Tag: Bell Let’s Talk Day

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Bell will no longer donate five cents per post on Bell Let’s Talk Day

Bell’s is committing $10 million to mental health programs ahead of Bell Let’s Talk Day on January 25th.

The annual event sees Bell donate five cents for every interaction and social media post about the campaign. However, Bell will not renew the action this year, and the $10 million commitment will replace the practice.

Bell says the $10 million figure is more than it’s ever committed to the annual event. Last year, the company provided $8.2 million after Canadians shared 164 million messages, a 3.2 percent increase from 2021 and 47 million social media interactions.

However, it remains unclear how Bell reached the $10 million figure or if it acts as a cap to Bell’s donation.

The company’s own records show Bell Let’s Talk Day is an immensely popular event which has continued to grow year after year. With a 3.2 percent increase in 2022 alone, it’s unclear how the event will grow in 2023 and what Bell’s total donation could be. It’s possible the usual method of five cents a post could lead to more than $10 million.

The irony of this announcement is also hard to ignore. The press release sharing details of the $10 million commitment doesn’t mention any efforts Bell will make on its part to provide its own employees with a healthier work environment. Bell has faced questions about its practices for years but has yet to address them.

While the importance of talking about mental health can’t be denied, the effectiveness of such messages diminishes when organizations do little to address ongoing issues in their own companies.

Image credit: Bell 

Source: Bell

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Mobile Syrup

Bell Let’s Talk and Brain Canada donate over $4 million to mental health projects

Bell Let’s Talk and Brain Canada have awarded a total of $4,190,000 to five teams working on mental health-related research projects.

The funding comes through the Bell Let’s Talk-Brain Canada Mental Health Research Program, a joint initiative between the carrier and non-profit, with support from Health Canada.

More information on the projects can be found here.

Additionally, Bell’s latest annual “Bell Let’s Talk Day” is today, January 26th. As in previous years, the carrier pledges to donate 5¢ to mental health initiatives for “every applicable text, call, tweet or TikTok video using #BellLetsTalk, social media video view and use of our Facebook frame or Snapchat lens.” Last year, $7 million was raised. The general “Let’s Talk” goal, per the carrier, is to break “the stigma” surrounding mental health.

It should be noted, however, that the initiative has generated criticism, especially in recent years. Some have said the corporate advertising around that day, on top of feeling cynical, can lead them to feel more alone. Others have pointed out that the campaign only highlights certain major aspects of mental health, while leaving others, like borderline personality disorder and schizophrenia, aren’t addressed. The unique mental health struggles faced by racial minorities also go unmentioned.

Beyond that, some Canadians have criticized Bell for how its treated its own employees. One New Brunswick Bell employee said she was fired her mental health issues, while several other workers said aggressive sales targets led to vomiting, panic attacks and anxiety. The company also came under fire for laying off hundreds of people last year — less than one year into the pandemic, no less.

Source: Bell

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Mobile Syrup

Bell’s donation to post-secondary institutions ahead of Bell Let’s Talk Day fails to address existing concerns

Every year telecom giant Bell hosts an annual event encouraging Canadians to talk about mental health called Bell Let’s Talk Day.

Canadians often find themselves participating through one of the company’s many social media initiatives, asking for a tweet or filter on Instagram to be shared in order for a small amount to be donated towards a cause concerning mental health.

Ahead of the annual event on January 26th, the company has announced it’s donating $1 million towards mental health programs in 16 post-secondary institutions across the country.

The University of New Brunswick, University of Montreal, and Centennial College are just some of the institutions receiving the funds.

In a press release about the announcement, the company addresses the impact the spread of the novel coronavirus has on students. It cites a survey from the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations, which found the pandemic worsened presenting mental health challenges in 78 percent of students.

But what it has painfully failed to acknowledge is post-secondary students suffered from mental health challenges long before the pandemic, and institutions rarely did anything to address this.

Included in the press release is a quote from Janine Robb, the executive director of health and wellness at the University of Toronto.

Robb praises Bell for funding programs, which is ironic given the university was the subject of students protesting the lack of mental health services a couple of years ago.

In March 2019, students held a silent protest outside the office of the president of the university. Many held up signs that depicted the university’s inability to hear student input on programs addressing mental health.

Suicide among students here, like at other institutions, is unfortunately common. Between 2018 and 2019, four students died by suicide. The latest student to have lost their life was just over a year ago in November 2020.

Many have argued the university has failed to provide enough resources to accommodate the large cohort of students, leading to long waitlists the university won’t disclose.

The press release from Bell states the funds will be used to create new programs that fall in line with the National Standard for Mental Health and Well-Being for Post-Secondary Students.

While funds addressing the ongoing issues in post-secondary students is a step in the right direction, it mostly seems to add to the ongoing conversation on mental health without addressing the need for more resources.

The concept relates back to the issues seen at UofT. While programs do exist, and more will be created through the funding, will there be enough resources to provide all students with the help they need in a timely manner?

Image credit: Bell Let’s Talk

Source: Bell Let’s Talk