Launch of new online game world helps youth learn new skills to build resilience

BY PAUL JUNOR

There has been a lot of attention focused on the mental health of youth particularly those who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the Mental Health Commission about one of four young people is currently facing mental health challenges. The registered charitable organization, “Strong Minds, Strong Kids, Psychology Canada” (https://strongmindsstrongkids.org)  has a mission to nurture resilience in children by providing infants, children, and youth with the psychological well-being to thrive emotionally.

Over the years, SMSKPC has been involved in implementing diverse psychology-based programs and resources to many urban communities across Canada. These innovative services were made possible through the work of psychologists, business and community leaders who volunteer on the board.

At the start of Mental Health Week, May 1^st – 5^th, 2023, SMSKPC announced in a press release the launch of a new psychology-based online game world to help children and teens learn new social skills that will develop resilience in them.

According to the Ministry of Children, “A Shared Responsibility Children’s Policy Framework for Child and Youth Mental Health” released in 2009, states that resilience is, “The ability to recover quickly or ‘bouncing back’ from disruptive change, illness, or misfortune without being overwhelmed or acting in dysfunctional ways.”

Resilient people possess the skills to cope with life’s challenges, respond to stress, and move forward. The document notes that while children and youth have a naturally, resilient nature, it is important that it must be nurtured and strengthened, particularly in the face of one or more risk factors for mental health problems or illness.

The new online game world was supported financially by Meridian Credit Union. It was largely through ThriveLandia (www.thrivelandia.com) that SMSKPC adapted through the Toronto Metropolitan University program “ThriveTMU.”

The top 10 resilience tips listed on the website are:

• Three-minute calming breath. Focus on the present to prepare for the next step
• Appreciate what has gone well, and express your gratitude
• When things go well use optimism to explain why (personal, permanent and pervasive)
• When things go badly use optimes to explain why (bad luck, temporary, situation specific)
• Be your own best friend in the moments you need it the most
• Be gritty, stick to your goals, despite the obstacles
• Use strategies and attitudes that have worked in other contexts
• Know your character strengths, and use them every day
• Stay connected to your community
• Savour the good times

It was created by Dr. Diana Brecher’s and involves the Five Factor Model of Resilience: mindfulness, gratitude, optimism, self-compassion, and perseverance have been incorporated into the online game. She states in the press release, “We all have experiences that test us. It is how we deal with these situations that really determine the kind of future we will have, and this resource is designed to help youth build skills so they can flourish personally and academically.”

Dr. Mark Smith, Chair of the Board of SMSKPC states, “We are grateful to Meridan for their commitment to building resilience in youth and families. Their support led to the development of this ground-breaking program, and because of this partnership youth can easily access the strategies and tactics that will help them to manage he many adversities in life.”