As a resource teacher at William Bridge elementary, Sara Raouf watches mental illness hang over a child’s expression, whether dealing with their own or taking on the stresses of a family member. It’s ever-present, yet words are rarely spoken.
“It’s tough seeing kids going through challenging times, the community supports are out there, but I’m not sure we’re reaching the families we need to,” said Raouf. “As teachers, we have concerns about kids, there are so many unanswered questions about where they’re coming from. We don’t always have the whole picture.”
After seeing many kids struggling, Raouf approached her sister at the Canadian Mental Health Association to see what can be done to raise awareness about mental illness in schools.
And a year later, things are underway. Raouf, through the help of several community organizations, has brought Vancouver-based Green Thumb Theatre to Richmond to perform People Like Vince at 20 elementary schools from Nov. 26-Dec. 6.
Green Thumb produces original plays for younger audiences about contemporary issues such as bullying, immigration and substance abuse. People Like Vince tells the story of a young girl, Myrtle, who learns to understand her uncle’s bipolar disorder.
The play is for Grades 4-7. There will also be activities to facilitate discussion in the classroom and dispel misunderstandings about mental illness.
“I’m hoping this will be the first step in opening up a door to a safe space for kids to talk about this,” said Raouf. “It’ll be a starting point to open the conversation and reach out to those families. ”
Raouf, with two young children herself, grew up with a father who had bipolar disorder. Back then, even less awareness surrounded mental illness.
“We knew there was an issue at schools,” said Dave MacDonald, executive director at Richmond’s Pathways Clubhouse, one of the community partners. “[Raouf] mentioned how mental illness is considered a taboo, which I’ve always felt is the same for adults, too. We always felt we needed to do something, but didn’t know what.”
The McCreary Centre Society recently released a report stating one-third of parents and caregivers in B.C. indicated they had not had access to support services to help them cope. Although not the whole reason, stigma plays a role in preventing access to services, according to Roz Walls, who runs Supporting Families Affected by Parental Mental Illness and/or Addiction.
“There is a fear of what will happen, people don’t know how they’ll be judged, if kids will still be allowed to play with their kids,” Walls said.
Raouf approached MacDonald with her idea, and he drafted a grant proposal for Pacific Blue Cross’ Community Connections program. Walls and the Richmond School District included letters. The project received $12,800 to cover the expense of Green Thumb Theatre’s play.
Anxiety is one of the more common illnesses these days, as kids today face more pressure and live in a “world that is becoming an increasingly complicated place,” according to Raouf. There’s an increased access to information, but little to help kids process it.
"There are so many different factors,” she said. “Some kids see how hard their families work to make ends meet. One in four kids live below the poverty line and come to school without lunches. It’s not exactly a healthy culture.”
People Like Vince provides a light-hearted interpretation that is an accessible way for kids to be exposed to such a hard and complicated topic, according to Raouf.
Other organizations involved in the project include Touchstone Family Association, BC Schizophrenia Society, Vancouver Coastal Health, CHIMO Community Services, Richmond Addiction Services Society, as well as countless teachers and school counsellors.
