Hay Are We Okay? Podcast: Be Kind, Be Brave: Small Town Teens Tackle Stigma

Episode 007: Be Kind, Be Brave: Small Town Teens Tackle Stigma

by The Do More Agriculture Foundation | Hay Are We Okay? Podcast

In this episode, host Merle Massie connects with students at Queen Margaret’s School on Vancouver Island, to hear how a group of small-town teens is quietly transforming their school culture.

Student leaders, Oceana Jarvis, Delphine Koyote and Angela Feng, join Merle, along with former head of school David Robertson, to share how they lead the school’s lunch-hour Stigma-free Club meetings as a lifeline for new students, a refuge from loneliness, and a launchpad for real conversations about mental health.

These teens give talks on mental health and anti-bullying, fundraise for local charities, and build simple ways for students to feel seen and included. The idea is to set labels aside and build a school culture where difference is met with welcome and belonging.

Later, Merle is joined by Andrea Paquette, president and co‑founder of the Stigma-Free Mental Health Society, to zoom out to the bigger picture. Students often feel crushing pressure to fit in, and face long-held stereotypes about mental health. Paquette’s team created a Student Mental Health Toolkit for teens, parents and educators, along with a Rural Mental Wellness Toolkit designed for people living in small communities.







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Disclaimer:
The Do More Agriculture Foundation is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
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