MSU Student Health Education Centre

Welcome back McMaster!! We hope you had a safe and restful winter break! SHEC is hiring for two PAID PART-TIME positions for the 2022-2023 school year! We are currently looking for full-time non-graduating students to take on the position of Director and Assistant Director. For more information on the roles, you can check out the job listing at msumcmaster.ca/jobs! Applications are due Jan 16 (11:59 PM ET) and Jan 23 (11:59 PM ET), respectively. If you have any questions... about either positions outside of the job listing, you can email [email protected]! Good luck!

As the Winter Break approaches and university operations close, SHEC will also be closed until the new year. We have compiled resources for some popular regions so that you can access peer support and health-related support during this time! Regions include Toronto, Hamilton, Sarnia-Lambton (Southwestern Ontario), Niagara & St Catharines, Calgary (Alberta), and additional helplines. ... We hope you find these helpful and feel free to share with us and suggestions for future regions you’d like us to include!

Free pregnancy tests available Lockers of Love is an initiative by the Food Collective Centre that gives students and community members a confidential method of receiving essential supplies such as non-perishable food items and health supplies. Now, SHEC has partnered up with the FCC to offer free pregnancy tests! These tests can be accessed by filling out a confidential form at https://linktr.ee/msu_SHEC, and clicking on Lockers of Love. Once the form is filled, you can expect a confirmation of your order and a locker to find it in within 5 business days. Orders can be picked up within 10 days after the order is placed in the locker. Requests are confidential and are open to all McMaster students.

Giveaway alert!! As we wrap up the semester, SHEC and Maccess present the Winter Wonder Care giveaway, with over $450 worth of prizes! Swipe through to see the prizes available. To enter, go to our INSTAGRAM account (@msu_shec) and follow these simple steps: 1. Follow both SHEC and Maccess 2. Like this post 3. Tag a friend (or the MSU Maccess account)... 4. Indicate what large and small prize you are most interested in! All McMaster students are welcome to apply. The giveaway closes at 11:59pm EST on December 12. Winners will be contacted by DM on Instagram after this date. If winners are interested in a prize not on the list, such as gender gear or a mobility aid, contact us through our email or social media accounts!

Participants needed! How comfortable are McMaster undergraduate students with sharing their identities on Instagram? You are being invited to take part in a 1015-minute anonymous, online survey at any time and location of your choosing provided you have access to a computer. The study hopes to learn more about how McMaster’s undergraduate student population presents themselves and their views on social justice in online and offline environments. Here are some examples of ...questions you will be asked: On average, how much time do you spend on Instagram per day? What civil rights/social justice movements are you openly supporting on Instagram? Do you post about your personal beliefs on Instagram? The risks involved in participating in this study are minimal. Participants do not need to answer questions that they do not want to answer. You can also stop being in the study at any time during the survey or not answer questions but still take part in the study. Interested? Here is the link to the survey: https://surveys.mcmaster.ca/limesurvey/index.php/577981 *Note: this study has been reviewed and cleared by the McMaster Research Ethics Board. If you have questions or concerns about your rights as a participant or about the way the study is being conducted you may contact: McMaster Research Ethics Board Secretariat Telephone: (905) 525-9140 ext. 23142 Gilmour Hall Room 305 (ROADS) E-mail: [email protected] If you are interested in getting more information about taking part in their study, please contact Anam, Bianca, Emma, Jhovanna, Nicole or Rifa DIRECTLY by using their McMaster email addresses: Anam Khan: [email protected] Bianca Perez: [email protected] Emma Murdoch: [email protected] Jhovanna Duran: [email protected] Nicole Rego: [email protected] Rifa Khan: [email protected] Taking part or not taking part in this study will not affect your status or any services you receive here at McMaster.

SHEC is excited to announce our first event of the year Cum One, Cum All! Compassionate Casual Sex featuring guest speaker Eva Bloom who is a Canadian sexual health educator and researcher! Eva will be covering how to attract kind casual sex partners, how to identify and communicate boundaries, how to have amazing, kind casual sex, and more! Trigger Warning: Mentions of sexual harassment via dating apps. Accessibility Information: This event is open to students of all progra...ms, levels, and identities. Closed captioning will be provided. Register now for the webinar taking place November 24, 2021 from 6:00 to 7:00 PM (EST) at https://bit.ly/3x8SE2B!

It’s November 7th which means it’s Period Equity Day! Swipe through this quick campaign to learn more about period equity, period poverty, steps for improvement and what you can do to help

NEW HOURS We are super excited to announce the reopening of SHEC Warmline! Warmline is run by our team of student peer support volunteers! Peer support is delivered via chat over tawk.to. If you would prefer audio- or video-based peer support, that can also be arranged!... Swipe through this post for the instructions on how to access Warmline via tawk.to/msuSHEC! *Please note that the SHEC Warmline is not intended for crisis situations or medical emergencies. For information on more resources, please check out our website (link in bio).

