When yoga instructor Christopher Bourke began a queer and trans yoga class at Andrea Soos Yoga Studio in Dundas, a consistent piece of feedback he kept hearing was that it wasn’t accessible due to its location. Many current and prospective attendees were hoping for a yoga series downtown.
Bourke began to think about solving this problem and that’s when he crossed paths with Robin Lamarr of movement and wellness collective Ritual Island. Together they collaborated to bring his queer and trans yoga classes to the most bustling part of the city.
The result was Q+T Solidarity Moves, a beginner friendly queer and trans strength, mobility and restorative movement series at Redchurch Café and Gallery on King Street East. The $15 one-hour class — or $40 for all four classes — is taking place at 3 p.m. every Sunday from Nov. 18 to Dec. 9.
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Like with other Ritual Island classes, Q+T Solidarity Moves intends to be enjoyable and inclusive. By taking the practice outside of a yoga studio and promoting an accepting environment, the class attracts individuals who don’t feel represented in traditional yoga spaces.
“There is just a vulnerability around… yoga wear or… being in those spaces and not feeling comfortable to be in your body… I've had people come to me in previous classes who aren't out at work in terms of their gender presentation or their sexual identity. So it's just nice for them to come to a space where they can actually be who they want to be,” Bourke explained.
As the name suggests, solidarity is a pillar upon which the class is built. Attending provides participants with a free coffee or tea after the class or a 25 per cent off discount to a lunch up to $10. Bourke intends to hang around at the cafe after the classes to mingle with any participants who would like to socialize and meet new people.
Bourke likes that the class is providing another venue and opportunity for socialization following the closing of Hamilton’s LBGTQ2S+ bar, Embassy. On the other hand, socialization is not expected or obligatory and Bourke welcomes people to come even if they want to leave right after the class.
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[spacer height="20px"]Bourke believes in the healing power of being and moving together as a community. The strength built during the class will be connected to the strength needed to face one’s day-to-day challenges.
“I wanted it to be very purposeful from the beginning that we're coming together and the intention behind what we're doing isn't just to do movement, it’s to integrate the skill that you get from movement to build our solidarity as a community… and then… actually use the resources that we get in that space to do work outside,” Bourke explained.
Bourke is leading the charge on this work by donating his proceeds from the classes to Rainbow Railroad, a charity that helps LGBTQ2S+ individuals escape persecution and violence in one of the 71 countries around the world where being LGBTQ2S+ is still criminalized.
Bourke chose the charity in light of the recent crackdown of LGBTQ2S+ individuals in Tanzania, which is personal to him as he has friends living there. He also wanted to donate to Rainbow Railroad as they are in the midst of their #60in60 Campaign to raise $600 000 to save 60 lives in the final 60 days of 2018.
In this way, Q+T Solidarity Moves aims to stand in solidarity with people all over the world. Yet despite those heavy undertones, the movement series will definitely be light-hearted and fun, with a dash of Bourke’s humour and Robyn’s dance-pop tracks playing in the background.
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By Karen Li
Ten-year-old Karen had an ambition: to learn American Sign Language.
The idea of communicating with my face and hands fascinated me. I borrowed a book from the library and watched videos online, but eventually, I abandoned my goal.
On Oct. 18, 2018, I attended the ASL workshop held by the McMaster Hearing Society. David Wiesblatt, a deaf instructor at McMaster University, and his interpreter gave an instructive presentation on audism with some basic ASL vocabularies and phrases.
The two voices soon merged together; one silent, one bright and projecting. Eight years after my first attempt to learn ASL, I was once again mesmerized by the language. Together, through movements of face and fingers, they told a story that words could not quite replace.
For me, ASL was just a hobby, something that I could take or drop at my leisure. Until I attended the workshop, I was not aware that the term audism referred to the oppression and discrimination of Deaf people and that this definition was only included in some dictionaries. I was not aware of the terminological differences between deaf and Deaf. I was not even aware that there were deaf students studying at this university.
[spacer height="20px"]At the workshop, Tim Nolan, director of McMaster’s Student Accessibility Services, emphasized his strive to “bridge the gap” between Deaf and non-Deaf communities. Learning ASL not only provides a potential means of communication but also transcends culture and raises awareness of the issue of audism. It is the first step to erasing the stigma that exists in all levels of government and society.
