What position are you running for, and what are the responsibilities of this position?
I am running for Mental Wellness Commissioner. The position is meant to advocate for the betterment of mental health services at Vic and to run programming on the topic of mental wellness.
Can you summarize the key points of your platform?
Platform Point #1: Mental-health Based Bursaries.
Medication, therapy, and psychiatry are tremendously expensive. As a low-income student, I have experienced the strain of having to pay the extra costs of medication that are not covered by the UTSU health plan. A mental health-based bursary would cover the extra costs which can be prohibitive for low-income students who are unable to afford medication and therapy. It would also benefit international students who are unable to access Vic bursaries for financial assistance.
Platform Point #2: Hiring a Mental Wellness Co-Chair.
I want to hire a co-chair so that the Mental Wellness commission is able to expand to host more events and to work on bigger and better projects. The co-chair would work alongside the commissioner to branch out and work on multiple projects at once.
Platform Point #3: Creating a Mental-Wellness Database.
The mental-wellness database is an idea I had which would compile a number of different resources for both on-and-off-campus mental health assistance and general mental wellness. This page would be [on the VUSAC website and ]frequently updated to make sure that all resources are up-to-date and active to best suit student needs.
Platform Point #4: Bridging with Other Student Societies.
My plan is to personally meet with the equivalent position in as many student societies as possible to discuss what they are doing to better mental health on campus. I also want to build these relationships so that I am able to bring back ideas from other parts of campus to make meaningful improvements at Vic, as well as to potentially hold more events in collaboration with other student societies.
Platform Point #5: More Outreach.
I want to hold more events that move beyond the pop-culture notions of self-care. I want to hold more events that are targeted toward providing information. Moreover, I want to hold personal meetings with anyone who has an idea about how to improve mental health here at Vic. If you have an idea, I want to hear it and do my best to implement it.
Platform Point #6: More Discourse.
For mental health discourse to begin there has to be a feeling of openness on all sides of the conversation. I feel that if I am open about my own struggles with mental health, people will feel more comfortable in discussing their own issues. Yes, I take three medications for a variety of mental health issues. Am I still worth something? Absolutely! And so are all of you! I understand that talking about mental health can be daunting and not everyone will be as comfortable, but I hope that by being open about my struggles I can inspire others to do the same.
Why do you want to run for this position, and what makes you best suited to fill this position?
I decided to run for this position because of the experiences I have had with poor mental health throughout my life. Even today I am still trying to navigate the endless road that is switching medications, changing doctors, receiving diagnoses and all the other facets of mental illness. I want to be able to help others who are in a similar situation as mine. I think that my passion for helping others and my dedication and perseverance make me best suited to fill this position. I will work tirelessly to make meaningful changes here at Vic to better the mental wellness of students across our college. I really want to be able to make changes that will benefit as many students as possible and I am hopeful that the Vic community will see my passion and take a chance on me.
What goals do you hope to accomplish if you are elected to this position?
My goals are essentially all in the part regarding my platform. I hope to hire a co-chair, create VUSAC-funded mental-health based bursaries, form a mental-wellness database on the VUSAC website, bridge with other student societies, and have more outreach and discourse regarding mental wellness!
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Thank you to the Strand for this opportunity to get my voice out there. Vote Dorian for Mental Wellness Commissioner from March 14-17!
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Voting is from March 14 to March 17 at voting.utoronto.ca
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