"Disenable The Label"
Who Are We?
FreeTheMind is an organization that strives to address the stigma associated with mental health by raising awareness about its importance. Often, topics of mental health are perceived with negative connotations, and thus, it is very important to encourage open conversation. Unfortunately, many people fall victim to mental health but are often unable to access appropriate resources for help, either due to the lack of awareness or the fear of being labeled in society. The primary goal of this organization is to tackle these barriers and emphasize how mental health is just as important as physical health.
As a group, we are comprised of passionate volunteers across the province of Ontario, who share a similar vision of ameliorating the quality of life of individuals suffering from mental illnesses. To do so, we host multiple events throughout various communities by setting up booths in public areas and providing community members with access to resources. Additionally, our primary collaborations are with the different universities and high schools across Ontario, as we aim to work closely with the young demographic. We host an annual conference where we invite public speakers in the field of healthcare to discuss the importance of mental health, as well as patients who are willing to share their personal stories. We hope to educate the communities and youth around us to create a healthier tomorrow.
What is Our Mission?
As an organization, our mission is to overcome the barriers that currently exist in access to resources by starting a conversation about the importance of mental health in our community. Our goal is to strive nationally and get involved with schools across Canada to further promote our vision of eradicating the stigma associated with mental health. As our team of volunteers continues to expand, we aim to collaborate with senior homes and expand our targeted demographic.
What does FreeTheMind do?
In 2013, we began this journey with only a group of two dedicated students who were committed to making a change in the way our community addressed mental health topics. Initially, we started with hosting informative sessions at our school and reached out to the guidance department for their help. As we collected more resources and expanded our team, we started setting up weekly booths in the cafeteria where we handed out pamphlets and brochures that provided information about local resources. Gradually, we reached out to other schools in our neighborhood as well as across Ontario by using social media to promote our mission and personally visiting their guidance departments. Today, we are fortunate to have an outstanding team of dozens of students and our reach continues to expand across Ontario as we incorporate more schools and universities in our organization.
To date, we have hosted events that range from “meet and greets” at public places like community centers to Krispy Kreme fundraisers. During these events, we talk to community members and try to delineate the stigma associated with mental health by focusing on educating them about the resources available for help. Within the next decade, we hope to have multiple chapters of our organization spread throughout Ontario.