ASL can also improve cognitive functioning. When we use a language, we do not simply “turn off” other languages. Knowing multiple languages therefore strengthens the control mechanisms in our brain that regulate and maintain the balance between two or more languages. As a three-dimensional system, ASL can also improve visualization skills and spatial recognition.
Many groups at McMaster offer free ASL lessons and workshops. The McMaster Hearing Society holds multiple workshops throughout the year. The McMaster Sign Language Club meets once a week to learn basic signs. Online classes are also excellent and convenient resources but may lack the physical interaction and motivational factor that aid the learning process.
If possible, however, one should always take classes taught by deaf instructors to learn from the native-speakers and to support deaf workers. The Canadian Hearing Society offers ASL lessons in locations throughout Canada, including Hamilton. One can even take LINGUIST 2LS3 at McMaster, which is an introduction to ASL.
Beyond learning ASL, there are so many other ways to support the deaf community on campus. For example, students can enroll in the notetaker program with SAS or ensure that front row seats in lecture halls are vacant for those who need it.
With the multitude of opportunities available, students really have no excuse. We all have a responsibility to help make our school as accessible as possible and this can start with supporting our deaf students on campus.
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By Saad Ahmed
The Disability Justice Network of Ontario is a new Hamilton-based organization dedicated to addressing issues faced by the city’s disabled community, with the hope to scale the organization across the entire province within the next three years.
Two of three of the organization’s co-founders, Sarah Jama and Eminet Dagnachew, are McMaster alumni, and the third co-founder Shanthiya Baheerathan is a current student at the university.
The initiative launched on Sept. 13 to a full house at the Hamilton Public Library auditorium. The co-founders opened the launch by outlining the organization’s values.
“Our mission statement is to build a just and accessible Ontario where people with disabilities can thrive and foster meaningful relationships, build community, and learn skills meaningful to all people, communities, and organizations,” said Baheerathan.
Last year, the co-founders were approved to receive a Trillium grant over 36 months to create and run the network. Jama, an activist and recent McMaster graduate, hopes to bring the community together to help make individuals with disabilities heard.
“We’re all about building community and personal political power. People with disabilities haven’t been treated as though we have the capacity of a community, which is why implementing things like accessible spaces is very hard to this day,” said Jama. “This is why we hope to build a community and collective power to help address the isolation faced by people with disabilities.”
The network hopes to be unique from other disability services offered in the city.
“There are a lot of services that already exist for people with disabilities. We want to uniquely position ourselves in that landscape so that we don’t have any service overlap or reproduction. We’re in the process of mapping out those services and organizations to ensure we can have the highest possible impact,” said Baheerathan.
The initiative will be led by the co-founders and volunteers and will partner with other organizations in Hamilton to make the most of the network’s capabilities.
“We hope to do programming, education, activism, advocacy events and research. Community consultation and focus groups will be held to figure out what our needs are,” said Jama. “Workshops will be held for schools and service providers to help build spaces that go beyond accessibility and assist in integrating disability justice into their practice.”
At the launch, Baheerathan also announced the creation of the network’s Youth Advisory Council.
“We don’t just want to focus DJNO around adults with disabilities. If you’re a young person aged 16-29, identify as having a disability, and want to get involved in disability justice organizing, the DJNO Youth Advisory Council is a great way to make your voice heard and learn about community justice organizing, as well as develop skills in public speaking, event planning, advocacy, research, and much, much more,” she said.
Although their plan is to expand the network across Ontario, the organization is currently only focused on disability justice in Hamilton. As outlined on their website, Hamilton has one of the highest percentages of people with disabilities in Ontario.
“By launching DJNO in our city, we hope to service our community and build momentum to expand this movement,” reads a statement on the network’s website.
Whether it is advocacy, education or programming, the DJNO hopes to be community-informed and community-led. If you have any questions or concerns, you can reach them at [email protected]
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[spacer height="20px"]In September 2017, McMaster released a statement saying it will attempt to ban smoking on campus that following January, establishing itself as “Ontario’s first 100 per cent tobacco and smoke-free campus.”
The ban was to take effect in January 2018. In its initial months, anyone smoking on campus was to be given a verbal warning and a reminder of McMaster’s smoking cessation policies. Eventually, enforcement was set to include follow-ups by McMaster Security Services through Human Resources, the Provost or Student Affairs, or, the smoker was to be issued a university violation notice.
