More than 70 faculty and staff from 30 areas across campus answered the call to champion the Employee Mental Health Strategy (EMHS) within their departments. Launched in Fall 2023, the strategy is a roadmap to promote mental health and psychological safety on campus.

Since its launch, the Implementation Working Group has prioritized the 22 key actions as short, medium, and long-term and has been actively working to put the short-term priorities into action.

“As part of the Implementation Working Group’s commitment to enhance awareness, communication, and engagement across the University, the EMHS Ambassador program was established earlier this year,” says Marcela Ciampa, director of organizational and leadership development, and co-lead of the Implementation Working Group. “It is so wonderful that so many faculty and staff across the University answered the call to champion the EMHS. On behalf of the Implementation Working Group, I would like to thank each of our colleagues who have joined the Ambassador team.”

The EMHS Ambassadors will act as their department’s point person to gather concerns and questions, share information about the implementation, and encourage colleagues to become engaged in strategy implementation initiatives. On April 25, the strategy ambassadors and EMHS working group members gathered in the Freed Orman Commons to engage in conversation about the EMHS implementation.

Yawo Mamoua Kobara, a faculty member in the Odette School of Business, explained the importance of volunteering as an ambassador: “It allows me to make a tangible difference in destigmatizing mental illness, promoting awareness and support, and lets me advocate for those who may feel silenced, ensuring everyone has access to support and understanding.”

Nancy Williams, undergraduate secretary in Human Kinetics, wants to help extend the University’s commitment to student mental health to faculty and staff: “My goal is to ensure that mental wellness initiatives encompass all members of our community.”

Audrey Maodus, director of human resources services, described the importance of being an ambassador: “Mental wellness affects how well we function not only at work, but at home and with our families, in our relationships, and in our daily lives. Mental wellness struggles are often misunderstood or stigmatized, yet most of us will deal with mental wellness issues at one point in our lives. I volunteered to be an ambassador because I want to help normalize conversations about mental wellness and promote collegial education and support on our campus.”

Kate Hargreaves, Employee Mental Health Strategy co-ordinator, encourages faculty and staff to check the Employee Mental Health Strategy website for access to mental health resources and information as well as updates on strategy implementation.

“For faculty and staff across campus, knowing that they have someone in their area who they can go to with questions or feedback or who can bring the latest updates to the department means that everyone can stay up to date with mental health-related initiatives on campus as well as have an opportunity to contribute to these initiatives,” she says.

Those wishing to become EMHS Ambassadors can email EmployeeMentalHealth@uwindsor.ca.