Dear Students,

We are all deeply saddened to learn about the recent events of the military invasion in the Ukraine, and join our Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Premier John Horgan and other world leaders in the call for de-escalation and the end to the conflict.

For those in our community with ties to Ukraine, I know this may be a difficult time for you and I want to offer our support and care. War, violence, and political uncertainty can cause stress, anxiety, and other responses, even if someone is not directly affected by the situation.

If you need to speak with someone you can contact our Student Services staff at Student_Services@Acsenda.com.

We also want to remind you that additional support is also available at all times through our Keep Me Safe Program where there is 24/7/365 immediate and unlimited access to licensed counsellors through telephone and mobile chat, even when travelling abroad, and service in over 60 languages.

Please find the attached support resource that includes strategies for coping in times of political uncertainty. Remember that the immediate and confidential keep.meSAFE services are accessible 24/7/365 by calling 1-844-451-9700 (outside of Canada and the USA 1-416-380-6578) or downloading the MySSP app. The app also features additional information and tips on coping with stressful events.

Crisis Support Line now open

While the Student Support Program (My SSP) help line is open for eligible student, LifeWorks has also opened a Crisis Support Line for anyone in the community in need of emotional support in relation to these events. The Crisis Support Line is open 24/7 and can be reached in the United States at 1-877-757-7587, Canada at 1-844-751-2133, the United Kingdom at 0800 088 5339 and Ireland at 1800 817 227. By calling, individuals will receive professional emotional support and/or referral to community resources. This resource is available to anyone and everyone, client or not.