Currently in the latter half of these punitive measures, with some reporting to have received tickets for smoking on campus, it’s safe to say that the smoking ban is in full effect. This means that smokers will continue to smoke, but will have to find places off campus that work.
Sure, on paper this smoking ban looks good. It could make campus a bit healthier, it could prevent excessive second-hand smoke and, if given the proper resources, it could help more students, staff and faculty to quit smoking.
A campus-wide ban doesn’t help smokers in a meaningful way. Instead, it just means that they will have to walk off campus. The reality is that the smoking ban is leaving those who smoke in conditions that are unsafe and inaccessible.
McMaster has a huge campus safe, for the most part, the areas that are considered to be off-campus are poorly lit, nearly ten minutes away from public property and are inaccessible in any kind of inclement weather. Overall, the smoking ban imposes safety concerns to those who light up.
This begs the question as to whether the university genuinely cares about any student, staff or faculty who doesn’t fit into its idea of what health and wellness should look like. There’s no doubt that smoking is unhealthy, but by forcing smokers to take their habit off-campus, the university makes it clear that those with addiction aren’t welcome here.
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Over the last few months, there has been a push by organizations, countries, cities and companies globally to crack down on plastic straws, products that studies show are contributing to the nearly nine million tons of plastic that infect the oceans annually.
With anti-straw advocacy afoot, Canadian restaurants including Harvey’s and Swiss Chalet have announced plans to axe or restrict single-use plastic straws. Ontario universities such as the University of Guelph and Western University are eagerly ridding their campuses of the utensils.
While corporations and organizations have largely been in favour of abandoning plastic straws, disability advocates have pushed back against these efforts, citing the importance of plastic straws for people with physical limitations.
There are also groups challenging the movement on environmental grounds, arguing that paper straws, which are being embraced as plastic straws vanish, are accelerating deforestation, the second leading cause of climate change.
When asked about McMaster’s stance on the plastic straw debate, Chris Roberts, director of McMaster Hospitality Services, said the university is also considering a plastic straw ban. However, MHS will not commit until it engages in nuanced discussions about the effects of a plastic straw ban on stakeholders including students who need them for accessibility reasons.
“It is important for us to take a strategic approach through the understanding of impacts to all stakeholders as opposed to making a reactive decision,” said Roberts.
In a statement on the MHS website, Roberts outlines limitations to a plastic straw ban and stresses the importance of consultations with the McMaster Students Union and Equity and Inclusion Office.
“We need to take into consideration all of the stakeholders in the customer base, including those who rely on straws as a result of physical limitations. We need to fully understand the broader systemic sustainability issue and how a more holistic approach may have a greater impact for our customers, community and environment,” reads part of the statement.
Stephanie Bertolo, MSU vice president (Education), says the union appreciates Robert’s commitment to considering the needs of marginalized students on campus.
"The MSU supports the university's efforts to become more environmentally sustainable but asks them to do the proper consultation to ensure their initiatives do not interfere with the accessibility of our campus,” she said.
The EIO’s stance on the issue is notably similar to the MSU’s.
“We are pleased to see that Hospitality Services is expressing mindfulness and consideration of the implications on multiple stakeholders and that there is explicit mention of plans to consult with particular marginalized communities,” said Arig al Shaibah, associate vice president at the EIO.
Unlike at Guelph and Western, where there have been vocal pro-straw-ban voices, the movement has not gained the same traction at McMaster. This is evidenced by the fact that there has not been a #StrawsSuck campaign here, at least not a visible one online.
According to Abbie Little, the coordinator of academic sustainability at the McMaster academic sustainability programs office, however, in the SUSTAIN 2S03 and 3S03 courses, discussions about plastic straws were polarized.
Mohammad Abdul Aziz, a Teaching Assistant for the 3S03 course, says there were quite a few ardent pro-ban students in his classroom.
“From my understanding, students were more than welcome to the idea of banning straws,” said Aziz. “Students believed that eco-friendly practices are not adopted in one fell swoop but need minor introductions to the consumers of multi-national corporations.”
While it looks like a straw ban will not be implemented at McMaster, Roberts did not say the university is committed to the status quo indefinitely. Only time, research and MSU and EIO consultations will tell what lies in store for the future of plastic straw users on campus.
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As McMaster Students Union elections ramp up and candidates introduce their platforms, we can start to get an idea of how the candidates plan on dealing with issues of accessibility on campus. Mental and physical accessibility is an ongoing concern that McMaster students and that each candidate running for MSU president addresses differently.
