There are now more funding opportunities for Okanagan College students who are working towards a career in mental health.
The Pushor Mitchell law firm donated $30,000 to help create two annual awards for students in the college’s Human Service Work program.
Each award will be $2,000 and will help students financially complete the two-year diploma program.
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“Mental health affects everyone, including our own families and friends, and it’s an issue that can’t be ignored,” said Pushor Mitchell managing partner Andrew Brunton.
“The whole community benefits in having people trained in the area of mental health and support for people facing crises.”
According to OC’s website, students who complete the degree have opportunities to work with individuals experiencing addiction, homelessness, abuse, poverty and other social issues.
Neve Pratt, a student in the second year of the Human Service Work program, said the awards will help to attract new people pursuing a career in mental health.
“The Human Service Work sector can be overlooked, so knowing that Pushor Mitchell is acknowledging it and supporting it is significant,” said Pratt.
“This can be a challenging sector to work in and it’s important for Human Service Workers to continuously take care of themselves, so these awards are really appreciated.”
The law firm said the donation amount will also help build a new $18.9 million Health Sciences Centre at the college.
The donation coincides around Bell Let’s Talk day, an annual initiative that sees Bell donate five cents towards mental health initiatives for every text, call and tweet sent on Jan. 29.
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