Students, faculty and the public squeezed their way into Canadore College’s newest addition, the Canada Life Mental Health Counselling rooms.
The rooms were made possible by a donation of $125,000 from Canada Life.
“I think the organization likes to contribute to communities and educational environments that will pay off huge dividends down the road,” Mike Bissett of Freedom 55/Canada Life stated. “When you invest in education, specifically physical and mental health, it will pay off.”
“Thanks to the generosity of Canada Life, their donation allowed us to bring to fruition real life to the classroom,” Canadore president George Burton said. “The students will be able to practice their skills. It is really a complete package.”
There are seven rooms in total and are designed to act as a counsellors office so the students can work on their counselling skills and practice in a real-life scenario before going out into the workforce.
“It’s a more realistic view,” said Sharna Hunt, a second-year student in the Social Service Worker course. “Before these rooms got here, we were in our classrooms sitting with our friends at a desk. These rooms give us more of a view of what we will be doing.
“It takes us from student to counsellor.”