This concern has been generally assessed in terms of infrastructural concerns and physical accessibility on campus as well as mental health and developing resources that will help students cope with their mental health concerns. However, most of the candidates do not give specific mention to show that how they improve the inclusion of students with disability and special needs on campus.
In terms of infrastructure and improving the campus itself for students, Kyle Pinheiro alerts to the issue of malfunctioning outlets on campus. These would then alleviate mental stress and anxiety for students, as well as ways we can maximize space on campus for studying such as tutorial rooms and hallway space in buildings like MDCL. In addition, Pinheiro plans to decrease traffic areas in MUSC by implementing more microwave stations. In terms of resources, Pinheiro has been consulting with the MacPherson Institute to develop an app for Avenue to Learn to supplement to the current web version.
Ikram Farah’s platform addresses accessibility for McMaster students with a focus on improving Student Accessibility Services, decreasing exam stress,and improving physical safety on campus. As an interim solution, Farah wants to “incentivize note-takers by giving them MSU Courtesy Cards which offer discounts at MSU businesses”, with an end goal to “fully incentivize note-taking through wages or honorariums similar to other institutions, this partnership with the MSU will begin to encourage more students to volunteer.” Farah also hopes to invest more money into pathways, roads, stairways, and parking lots that can increase physical accessibility and safety on campus. In terms of mental accessibility, Farah plans on advocating for a longer break before exams to allow students to better prepare for exams and hopes to revise the examination policy to allow students with two back to back exams as oppose to the current “three consecutive exams over two days” to reschedule.
Mental and physical accessibility is an ongoing concern that McMaster students and that each candidate running for MSU president addresses differently.
Kirstin Webb has a similar focus to Farah with the hope to incentivize notetaking by using participation marks as an incentive. Webb also hopes to adapt a way to provide access to notes through McMaster Student Absent Form submissions and plans claims says that she will “host and promote educational events about accessibility on campus, specifically in regards to the Equity and Inclusion Office’s FLEXforward program” and hopes “support and host accessibility campaigns that raise awareness around reporting dysfunctional accessibility measures on campus”.
In contrast, in Connor Wong’s platform he states that “If elected, I promise to block off all of the stairs on campus during the winter months to ensure that the currently unblocked stairs don’t feel left out”. In addition, Wong plans on “pruning” the present MSU event for de-stressing before exams “Light Up the Night” and using the funds for “more worthy purposes” such as the possibility of installing a commercial elevator instead.
Rabeena Obaidullah looks at accessibility from a more entrepreneurial platform by addressing issues of accessibility with technological solutions. With the resource, “The Pulse Capacity Counter”, a resource that will allow students to track Pulse traffic, students will be able to access gym equipment more conveniently by being able to track gym capacity. Obaidullah has a similar idea to address the issue of limited study space on campus with the “Library Live Capacity Counter” resource by installing 3D overhead traffic counters at primary entrances and exits, students will be able to find study spaces more easily. In addition, this development will allow the university to make monetary decisions about building expansions. Obaidullah assures that resources “such as online equipment tours and free introductory group workshops” will be offered to Pulse newcomers as well to ensure safety and accessibility.
Lindsay D’Souza focuses on improving the current Student Wellness Centre services by overlooking the Peter George building project and planning on making the building the centralized location for Student Wellness resources.
Muhammed Aydin’s platform assures that the infrastructural issue of building bigger bus shelters on campus and building two more bike repair stations on campus. He also hopes to create a campaign that would inform students about the resources available for students to request repairs for electrical outlets on campus through Facility Services. Aydin also hopes to improve WiFi on campus to improve online accessibility as well as creating an MSU app that would act as a resource hub for MSU resources and services to be shared on. Aydin also hopes to address both mental and financial accessibility by implementing a “Pay it Forward” system where students can pay for a ‘button’ that would allow students to purchase a product that can be later be used by an anonymous student to improve financial and issues of mental health.
Though many of the candidates running address physical accessibility concerns that apply to all students on campus, diverse accessibility concerns could be better represented.
By Alex Wilson
As many people reading may already know, McMaster Student Accessibility Services facilitates a notetaking programing for students who experience disability to receive notes for their classes. This voluntary program relies on students registering to be a notetaker and regularly uploading their notes. However, with a lack of resources dedicated to the program and the issues of accessibility on campus, the system is sets up students for failure.
