Olds College (OC) is getting direct, three-year funding to improve the mental health of its students for the first time ever, according to provincial officials.
Olds College (OC) is getting direct, three-year funding to improve the mental health of its students for the first time ever, according to provincial officials.
The provincial government is providing $135,000 each year for three years directly to OC, Advanced Education Minister Marlin Schmidt said during an announcement Tuesday, Sept. 5 at the college's Learning Resource Centre (library).
It's part of a $25.8 million program from 2017 to 2020 to improve mental health for students studying in publicly-funded post-secondary institutions across Alberta.
The province says last year, the college received $30,000 from an Alberta Students Executive Council grant to support mental health initiatives.
After the announcement, Schmidt told reporters that the provincial government and the college will hammer out the details of the mental health assistance.
OC president Stuart Cullum and OC Students Association president Cassidy Kirsch both welcomed the money, as did OC student Krista Wilson.
Wilson told the 55 students, faculty and other staff in attendance that she has suffered from mental health issues for many years and still needs help to deal with stress, etc. She is grateful for the help the program will provide.
- More details on this announcement will be provided in an upcoming edition of the Olds Albertan.
