Weyburn Comprehensive School was recently added to the Mental Health Capacity Building Initiative, and the program is set to officially begin.  

There are two staff members running the program: School Coordinator, Kimberly Bitz, and Wellness promoter, Ohla Matiusheva. 

Bitz is a practicing occupational therapist and doctoral researcher, who specializes in mental health and addiction. Matiusheva received her Master’s Degree in Psychology in Ukraine, and made an evaluation of her degree in the World Education Services while living in Canada.  

“Our role here at Weyburn Comprehensive will be to take all of the wonderful programs and services that are available within the Weyburn community and try to connect them to the parents, students, and staff here at Weyburn comprehensive so that we can really maximize all of the great work that's happening with mental health,” Kimberly Bitz said. “So essentially, we are capacity building. We want to mentor and assist both students and staff as well as their parents so that we can really develop healthy relationships and strong mental health within our community.”    

Bitz explained that the program is about co-facilitation, developing relationships, and amplifying student voices.  

“We're bringing them the services and programs that they need. It really is about collaboration and community development, so we're hoping to connect with everyone to find out really what they want to see and work to bring that to them.”   

Bitz said there are wonderful programs already within the school, and it is critical to make sure students have access to them. 

“It is about making sure that students know how to access those services and working to really build up their mental health and their strength and resilience because they have so much to offer us. They really are our future and I think giving them improved mental health capacity really is just going to let them be their best.”   

Bitz hopes the program builds capacity within the community and school so they are no longer needed. 

"The community will just naturally, be able to implement all of these types of supports on their own.”   

Bitz and Matiusheva are really excited to be a part of the program and to work with community partners, families, teachers, and students.