While the ability to request a notetaker is a very common accommodation provided through SAS, the supply is nowhere close to meeting the increasing demand. This was demonstrated through the past three Student Accessibility Forums as well as Maccess’s (In)accessibility Week last year. Students have been saying there is a problem for years, yet no one has taken accountability. When students do have notetakers, they may stop posting throughout the year, and because there are no contingency plans in place, the students requiring these notes are left with no support. Additionally, once students have selected a notetaker they can’t see any other notes provided by other notetakers in the class.
Who has access to these resources, as limited as they may be, is a continuous concern for students. Only students registered with SAS are able to request a notetaker. While this may make sense to those who immediately jump to conversations of “leveling the playing field” or people “taking advantage of the system”, having certain conditions diagnosed and receiving necessary documentation can take several years and cost upwards of $1,000.
Additionally, ongoing violence and associations of eugenics by medical systems against certain communities prevents individuals from reaching out to these systems in the first place. What we’ve created is a note taking system that rarely works, and when it does only for a select few.
This is unacceptable. When we look at the numerous financial, social and physical barriers as well as medical gatekeeping that already bars so many disabled students from attending post-secondary education, conditions like these only further the message that post-secondary education has not been developed with disabled people in mind and that we are undesirable. Accommodation services, being afterthoughts and band-aid solutions to an inaccessible environment that will never allow for universal access, we all need to start thinking about accessibility from the beginning.
However, with a lack of resources dedicated to the program and the issues of accessibility on campus, the system is sets up students for failure.
The current system fails because it relies on certain people in certain roles being responsible for accessibility, allowing others to remain passive. It is also awkward and disconnected from the rest of the teaching environment relying on students to continually offer labour for no compensation. So where do we go from here?
One solution not only addresses problems with the current system, works to create a culture of accessibility and is pedagogically supported. Offer a portion of participation grades to those who upload notes regularly to Avenue. This system incentivizes the provision of notes, integrates it into the classroom environment, removes the need for systems of gatekeeping and normalizes accessibility. Additionally, we know that diversity in assessment allows students to excel and better meet educational outcomes.
This is one potential solution, of what are literal thousands that could drastically improve accessibility in McMaster classrooms. Other solutions include podcasting more courses, posting lecture notes for all students to access and providing multiple ways to engage with class material.
When it comes to accessible pedagogy, my point is that none of us are exempt. The siloing of accessibility to certain people in certain roles allows for bystanders. Frequently we have conversations about better resourcing SAS (and while that is important), we also need to ask why so few individuals have a role in creating an accessible campus in the first place.
Ontario’s students, colleges and universities are calling on the province to take immediate action on the growing problem of mental illness on campus, and McMaster is on board.
The number of students with identified mental health disorders has more than doubled over the past five years, and the Spring 2016 National College Health Assessment survey indicated that depression, anxiety and suicide attempts are consistently increasing among Ontario’s postsecondary students.
The amount of students who are facing mental health problems has been skyrocketing. With nearly 46 per cent of students reported feeling so depressed within the previous year that it was difficult to function, and 65 per cent of students reported experiencing overwhelming anxiety in the previous year, there is a resounding need to address what is happening on campuses around the province.
On Nov. 2, a joint report titled, “In It Together: Taking Action on Student Mental Health,” was released by four groups representing Ontario’s 45 colleges and universities.
Looking forward, a review is planned to ensure Student Accessibility Services is able to respond to the increasing needs of students with mental health and/or physical disabilities through proper academic accommodations.
These four groups, consisting of the College Student Alliance, the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance, Colleges Ontario and the Council of Ontario Universities, have determined that providing effective support for student mental health is one of the most pressing issues on postsecondary campuses today.
Sean Van Koughnett, associate vice president (Students and Learning) and Dean of Students, represents McMaster on the Ontario Committee on Students Affairs and in the development of the report’s recommendations, represented OCSA in its work with the Council of Ontario Universities.
“This degree of collaboration across the sector is highly unusual and demonstrates how important this issue is to everyone involved in post-secondary education,” said Van Koughnett. “Collectively, our role is to not let this issue drop off the government’s radar, to keep pressing until they commit to taking action.”
