Community Studies 4100 Senior SeminarPROJECT PRESENTATIONS

30 minutes each (20 minutes presentation plus 10 minutes Q & A)

Time/Name / Category / Project TitleAbstract
8:30 / Refreshments
8:45 / Welcomeby Mark Vickers
8:55
Mark Vickers / Primary Research Study / Mental Health Literacy and Knowledge Mobilization in Cape Breton University Students
Mental health concerns are becoming increasingly common across university campuses with approximately half of students reporting some form of psychological distress each year (Storrie et al., 2010). Despite the prevalence of mental health issues among students, it is widely reported that post-secondary institutions are not doing enough to address these concerns (Gray, 2007), with one of the primary reasons being a discrepancy between what universities believe students know about mental health and what they actually understand (Storrie et al., 2010).
My primarily quantitatively-based research study examines the mental health literacy of students at Cape Breton University (CBU). 112 students completed a survey that focuses on their ability to identify mental health concerns, their perceptions of individuals with mental illness and their own rates of resiliency. The study explores this understanding across a wide array of academic programs for a general overview and specifically examines gender differences in terms of mental health literacy. The study also looks at the differences between students living on campus and students living off campus, as well as international students and Canadian students. Finally, the study identified ways of better educating students on mental health. The implications of these findings are discussed and recommendations for CBU are made.
9:30
Emily MacKay / Primary Research Study / The Transfer Experience from Community College into University
This study took a qualitative approach to examine the effectiveness of the transfer opportunity between Nova Scotia Community College and Cape Breton University. Previous studies have shown that although transfer students tend to easily transition into the academic setting of university, they may be experiencing other difficulties that are affecting their success and well-being.
The participants of this study consisted of 14 students who have transferred from various NSCC programs into CBU. Individual interviews were conducted asking each student questions surrounding their experiences throughout the transfer process. In the results it was found that students go through three stages of the transition process which are, stage 1 - initial stages at NSCC, stage 2 - transition stage into CBU, and stage 3 - final transition into the CBU social and academic setting. Within each section there were several common themes surrounding the successes and challenges students have experienced with the transition process. This presentation will discuss the current study in further detail, as well as the prior research conducted in this area. There will also be a presentation of some of the major findings from this research and the similarities to what has been found in studies at other universities on this topic. To conclude there will be a discussion of suggested improvements surrounding the transition process and future directions for this research.
10:00 / Break
10:10
Elizabeth Quirk / Community Action Project / Positive Space Trainingat Cape Breton University
The Positive Space Training (PST)program was proposed to frontline workers at Cape Breton University (CBU) as an applicable training program to create an inclusive campus for all students with a particular focus on the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender inclusive community (LGBT inclusive).PST training sessions are designed to educate the participant on how to be an ally to LGBT inclusive persons.This initiative saw collaboration with both the university community and the Cape Breton Pride community.As a trained PST facilitator, I delivered the PST program to thirty people at CBU in a variety of contexts from Student Services to the Student’s Union. Each training session involved a needs assessment to customize the program to each participant group. As a result, similar needs for each group were indicated and so the training sessions were quite similar in their methods and content. Program evaluations were conducted following each training session.
This community action project provided me with the opportunity to learn more about being a community leader and facilitator. The presentation will include background on PST, a review of the literature, a description of the action project, and the evaluation results.
10:45
Tess Carrigan / Community Action Project / Filling the Gap: An Afterschool Songwriting Workshop for Youth
There is a lack of afterschool programming for youth in Cape Breton Island. Literature has shown the benefits of afterschool programs for youth in preventing crime, encouraging interpersonal communication skills, and offering a new and exciting way of learning.
The current project involves the implementation of a five-week after school songwriting program. This program filled the need for afterschool programs while also filling the need for providing students with a program that is unique. Literature has shown that most of the afterschool programs are directed towards being physically active, which may not be appealing or financially possible for all youth. Much of the literature has also shown that the benefits of songwriting with youth include the reduction of stress, using lyrics as an outlet to discuss events occurring in their lives, and encouraging creativity at a young age. Based on these findings, I implemented a five-week songwriting program for students at Bridgeport Elementary/Middle School. My presentation will consist of a brief overview of the literature, the design of the program, implementation, outcomes, and the evaluation of the program.
11:20 / Final Remarksby Mark Vickers