#RISEINWELLNESS

The Rise In STEM Youth Action Committee (YAC) choose the #RiseInWellness campaign because we want youth to know that while excelling academically is important, it’s equally as important to take care of their well-being. We understand that the COVID-19 pandemic has been challenging, and as we enter year 3 of the pandemic we want this campaign to focus on self-care during this time as it’s more important now than ever. 

Rise In STEM is motivated to support racialized youth in taking care of themselves and prioritizing their social, mental, and physical health and wellbeing. Through this campaign, we hope to share key wellness resources, learn about how others are practicing wellness in their unique ways, and encourage you to be the best version of yourself every single day.

Check out some of the thoughts around this campaign from 2 of the YAC members:

What excites you most about the campaign?

Chanelle: I am most excited to see all the submissions for the #RiseInWellness physical wellbeing challenge! We can’t wait to see all the different ways you guys practice self-care in your daily lives. We encourage you to participate this year because you’ll get to be a part of the montage and there is a raffle for a chance to win some lovely prizes! 

Jerome: I’m excited to see our ideas, planning and vision come to life. When creating our campaign, the YAC social media team thought of different ways the #RiseInWelleness campaign would look like, including possible contests, prizes, resources and social media posts that could support BIPOC youth with mental, social, and physical health. It was difficult to think of a campaign that would be in engaging to youth and us, so I’m eager to see the results of the campaign.

How do you practice wellness?

Chanelle: I practice wellness by setting aside a day every week where I do no work and just relax. For me that day is Sunday, and every week I make sure that I give time to myself to do something fun, which could be hanging out with friends, going for a walk, etc. This allows me to have energy for the upcoming week.

Jerome: I practice wellness in a couple of ways! Socially, I talk to friends on the phone, we play video games, and watch movies and shows together via discord (Group-Chatting social media Platform). It's nice to hang out with friends quickly then go to class online. Normally, I go to the movie theatre with friends or visit friends. Having friends that you are able to support and who support you is very valuable for reducing stress from school and everyday life. To support my mental health, I also enjoy my hobbies like art or visiting support groups, I’ve met a lot of older people who give great helpful advice. As for physical health, I try to exercise 3 times a week, my schooling forces me to sit down all day so it's really beneficial to do short workouts consistently.

Now that you have learned a bit about the campaign, be sure to follow up on social media for ways to get engaged!