This is How We Heal: Creating Student Belonging

Julie Seeger, Design Stream

Simon Rabyniuk, Advisor

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines mental health as: “a state of well-being in which the individual realizes their own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to their community.” Students today are in the midst of an ongoing mental health crisis. Belonging is a fundamental human need and is key to mental health. My thesis examines how to create a stronger sense of belonging within student populations as they encounter one another in the Koffler Centre at the University of Toronto, a major hub on campus.