Collective Care is back! This fall, SHEC and WGEN are bringing back FREE resources, delivered right to you! Collective Care is a program that gives out virtual gift cards to help students buy the resources they need! Request your card at bit.ly/collective_care Helping students access free products has long been an important part of both our service mandates and we want to continue that goal, even online. Gift cards will be given out, no questions asked, to support stud...ents in accessing: - Gender-affirming items - Parenting and pregnancy items - Safe(r) sex and menstrual items - Personal care items And much more! Concerned about something not on our list? Let us know and we’ll do our best to figure something out with you!

We are super excited to announce the reopening of SHEC Warmline! Warmline is run by our team of student peer support volunteers! Currently, our hours of operations are reduced until further notice and chat-based peer support is available. If you would prefer audio- or video-based peer support, that can also be arranged! Swipe through this post for the instructions on how to access Warmline via tawk.to/msuSHEC!... *Please note that the SHEC Warmline is not intended for crisis situations or medical emergencies. For information on more resources, please check out our website (link in bio).

ATTENTION FIRST YEAR MCMASTER STUDENTS The Student Health Education Centre is opening our hiring for first year peer support volunteers! If you are a first year student passionate about supporting the McMaster community and promoting health of different shapes and forms, consider joining the team! No prior experience with peer support is required so all McMaster students are welcome to apply! ... Applications are found on https://bit.ly/SHECFirstYear and due September 30th, 2021 @ 11:59 PM (EST)! Feel free to reach out to us on social media or at [email protected] if you have any questions or require any accommodations!

ATTENTION UPPER YEAR MCMASTER STUDENTS The Student Health Education Centre is re-opening our hiring for upper year and returning peer support volunteers! If you are passionate about supporting the McMaster community and promoting health of different shapes and forms, consider joining the team! No prior experience with peer support is required so all McMaster students are welcome to apply! ... Applications are found on https://bit.ly/SHECUpperYear and due September 30th, 2021 @ 11:59 PM)! Feel free to reach out to us on social media or at [email protected] if you have any questions or require any accommodations!

GIVEAWAY ALERT!!! Calling all incoming first years! Enter to win a $25 McMaster Campus Store gift card by making sure you complete the following before September 3rd: 1. Follow us @MSU_SHEC and @MSU_Spark 2. Like this post ... 3. Tag a friend that should attend this event. Each tag = 1 entry. MSU SHEC and Spark present Wellness 1A03 - a first year guide to navigating party culture and stress management. Join us at 6:30PM EST on Friday, September 3rd for an evening of wellness and fun! This event will have multiple breakout rooms, each with different themes. Activities include meditation, jeopardy and a wellness workshop with special guests. Use the link in our bio (https://bit.ly/Wellness1A03) to register! Can’t wait to see you there. Content Warning: Spark and SHEC’s Welcome Week event, ‘Wellness 1A03 - A First Year Guide to Navigating Party Culture and Stress Management’, will touch on a variety of sensitive topics including alcohol-use, marijuana-use, party culture, peer pressure, etc. Our Services take a harm-reduction approach, educating on how to use these substances in a safe(r) way, should you choose to use them. These aforementioned topics will specifically be discussed in our Jeopardy breakout room, and we acknowledge that they may be sensitive for some individuals. Should you choose to register, please know that if you are uncomfortable at any point, please feel free to leave the Jeopardy breakout room and join another breakout room, or exit the Wellness 1A03 event entirely. You may connect with a Spark/SHEC Executive to debrief if that is something you are comfortable with.

NEW deadline... May 19th @ 11:59 PM Ever thought of joining the MSU SHEC executive team? Well, get ready because now is the perfect chance! We're currently seeking:... 2 x Promotions Coordinators, 2 x Volunteer Coordinators, and 2 x Training & Development Coordinators (**new)! Now before you convince yourself that you shouldn't even try applying, let us assure you... NO pretty resume or cover letter is required to apply, NO previous experience with SHEC or the MSU is needed, and students from ANY undergrad program are encouraged to apply!! SO, if you're ready to get involved please visit bit.ly/SHEC_Exec to learn more, and don't forget to submit your application by or before May 19th @ 11:59 PM (EST)! P.S. Feel free to reach out and contact us at [email protected], or through our social media accounts, if you have any questions about the application process, the position, the service, or if you need any accommodations! ** The job description for the new Training & Development Coordinator roles is currently being finalized by the MSU Admin Office. The overview of the position is as follows... "The primary purpose of the two T&D Coordinators will be to arrange, coordinate, oversee, and/or facilitate learning opportunities for the entire MSU SHEC volunteer team throughout the academic year. This will be done in consultation with the SHEC Director, Assistant Director, and relevant MSU/community partners." ... ... ... Additional Note: Last this summer/fall, the SHEC team will be recruiting for the following vacancies: 2 x Resources & Advocacy Coordinator, 2 x Events & Outreach Coordinator, and 55+ Peer Support Volunteers! If you'd like to receive an email notification when hiring begins for one or more of these positions, sign up anonymously at bit.ly/SHEC_alert

