the preventive mechanisms to avoid deteriorating mental health. It鈥檚 thought to be a main component of someone鈥檚 鈥済rit鈥� and is an important quality for living a healthy, productive life. While some forms of resilience are innate, resilience can actually be learned 鈥� which is where the Q-Life project comes in.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a program that is focused on our students鈥� health and well-being,鈥� says Verity Turpin, assistant vice-provost, Student Affairs. 鈥淭he initiative uses an evidence-based approach to build mental and physical health as well as mental performance. What I really like about this program is the focus on wellness.鈥�
Learn more: Q-Life website
A three-component program
The program itself focuses on three components: awareness, learning and action. First, students take an assessment to get their 鈥淨-Life Score.鈥� This evaluates their stress, coping, engagement and health, and gives them an idea of what area they need to work on. The program emphasizes that this initial score is just a reflection of one point in students鈥� lives and does not indicate their potential to improve.
Next, students enter a learning phase where they are presented with V-logs (a video series) that help engage them with the material. Finally, the action component gets them involved with their own progress. An online journal and question-based workbook allows students to apply what they have learned to their own lives. The purpose is to help increase their self-awareness to be able to identify problems and, eventually, solutions.
The total time commitment for students is 8鈥�10 hours over the course of nine weeks and, since it鈥檚 completely online, it鈥檚 accessible for any student to use anywhere, anytime.
Built on Dal expertise & collaboration
The development of the program and its implementation at AV俱乐部 is the product of a three-year study conducted by the School of Health and Human Performance and Student Affairs aimed at improving students鈥� resilience. It brought together many realms of the health world including psychologist Bill Howatt, well known for his research on mental health in the workplace. Dr. Howatt is one of the Q-Life co-leaders who guide students through the video series. Darren Steeves, the other co-leader, is an exercise physiologist who works in the field of health and performance and has also been instrumental in developing the program.
Dr. Lori Dithurbide, a faculty member in the School of Health & Human Performance, is the lead mental performance consultant at the Canadian Sport Centre Atlantic and contributed her knowledge to the project as well.
鈥淩esiliency is important for students, for everyone,鈥� says Dr. Dithurbide. 鈥淚t allows for individuals to learn and develop as challenges occur. Stress and challenges will happen throughout a student鈥檚 time at university. Being resilient helps them manage these stressors, and can lead to greater overall well-being.鈥�
A focus on total health
This unique group of individuals brings together Student Health & Wellness with the School of Human Health & Performance and demonstrates AV俱乐部鈥檚 commitment to having different departments working collaboratively to create a total health strategy for students.
鈥淣ow more than ever we need to offer innovative approaches to maintaining good health, which includes mental health,鈥� says Turpin. 鈥淭his will be accomplished by offering programs that focus on maintaining health versus programs that are solely focused on treatment.鈥�
Learn more: Q-Life website