What an extraordinary adventure we’ve experienced with the 2024 Press Start CoLab Program! This year's cohort of enthusiastic and passionate young changemakers has brilliantly demonstrated how innovation, purpose, and compassion can unite to tackle one of the most critical challenges we face today—the mental health crisis in Canada. Throughout the 10-week program, a remarkable group of young innovators (ages 18-29) took part in our innovation accelerator program, thoughtfully designed with entrepreneurial tools, resources, and mentorship to create minimal viable solutions for Mental Health Crisis in Canada. From improving access to mental health services to combating the negative stigma surrounding mental health, this program has truly empowered a new generation of leaders to collaborate and implement genuine change in their communities. Congratulations to this year's Emerging Social Innovators and grant recipients, who received access to a total pool of $70,000+ in grants and awards. We thank our extraordinary partners and contributors, including our grant...
Mental health is a crucial aspect of overall well-being, and for teachers and students, maintaining mental wellness is incredibly important. The pressures of academic performance, classroom management, and external societal challenges can take a significant toll on emotional and psychological health. Many resources and support systems have been developed to assist both educators and learners in navigating mental health challenges. This article explores the various mental health resources available for teachers and students in Canada, with a particular focus on Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a condition that disproportionately affects individuals when big shifts in daylight occur, mostly in the fall and winter, but in some cases, in spring and summer. Mental Health Challenges Faced by Teachers and Students Challenges for Teachers Educators in Canada often face a variety of stressors, including heavy workloads, curriculum changes, student behavioral issues, teacher shortages and administrative responsibilities. The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated these...
Your health and well-being matter to us. That’s why we’re continuing to support your journey in 2025 with our Healthy Living Rebate program!* Designed to help you prioritize self-care, this popular rebate offers up to $100 annually (January through December) for a variety of health and wellness programs, products, and services. 2024 was our pilot year for the Healthy Living Rebate. We have now been able to review our most requested/popular types of submissions to suit the most Members and streamline the process for everyone. Whether you’re focusing on physical fitness or mental well-being, there’s something for all our Members. Eligible Rebate Categories Physical Health & Well-being Investing in your physical health is now even more rewarding! The rebate covers: Sports Equipment: From home gym essentials like weights and treadmills to activity-tracking watches, enhance your fitness routine with ease. Memberships/Classes: Anything related to physical fitness or something that supports healthy...
We are thrilled to share that Press Start's first-ever CoLab High School Program was a huge success! Across the seven-week Program, nine groups of Ontario high school students and members of the educational community thoughtfully collaborated to bring their incredible ideas for positive change to life. Participants received mentorship from a highly successful group of grant recipients from our annual CoLab Program and had the opportunity to learn from our inspiring keynote speaker, Anthony McLean. At the end of the Program, student participants and their group leaders submitted their incredible final ideas for grant funding. We are so excited to share that all nine participating groups received grant funding from a total pool of $29,000, which includes the OTIP Changemaker Grant of $25,000 from our partners and program co-sponsors, OTIP. “I was interested in the CoLab High School Program because it seemed like a great opportunity to collaborate and work...