The report calls for a community-based approach from governments, health-care providers, community agencies, student associations and postsecondary institutions to include mandatory curriculum, an early-warning system throughout all levels of education, counselling and expanded use of technology at no cost to students, whether they live on or off campus.
Some of the recommendations within the report are far-reaching. For example, the report calls for the provincial government to provide free mental health care to all postsecondary students through increased services that are not funded through OHIP.
The importance of this report, however, is to articulate to community agencies, health care and government officials that postsecondary institutions and campus wellness centres are not able to support student mental health without proper funding and partnerships.
The launch of “In It Together” came a week following McMaster’s report that significant progress has been made towards advancing its Student Mental Health and Well-Being Strategy.
Since the strategy’s introduction nearly two years ago, hundreds of students and staff have been specially trained in mental health response, more front-line mental health professionals have been hired in the Student Wellness Centre and an improved student accommodation policy is in place.
Van Koughnett, who is leading the implementation of the strategy, noted progress made on priority areas, which include a new coordinated proactive approach to provide service and care for students in distress, new and improved Academic Accommodation of Students with Disabilities policy, additional hiring of mental health professionals to the Student Wellness Centre’s team and training for students and staff surrounding emergency mental health response.
More front-line mental health professionals have been hired in the Student Wellness Centre and an improved student accommodation policy is in place.
Looking forward, a review is planned to ensure Student Accessibility Services is able to respond to the increasing needs of students with mental health and/or physical disabilities through proper academic accommodations. In addition, the Student Wellness Centre will find a larger, more visible home within the Peter George Centre for Living and Learning, which is set to open in Fall 2019 and aims to make the Student Wellness Centre a more accessible and inclusive space.
McMaster has also secured an e-Campus Ontario grant to further develop digital tools that are designed to educate and support students and instructors in corresponding with individuals who have mental health concerns. Currently, the Student Wellness Centre has is working to initiate a program called Pathways to Care, which will have different information levels that can empower students to optimize their care through an app called WellTrack.
While McMaster is dedicated to supporting students dealing with mental health issues, peer and community-based services offer a unique addition to traditional psychiatry in a post-secondary setting.
Within the McMaster Students Union, services such as Maccess, the Women and Gender Equity Network and the Peer Support Line offer peer-to-peer support for students in distress. Volunteers at each service are provided with specific mental health training to ensure that students in emergency situations are met with the care that they need.
The system that currently exists to access counselling on campus, whereby students have to wait for a drop-in appointment for sometimes multiple days, is fundamentally inaccessible.
Hillary Zorgdrager
Maccess Volunteer
Hilary Zorgdrager is a volunteer at Maccess who believes that although peer support services are an important addition to an individual’s mental health, there is still a significant amount of work to be done surrounding the ratio of students with mental health needs to counsellors in the Student Wellness Centre.
“The system that currently exists to access counselling on campus, whereby students have to wait for a drop-in appointment for sometimes multiple days, is fundamentally inaccessible,” said Zorgdrager. “More awareness of the services that are offered through peer networks is really useful for students, but as previously stated, really cannot replace formal counselling and psychiatry.”
Wait times within the Student Wellness Centre have been an ongoing issue, especially for counselling services. Although, as of recently, new counsellors have been hired, there are only thirteen counsellors for over 45,000 students who are in need of counselling services.
“Strategies like [the Student Mental Health and Wellness Initiative] do very little to acknowledge the systemic issues that exist within formal mental healthcare providers at McMaster and other universities,” said Zorgdrager. “Peer support is really vital and important, however, it simply places the onus on students to support themselves through community without fixing the problems that exist in SAS and SWELL.”
McMaster along with the Student Wellness Centre and other student groups on campus are working diligently to address the ongoing and rising issue of mental health resources on campus. However, along with several other universities around the province, the lack of resources and funding are making this a difficult challenge to face alone.
Rosanne Kent, director of the Student Wellness Centre, says that although both she and her staff work actively in looking at different ways to improve the care and programming that is offered within SWELL, providing care that meets every student’s needs is an ongoing and fluid process.
“In It Together” is a huge step in fighting for proper funding, partnerships and resources for postsecondary institutions across the province.
“The most brilliant thing is that all universities and colleges have come together and are working with students to deliver this [“In It Together”] strategy to the government,” said Kent. “I think that is the most powerful message that anyone can deliver, because we’re not talking about just a couple [of] universities, everybody is together on this in ensuring that we put mental health on the docket for our government.”
