University students are like plants. If the campus creates the right conditions, students will flourish. UTSC aspires to make its campus a hub where the developmental potential of our students from diverse cultural backgrounds converges with unparalleled learning opportunities to become creative, socially engaged responsible and flourishing citizens. The Flourish Program strives to create these conditions systematically through actions, habits, skills and strategies. The program teaches students to use their strengths to do well and feel well, pursue academic and meaningful co-curricular activities and learn skills to bounce back from setbacks quickly and adaptively.

Flourish is based on Corey Keyes’ model (Keyes, 2007; Keyes et al., 2011).  Corey Keyes posits that the absence of symptoms of mental health does not necessarily mean presence of mental health. Using a categorical diagnosis, Keyes terms the presence of mental health as flourishing, and the absence of mental health as languishing. Keyes has examined the flourishing and languishing of more than 1,200 nationally representative adolescents between ages 12 to 18. Keyes found that approximately 38% of adolescents were flourishing, 56% were moderately mentally healthy, and 6% were languishing.

Who can participate?

All UTSC students can participate in the program by logging in with their UTOR Id.  As a first step, you will complete a confidential online assessment. You can complete the assessment at home or on campus.

Why should you participate?

Upon completion of the assessment, you will immediately create your online Flourish Profile (see a sample profile). This profile will

• identify your salient strengths, also referred as signature strengths
• explore your level of stress and well-being 
• review your academic habits such as classroom and exam behaviour, campus engagement and ability to cope with academic stressors.

How will the program support your flourishing?

To deepen your understanding of your Flourish Profile, you will be invited to attend workshops offered through partner student services. These workshops will help you learn to use your strengths to manage stress, improve your well-being and enhance academic performance. These workshops will also introduce you to on- and off-campus resources, which can support your growth and well-being. In order to help you use and build your strengths, the Flourish program may also connect you with individuals on-campus. For example, we might suggest a session with a professional from the Athletics & Recreation department, a one-to-one meeting with a learning strategist or career counsellor, confidential and free individual and group counselling at Health & Wellness Centre, a meeting with a faculty or staff member. Finally, the program will also offer you a rich inventory of online resources. Including pop culture illustrations of strengths, evidence-based strategies to boost your well-being and manage your stress, and important tips to succeed academically.

Read the 2018 Flourish Final report here.

 

Flourish is a CCR (Co-Curricular Record) Approved Program

 

 

 

• Keyes, Corey L. M. (2007). Promoting and Protecting Mental Health as Flourishing: A Complementary Strategy for Improving National Mental Health. American Psychologist, 62, 95-108.
• Keyes, C.L.M., Eisenberg, D., Perry, G.S., Dube, S.R., Kroenke, K., Dhingra, S.S. (2011). The Relationship of Level of Positive Mental Health with Current Mental Disorders in Predicting Suicidal Behavior and Academic Impairment in College Students. Journal of American College Health, 60, 126-33.