“I see a difference in her now,” says Linda Sr. after her daughter joined a United Way British Columbia School’s Out program. “She used to be very quiet and shy and not join games because her brother wasn’t with her, and it was a new environment.” Now, almost three years after starting the program, Linda Jr. loves playing games and it’s a joyful side of her that Linda Sr. believes the program brought out.
A recent study led by the University of Calgary indicates that in light of the pandemic the integration of mental health support within the community health and the education systems—including promotion, prevention, early intervention, and treatment—is urgently needed to increase the reach of mental health support that can mitigate child and adolescent mental distress.
However, this is where programs like School’s Out can help. The after-school program is a lifeline for many children–it’s where they can get help with homework, make friends and more. “It’s that safe space for them to connect with their peers and adult mentors to help them really feel that adults care about them,” says Trisha Dulku, strategic initiatives manager with United Way British Columbia.
READ MORE: Study shows COVID has little impact on mental health. The same isn’t true for kids
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School’s Out programming takes place between 3-6 p.m. daily for children in grades 1-7 and is a place for them to participate in healthy, educational activities. Along with games, physical activity, and emotional support, it offers other services such as Homework Clubs, Grocery Cards for families and mental health counselling.
For Linda Sr., School’s Out came at the right time for her daughter. “She has a twin brother and around the time she was introduced to this, she and her brother were put in separate classes,” says Linda Sr. That was a challenge for Linda Jr., who was shy and reticent to make friends. Yet, the program clicked. “She really enjoys it and it boosts her confidence and gets her more involved and out there,” says her mother.
While helping children master social skills is one critical aspect of School’s Out, the program also focuses on helping children’s mental well-being. “Kids in the middle years are seen as joyous, happy with a can-do attitude towards the world which is at their fingertips. The pandemic revealed that that’s not the case, especially for those kids that could be coming from indigenous populations, newcomer and refugee communities, or facing low-income/socioeconomic barriers,” says Dulku. “The anxiety that kids feel also isn’t just in terms of the pandemic but other things going on such as climate change. Kids wonder: do I even have a future that will look rosy and sunny? It’s a tough and bleak time.”
READ MORE: ‘Ecological grief is very real’ and it can impact mental health of Canadian youth
While offering a supportive environment in those after-school hours is critical for children, the program also has an option for another key time for families: the summer.
“The summertime has a real gap of services. There are impacts that a summer can have on a lack of services for family and it can feel like a lifetime for many kids in the middle years age range,” says Dulku.
United Way School’s Out Summer programs help children access (for free or a low cost) day camp programming that includes receiving fresh, healthy food. The program also helps manage learning loss that can happen to children over the summer. Last year, the summer program provided programs to more than 1, 801 children across 51 program sites across the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley.
This type of supportive environment is a relief for moms like Linda Sr., who works full-time as a kitchen manager in a local community services organization. “I like everything about the program,” she says. “I like how much they focus on the kids and their feelings and what they’re going through. They let them know that there are ways to take care of it.”
If you’d like to learn more about the School’s Out program or would like to donate to United Way, click here.