“In It Together” is a huge step in fighting for proper funding, partnerships and resources for postsecondary institutions across the province. Through collaboration, the government, post-secondary institutions, student groups, health-care providers and community organizations can guarantee that every student in need has access to quality care and services.
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We sat down with Maccess to talk about how the McMaster Students Union service helps build a community to help those with disabilities on campus and the bonds shared with one another in the space.
https://www.facebook.com/TheMcMasterSilhouette/videos/10155715140775987/
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At every McMaster home game there are two groups of people: the athletes and the fans. Both are deeply engaged in the evening’s proceedings. Students wearing maroon both on and off the court carry a passion for the game and a love of intense competition. For varsity sports, most students would say they fall into the second category, happy to cheer for a spirited dunk but not quite able to jump in and do it themselves.
But what if students were only able to be spectators?
Such was the experience of fourth-year student Julia Haines. As anyone who has visited the David Braley Athletic Centre can attest to, the campus athletic centre is always bustling with student activity. So when she began her first year at McMaster, Haines, like anyone else, was excited to join some weekend intramural teams and work out in the campus gym.
She would not be so lucky. At the time the only accessible athletic programming at Mac was a one-day wheelchair handball tournament, that had faced dwindling enthusiasm in recent years.
The Pulse, the gym facility on campus, also posed challenges as without an internal elevator Haines required 20 minutes of staff assistance just to reach the cardio equipment on the second floor.
Over 7,500 members of the McMaster community participate in over 35 intramural sports leagues every year, with even more students visiting DBAC facilities like the Pulse regularly. Why couldn’t she?
“I ended up quitting,” said Haines. “It was just so frustrating. I had other ways of being active [in the community], but this summer it really started to bother me. It doesn’t take that much to have accessible [options]… and there are benefits to everyone.”
The Pulse also posed challenges as without an internal elevator Haines required 20 minutes of staff assistance just to reach the cardio equipment on the second floor.
A stroke survivor since her final year of high school, Haines was no stranger to adversity. So she decided to apply some of the same perseverance that had taken her to provincial swimming championships and local soccer titles into making a case for more accessible sports.
A few emails later, and she had a meeting with the Director of Athletics and Recreation Glen Grunwald and the director of intramurals Andrew Pettit. Responsive from the get-go, they were ready to change the way McMaster welcomes all students into the sport community.
“[Through my experience] I really started to understand the impact parasports and accessible opportunities have on people,” said Haines. “Sports have a number of benefits, we see it in [research], we hear people say it, it gives you an outlet for stress… all wonderful things. But what we don’t always realize is that sport can have that same impact for people with disabilities as well… that’s what I wanted [for Mac]”
They decided to start with a small sitting volleyball league that would run on Sunday afternoons and not require any special equipment. Today, the eight-team league is over capacity and had to move to a prime-time Monday time slot to accommodate all of the interest.
“Every Monday night Sport Hall is filled with people playing sitting volleyball,” said Haines. “Our team has four people with disabilities on it, and when I was watching them and and hearing how much fun they were having and how much they were looking forward to next week… I was ready to sit there and [cry].”
Other new initiatives include a revival of the age-old sitting hand-ball tournament and two sport wheelchairs for anyone at Mac to rent out and use whenever the gym is available.
“Almost every time I go into the gym someone is either using them or sitting on them or asking about them and it is absolutely awesome,” said Haines.
While the changes in accessible programming are certainly welcome, they are only the start when it comes to truly changing the athletics landscape at a university-wide level. Haines envisions a school where paraathletes can not only play on intramural teams, but can complete at the varsity level, no longer delegated to the spectator section because of personal circumstance.
“People with disabilities are people who have happened to live through difficult circumstances that they wear on their bodies,” said Haines. “Everyone has challenges, people with disabilities just happen to wear their challenges on them.”
Haines also encourages everyone to takes steps to actively change how inclusive their own activities are. Whether that is as simple as holding a hockey tournament in an accessible arena, or reaching out to have a conversation about what other steps might be helpful, every action can be the difference between storming the court and sitting in the bleachers.
“I know how it feels to be excluded,” said Haines. “I know how it feels to walk or roll past people in the gym playing everyday and knowing that you just can’t… and that you will never be a part of that. So to see people have the opportunity to be with their friends, have fun and exercise their right to participate… it’s overwhelming… it’s everything.”
