CALPs Are Already Building Mental Wellness—Here's How to Build on ItSubmitted by Natasha Bozek, Community Grant Specialist with the Rural Mental Health Network
CALPs are already building mental wellness, perhaps without even realizing it. You may be focusing on teaching literacy, math, or preparing someone to write the CAEC exam; but at the same time, you’re creating opportunities for connection, building confidence, and fostering a sense of belonging. These are all important contributors to mental wellbeing, and they highlight how the work you’re already doing can have an impact beyond the classroom.
Mental wellness is shaped by more than access to professional mental health services. Our relationships, opportunities to learn and participate, cultural connections, and sense of purpose all influence our wellbeing. While professional services are essential when people need support, we also need to consider how we can strengthen wellbeing before challenges arise. We call this "upstream prevention": rather than focusing only on helping people after they have fallen into the river, we work to prevent them from falling in the first place. By creating opportunities for learning, connection, and participation, communities can strengthen the conditions that support mental wellness. CALPs are already contributing to these conditions through their programs and relationships, with opportunities to build on that impact.
In rural communities, these opportunities can be especially meaningful. Learners may have fewer opportunities to connect with others, explore new interests, or access to some services and supports. CALPs can offer more than a place to develop skills; they can be welcoming spaces where people build relationships, gain confidence, and discover ways to participate in community life.
Learning can be a starting point that extends beyond the classroom. Through CALP programming, learners may discover interests, strengths, and skills they want to use to contribute to their communities. Someone who enjoys organizing might connect with a local organization to help plan events. A learner with strong math skills might be interested in serving as a treasurer for a community organization, while someone with strong communication skills and lived experience might want to use those strengths to support others.
There may be simple ways that CALPs can encourage learners to connect with their community through existing programs. For example, a skills showcase could give learners an opportunity to identify and demonstrate their skills while discovering the value those skills can bring beyond the classroom. Creating space for learners to get to know one another, share experiences, and celebrate each other’s achievements can also strengthen relationships and a sense of belonging.
These examples show how learners’ strengths and interests can become assets to their communities. CALPs don’t need to create new programs to build on this impact. Sometimes, it starts with recognizing the potential within existing programs and exploring opportunities for learners to contribute to community life. The Rural Mental Health Network (RMHN) can help you take that next step through opportunities to connect with others, develop skills in community engagement and collaboration, and access funding for locally driven wellbeing initiatives.
Join the Network: CALPs and interested individuals can connect with others who care about rural mental health and wellbeing. In our online platform, members can explore resources, share ideas, learn from other communities, and discover what others are doing.
Community Animator Training: If you’re interested in taking a more active role in your community, RMHN offers Community Animator training, which helps participants develop skills in community engagement, asset-based community development, collaboration, and collective leadership. If you are interested, complete the Expression of Interest form for more information.
Funding: Trained Community Animators can access the RMHN funding program to support locally driven community wellbeing initiatives.
Whether you’re looking for new ideas, opportunities to build your skills, or ways to support community-driven initiatives, RMHN is here to help. To learn more, visit ruralmentalhealth.ca.