Where in your life is compassion needed most right now, and how will you respond?
This is the question guiding OCSB schools this November. Rooted in Religious Education and supported by Mental Health, it reminds us that compassion is not just a feeling but a call to action.
It shows up in classrooms, staff rooms, hallways, and homes. It asks: How do we respond when someone around us is hurting, and how do we care for ourselves, too?
Compassion Makes a Difference
Compassion is the feeling that motivates us to help others in their time of sadness. It is empathy in action. You can show compassion by being present and attentive to another person’s needs.
One of the simplest things you can do, no matter your role, is to support others and yourself through care and compassion. Acknowledging and validating each other’s feelings helps keep the lines of communication open.
- Listen to and validate your child’s concerns and feelings, and check in with them regularly.
- Ensure your children and youth know you are there for them.
- Find constructive ways for your children or youth to “reset” into a more relaxed and happy state.
- Spend time together through play; it helps everyone cope better.
Kindness and Compassion through Action
- Recognize when someone is struggling and offer support before it becomes overwhelming.
- Direct family and friends to community mental health resources.
- Treat others and yourself with kindness and respect.
- Listen to others, but also be attuned to your own needs and recognize your limits.
You Matter Too
Remember, you need to be compassionate to yourself by recognizing your limits, taking care of yourself, and being proactive before things get too challenging. Personal, mental, and emotional health matter. It is essential to pause and recognize the strain and pressures around us.
Try to be gentle and patient with yourself. Finding ways to recharge intentionally and meaningfully can have a positive impact on how you parent.
Be honest with your child or youth. Talk to them about your experiences and the healthy coping strategies you use to manage stress. Teaching children and youth to care for their mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being builds self-confidence and resilience.
Health is Health
All health matters. Improving mental health and well-being supports overall physical health. Compassion strengthens mental wellness, builds meaningful relationships, and helps people work through challenges together.
Mental Health and Well-Being Grounded in Mercy
At OCSB, mental health begins with compassion.
When a student walks through the door feeling overwhelmed, they do not need a quick solution; they need to feel seen, heard, and valued.
Our Spiritual Theme calls us to:
- Open Doors without judgment.
- Build Bridges through empathy.
- Nourish New Beginnings by walking alongside others.
Mental health support is more than crisis response; it is about creating a culture where vulnerability is safe and asking for help is normal.
Our OCSB commitment to Be Community, Be Well, Be Innovative comes alive through everyday acts of compassion through programs that support students and staff, mental health literacy, peer connections, and wellness initiatives.
This November: Choose Compassion
Let’s make it visible:
- Pause and notice who might be struggling.
- Reach out, it is a small gesture that can be a lifeline.
- Listen without needing to fix.
- Care for yourself, too.
Join our movement by sharing your acts of compassion using #ocsbCompassion and help create a culture where mercy is not just spoken but lived.
The OCSB Way
So, where is compassion needed most in your life?
Start there.
At the OCSB, compassion is our daily practice. It is in every open door, every bridge built, and every new beginning. It is the OCSB way.
Start Your Healthy Self-Care Routine
- Check out School Mental Health Ontario at Self-Care 101 for some excellent self-care ideas or Kids Help Phone Self-Care How – To’s.
- Click here for other ideas on daily practices that can help us restore energy and stay well in challenging and unpredictable times.
Resources to Explore for Educators
- Class Conversation Starters (School Mental Health Ontario) are great resources for educators and parents.
- Student Mental Health in Action MH Lit course Grades 9-12 (Student Mental Health Ontario).
- Student Mental Health in Action MH Lit course Elementary (eLearning Ontario).
- School Mental Health Ontario’s Circle of Support Pocketbook for students to complete. Students can refer to this document to quickly and easily share their needs with a trusted OCSB staff member, friend, or family member.
- Having mentally healthy strategies for staff members helps us better support students and set up good mental health.
- Mental Health Resources for Educators.
- Teacher Well-Being Survive and Thrive.
Additional Community Resources and Supports
Please contact the following community resources for services and support available to help:
- Please visit the Ottawa Public Health website for more information on caring for your mental and family health.
- 1Call1Click is a simple way to access mental health supports for children, youth and families.
- Counselling Connect offers free video or phone counselling sessions for children, youth and families.
- Parents Lifeline of Eastern Ontario Family peer support services 613-321-3211.
- Distress Centre Crisis Line (24/7) 613-238-3311 in English and Tel-Aide Outaouais 613-741-6433 in French.
- YSB Crisis Line 613-260-2360 or online chat at chat.ysb.ca.
- Hope for Wellness Helpline: Available for all Indigenous peoples across Canada, offers experienced and culturally competent counsellors 1-855-242-3310 or chat https://www.hopeforwellness.ca/. Phone counselling is also available in Cree, Ojibway, and Inuktitut.
- Kids Help Phone: Provides non-judgmental, inclusive services available to young people across Canada 24/7. 1-800-668-6868 or chat www.kidshelpphone.ca/live-chat.
- Black Youth Helpline 1-833-294-8650.
