The Canada-based business hopes its mental health tools and training will reach extra students and staff at a time when they are very likely to have had to face increased financial pressures, worries about loved ones and the loneliness of isolation, while adjusting to new routines.

“Distress can be contagious, similar to a domino effect”

“Our primary concern is mental wellness within the entire community – not just our existing clients and partners – and we want everyone to have access to relevant support and expert advice during this unprecedented time,” said Christina Furtado, mental health and wellness specialist at guard.me.

The webinars have historically been “overwhelmingly well-attended”, Furtado said, adding that the guidance and practical advice is “helpful to everyone”.

As a practising mental health counsellor, Furtado explained that the primary concern under the current crisis is a struggle to establish new routines and learn new roles.

“Many of us have been thrust into parenting, teaching and having to work from home, all at the same time. How do we balance all these roles and manage our own distress levels, as well as those of our family members?” she said.

“Distress can be contagious, similar to a domino effect, so we want to help people by providing simple and effective tools to take care of their mental health as they adjust to this new normal.

“While we are happy to tailor our webinars to the particular demographics and concerns of each school or group, this is one issue that seems to be particularly relevant right now.”

Mental wellness initiatives are part of the guard.me Critical Awareness Response for Educators and Students platform, Keith Segal, guard.me Founder and CEO noted.

“We realise that we have so much more to offer than insurance,” Segal said. “We provide the reassurance that we are a team that cares about physical and mental wellness. We want everyone to be reassured that with guard.me CARES, we’ve got their back.

“It is about putting health first – both mental and physical and supporting partners in a time of unprecedented uncertainty. It is about the respect, empathy, and responsiveness guard.me’s partners expect, and students deserve.”