- On Bell Let's Talk Day, everyone can talk, text and join in on
social media to help end the stigma around mental illness and drive
action in Canadian mental health
- Send a Bell Let's Talk message of support on January 25 and Bell donates 5 cents more to mental health programs; let's
beat 2016's record 126M messages and $6.3M Bell donation
- Social media engagement expands to Instagram and Snapchat in
addition to Twitter and Facebook; #BellLetsTalk was Canada's #1
Twitter hashtag in 2016
- This year's campaign highlights the impact of mental illness on
everyone; Clara Hughes, and the Bell
Let's Talk team talk in depth about their personal experiences
- Learn 5 simple ways to help end stigma; download the Bell Let's
Talk toolkit at Bell.ca/LetsTalk
MONTRÉAL, Dec. 21, 2016 /CNW
Telbec/ - Bell Let's Talk Day 2017 is Wednesday, January 25 and Canada's groundbreaking
mental health initiative will offer new ways for Canadians
everywhere to get engaged and drive Bell's funding of mental health
care, research, anti-stigma and workplace initiatives across
Canada.
"Not only did we celebrate another record Bell Let's Talk Day in
January 2016, together we kept the
conversation about mental health going all year long. It's clear
we're making a difference, so let's keep on talking in 2017 Canada
as we work to build a nation free from the stigma around mental
illness," said Clara Hughes,
Canada's 6-time Olympic medalist and national Bell Let's Talk
spokesperson since the launch of the initiative in 2010.
"No matter whether you call, text or show your support on social
media with Twitter or Facebook, and now Instagram and Snapchat,
you're making a positive difference – adding your voice to the
growing national discussion while also directly activating new Bell
funding for mental health programs at no cost to you. I look
forward to engaging in the mental health cause in the biggest way
ever with you and Canadians everywhere 5 weeks from today!"
The Bell Let's Talk Day 2017 awareness campaign begins
Boxing Day on multiple TV networks,
online and out of home, and starting January
2 in Cineplex and Guzzo theatres and at Hot Docs. New
advertising spots in English and French convey messages of hope
while upending stereotypes by highlighting the reality that mental
illness affects all of us, not just the person who is sick.
TV and online videos feature Clara and Bell Let's Talk
spokespeople Howie Mandel,
Marie-Soleil Dion, Serena Ryder, Michael
Landsberg, Michel Mpambara,
Stefie Shock, Mary Walsh and Étienne Boulay speaking candidly
about their own personal experiences with mental illness and
recovery, and how their struggle directly affected those around
them. Bell Let's Talk ambassadors like Toronto Maple Leafs Head
Coach Mike Babcock, pro golfer
Andrew Jensen, comedian Kevin Breel, retired CFL player Shea Emry, musician Robb
Nash and singer-songwriter Séan McCann will also work to
encourage Canadians to join the conversation at events and media
appearances.
The team welcomes a new Bell Let's Talk ambassador this year:
Bruno Guévremont, a Royal Canadian Navy veteran of 2 tours in
Afghanistan and Team Canada
captain at the 2016 Invictus Games. Bell Media is exclusive
Canadian broadcast partner of Invictus Games Toronto 2017, the
international sporting event established by Prince Harry for wounded active duty and veteran
service members from around the world, including those struggling
with mental illnesses such as PTSD.
"We thank our incredible team of Bell Let's Talk Day
spokespeople and ambassadors for sharing their lived experience and
encouraging everyone to join the campaign to move Canada's mental
health forward," said George Cope,
President and CEO of BCE and Bell
Canada. "Bell Let's Talk Day fights the pervasive stigma
around mental illness by inviting everyone to get engaged, and to
keep on talking about this critical national health concern every
day. By joining the conversation on Bell Let's Talk Day, you
directly drive Bell's funding for Canadian mental health, expanding
proven frontline programs and launching innovative new approaches
in care, research and workplace leadership."
Instagram and Snapchat: New ways to join the
conversation
Bell Let's Talk Day donations are fully funded
by Bell directly based on engagement by Canadians in the cause.
Bell donates 5 cents to Canadian
mental health programs for each of these interactions on Bell Let's
Talk Day at no extra charge to participants:
- Every text message, mobile and long distance call made by
Bell Canada and Bell Aliant
customers.
- Twitter: Every tweet using #BellLetsTalk
- Facebook: Every view of the Bell Let's Talk Day video at
Facebook.com/BellLetsTalk
- Instagram: Every post using #BellLetsTalk
- Snapchat: Every use of the Bell Let's Talk Snapchat
geofilter
"Mental health is everyone's concern and it's incredible to see
how many people are talking about the issue, spreading
understanding and support for all those who live with mental
illness in their lives," said Mary
Deacon, Chair of Bell Let's Talk. "Social media has been a
critical part of the ongoing growth in Bell Let's Talk engagement
here in Canada but also worldwide,
underlining the strong desire everywhere for action in mental
health. With the incredible success of the campaign on Twitter and
Facebook, we're very pleased to add Instagram and Snapchat to the
many ways you can engage in 2017."
In Twitter's annual Top 10 list, #BellLetsTalk was the most used
Twitter hashtag in Canada in all
of 2016 (#MentalHealth was #7), and the most used in the world on
Bell Let's Talk Day 2016.
Bell Let's Talk Day 2016 set new records for participation with
125.9 million messages of support, growing Bell's funding for
Canadian mental health by $6,295,764.75. With approximately 598,383,571
million such interactions by Canadians over the last 6 Bell Let's
Talk Days, Bell's total commitment to mental health, including an
original $50-million anchor donation,
has climbed to $79,919,178.55 – well
on the way to Bell's target of at least $100
million by the end of 2020.
Bell Let's Talk is helping to make a difference
With a
strategy built on 4 key action pillars – anti-stigma, care and
access, research and workplace leadership – Bell Let's Talk
has partnered with more than 700 organizations all around Canada to
deliver new care initiatives in every region of the country,
including through donations to major institutions; the annual Bell
Let's Talk Community Fund; the Bell True Patriot Love Fund for
military members, veterans and their families; and a dedicated fund
for Canada's 3 Territories.
Bell Let's Talk is driving new research at universities and
health care facilities – including the Douglas-Bell Brain Bank, the
Brain Canada Research Training Fund, and the world's first
anti-stigma research chair at Queen's University – and advancing
the development of innovative new technologies supporting mental
health.
Bell helped fund the world's first national workplace mental
health and safety standard, and was one of the first to adopt it,
with some 10,000 Bell managers having completed compulsory mental
health training to date. Bell also partnered with Morneau Shepell and Queen's University to
develop the world's first university-certified workplace mental
health training program, now in use at more than 250 companies.
5 simple ways to help end the stigma
You can help end
the stigma with 5 simple ways developed by Dr. Heather Stuart, the Bell Mental Health and
Anti-Stigma Research Chair at Queen's University:
- Language matters – pay attention to the words you use about
mental illness
- Educate yourself – learn, know and talk more, understand the
signs
- Be kind – small acts of kindness speak a lot
- Listen and ask – sometimes it's best to just listen
- Talk about it – start a dialogue, break the silence
To learn more, please visit Bell.ca/LetsTalk.
About Bell
Bell is Canada's largest communications
company, providing consumers and business customers with wireless,
TV, Internet, home phone and business communications services. Bell
Media is Canada's premier multimedia company with leading assets in
television, radio, out of home, and digital media. Bell is wholly
owned by Montréal's BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE). For more
information, please visit Bell.ca.
Media inquiries
Jacqueline Michelis
(613)785-1427
jacqueline.michelis@bell.ca
@Bell_News
SOURCE Bell Canada