Finding Light – Sigma Chi x HeadsUpGuys
Finding Light: Inspirational Stories of Recovery from Mental Health Challenges
The Sigma Chi Fraternity has the pleasure to be partnering with UBC’s HeadsUpGuys for another year to launch a fundraising initiative in support of its life-saving online resources that provide men with practical information to manage and prevent depression. We believe this fundraising campaign will be an excellent opportunity to encourage young men to seek help in confronting their mental health challenges by destigmatizing men’s mental health. As one of the largest social fraternities in North America, we believe strongly in empowering our community by helping young men.
With the incredible support of our fraternity community along with a match from an anonymous donor, we were able to raise $72,000 for HeadsUpGuys last year. We hope you will join us in supporting this important cause once again this year.
Please spread the word and share this important fundraising initiative with your family, friends, colleagues, and community!
About HeadsUpGuys
COVID-19 has impacted many students and community members, increasing the need for mental health support to cope with depression, anxiety, and feelings of loneliness. Men are at greater risk of depression and suicide due to the stigma they face around reaching out for help. In fact, HeadsUpGuys surveyed 434 Canadian men in their health-seeking community in 2020, and through the survey, learned that approximately 79% of respondents’ mental health was negatively impacted by COVID-19.
Dr. Ogrodniczuk was recently interviewed by the Toronto Star about a new Statistics Canada report indicating that between May and October of 2020 there were over 1,285 more deaths among Canadians aged under 45 than can’t be fully accounted for by COVID-19 or the overdose crisis. Males accounted for 81% of these deaths, with suicide likely being the tragic end to many of these young lives.
One of the objectives of HeadsUpGuys is to increase men’s uptake of professional mental health services through user-friendly online resources. Since launching in June 2015, the impact of HeadsUpGuys has been astounding. To date, there has been over 3,000,000 visits (UK, USA, and Canada are top visitors).
In 2020, HeadsUpGuys created a COVID-19 HUB to help men manage the many challenges that have been incited by the pandemic. In May 2021 HeadsUpGuys launched a new Therapist Directory to help connect men with local therapists who have experience and expertise in consulting with men. The directory includes over 450 therapists across Canada, USA, and the UK. The Directory has already facilitated over 4,000 connections between visitors and therapists (email, phone, and therapist website clicks).
For more details about this initiative, please check out the UBC HeadsUpGuys landing page at: https://headsupguys.org/ubc-sigma-chi-fundraiser/