Living through COVID-19 has been a unique experience for everyone. Just because ‘others have it worse’, that does not take away from the challenges you are experiencing in your own life! Allowing yourself to feel upset and frustrated does not take away from your ability to empathize with others.

Social media has made comparing yourself to others nearly unavoidable When it comes to productivity, it can be easy to feel down on yourself or ‘less-than'. Here are some things to consider that can be helpful when navigating these feelings:

Part of self-care during exams can be making sure that your study station is set up in a way that is good for both your body and mind! While Dev wants to curl up in bed while rewatching lecture recordings, he expects that he’ll have neck pains tomorrow morning if he does. So What should Dev do? Swipe to see some proven tips that students can use to make their workspace comfier in the long run!

Self-care is more than just a buzzword Before it became a hashtag, engaging in self-care was viewed as a radical act; one that was deeply political in nature. Unfortunately, as time has passed, the concept of self-care has been co-opted by ‘wellness influencers’ and, in the process, its rich history was almost entirely forgotten. Well today, we’re bringing you back to the fundamentals! Scroll through for more information...... Reminder: Self-care, or self-love, can mean different things to different people! So, it’s important to remember that doing what is best for YOU might not be the same for someone else. Taking time to figure out a self-care practice or routine that works for you can also serve as a great way to get to know yourself better!

This year, social media has been full of posts about ‘grind’ and ‘hustle’ culture, especially for students. Whether it’s in regards to our lifestyle, relationships or academics, comparing ourselves to others often feels unavoidable. Remembering that we are living through a pandemic, not a productivity contest can be challenging -- that is why SHEC is busting the myth of Pandemic Productivity this week. Stay tuned for posts of self-care, studying, comparing yourself to others, and more!

The time is here!!! You can now access SHEC’s brand new Warmline! The Warmline is the place for you to access anonymous peer support from our wonderful peer support volunteers through chat, audio or even video-call. It’s the place for you to talk about anything you have on your mind, to get guidance on a variety of topics, or to explore resources. Come chat about health or any school related concerns by following the 3 easy steps below! Visit tawk.to/msuSHEC today!!! Questions about what peer support is? Check out this awesome video: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=567926427357818 *Please note that the SHEC Warmline is not intended for crisis situations or medical emergencies. For information on more resources, please check out our website (link in bio)

Happening TODAY @ 4:30pm!! We are so excited to host this collaborative event with MSU Women and Gender Equity Network - WGEN as part of their Transforming Mac Week! Come learn about how we can make health care spaces more inclusive of trans folks moving forward, - Event is open to *everyone*... - To join anonymously use an incognito browser - Closed Captions are embedded on the platform (MS Live Events) Have questions about the event? Feel free to send us a private message, or email us at [email protected], and our Coordinator will be sure to answer as soon as possible! Don't forget to check out the rest of WGEN's event line-up: https://www.facebook.com/events/361107085189872/?acontext=%7B%22source%22%3A5%2C%22action_history%22%3A[%7B%22surface%22%3A%22page%22%2C%22mechanism%22%3A%22main_list%22%2C%22extra_data%22%3A%22%5C%22[]%5C%22%22%7D]%2C%22has_source%22%3Atrue%7D

For Trans Day of Remembrance, happening November 20th, Kyle's Place will be hosting an event over Zoom from 7-9pm. You can message us or email [email protected] for the link On the same day, from 6-9pm, speqtrum will be holding drop in online peer support for anyone who wants to chat, debrief, or connect with a peer. To access this just send us a message here, on Insta (@speqtrumyhm) or email us at [email protected]

A great resource for those living in Tkaronto!

A one time drop in virtual peer support group for Indigenous Trans or Two-Spirited identified folks for #transdayofremembrance taking place on Nov 20th from 11:...30-1 Connect with River for virtual link . . #tdor #mentalhealth #transdayofremembrance2020 #peersupport

This is SHEC's letter to Primer Higgs and Health Minister Shepard expressing our concern about the current lack of accessible abortion services within New Brunswick. Members of the executive team have written this letter to discuss our position on the matter of accessible abortion and to detail some immediate actions that the provincial government can take to remedy the situation. Read the letter for more details! [For a more accessible version of this letter please visit: https://bit.ly/3oBx5mm]