Serenitea workshop serves up mental health education and support

The Serenitea mental health workshop, the third event #ShattertheSilence was held on July 23 from 11a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Student Commons by Algonquin College public relations students (ACPR).

The Serenitea workshop was organized by the ACPR team as part of their #ShattertheSilence campaign, which aims to create a welcoming space for people to openly discuss mental health. The workshop offered coffee, tea and brownies to foster a comfortable atmosphere for discussion.

“If you want to start a conversation with a friend, the first step is always having a coffee,” said Lokender Singh, a member of the group organizing the event.

The student organizers collaborated extensively on all aspects of the Serenitea workshop, from production and setup to facilitating the day’s events. Their efforts are part of a broader partnership with The Royal Mental Health Care Centre.

“I think they’re doing a fantastic job for themselves and also for their client the Royal, and more importantly they are highlighting the value of having those conversations to shatter the silence about mental health,” said Bradley Moseley-Williams, a professor and coordinator of public relations program.

Throughout the workshop, more than 30 attendees engaged in interactive games, including question cards to learn more about supporting mental health. The ACPR students also shared tips about mental health and reminded attendees about the services available at Algonquin College.

Zing Zhang, an animation student, was passing through the student commons when he noticed the event, approached the ACPR students and heard about the concept and purpose behind the activity.

” I donated because I know how mental health is important for students, especially for international students,” said Zhang.

Sunjung Byun, an accounting student at Algonquin College, said, ”Mental health is a very important thing for human beings and I feel so lucky to attend this event,”

“The money that ACPR campaigns give to non-profits, in this case the Royal, are always given with no strings attached,” said Lois Caracas, a level 2 public relations student. “This means that it’s up to the Royal to allocate the funds where they know they most need it.”