This article examines the multifaceted challenges confronting Canadian higher education, situating these against a backdrop of volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA) and the poly-/meta-/perma-crisis. We examine 10 specific challenges, including uncertain finances; affordability crisis; complexities of equity, diversity,…

Compassion fatigue (CF), a diminished empathic capacity resulting from prolonged exposure to others' distress, is an emerging concern in the teaching profession. This study investigates the prevalence and predictors of CF among Swedish teachers, with a particular focus on reduced compassion toward students. Drawing on the job demands-resources…

In 2021, the National Association of School Nurses published an updated position statement affirming the unique position of school nurses to support the health and well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ+) students who are faced with a variety of health disparities rooted in experiences of stigma,…

Youth Relationship Education (YRE) utilizes experienced community educators as facilitators; however, there is limited research on preparing university students for these roles. A new service-learning model offers a "near-peer" training; in this study nine undergraduates and four facilitator-instructors provided structured self and…

Universities are crucial to sparking growth and opportunity, by bringing together student populations, research partners, local businesses, and employers to create vibrant communities, jobs, and opportunity across the UK. This briefing takes a look at how universities are generating growth and opportunity across the East of England, providing…

The Survey of Adult Skills assesses key information-processing skills of adults -- literacy, numeracy and problem solving. The 2023 cycle expands this scope by including measures of social and emotional skills: agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, extraversion and openness to new experiences. This broader approach enables…

Watching Columbine unfold as a first-year teacher, I realized student mental health was more important than my English lessons. In subsequent years, I became increasingly worried about student anxiety exhibited in tears, outbursts, self-harm, suicidal ideation, and sadly, suicide. When I watched the murder of George Floyd occur blocks from where…

Research overwhelmingly testifies that poverty is a significant barrier to children's healthy development (Engle & Black, 2008; Shonkoff et al., 2012; Rakesh et al., 2021). Chronic poverty, in particular, acts as a powerful and persistent stressor that shapes the course of children's lives, leading to developmental and opportunity gaps that…

This report outlines the background and initial development stage of The Wellbeing Program Guide (wellbeingguide.acer.org), a comprehensive national resource aimed at supporting schools in selecting and implementing wellbeing programs that meet diverse contexts and student needs. Wellbeing is considered in its broadest sense, to include…

Despite the well-documented need for interprofessional collaboration (IPC) between school mental health (SMH) professionals and pediatric primary care providers (PCPs), research on current collaborative practices of these professionals is limited. Accordingly, using survey methodology, this study investigated SMH professionals' previous training…

Pediatric cancer can disrupt the behavioral and emotional well-being of youth and their families, representing a potential psychological health risk for the entire family. Among ethnic minority families, cultural factors such as acculturation and language competency may affect the experience of this illness, which can, in turn, affect overall…

Background: School-based dental programs target high-risk communities and reduce barriers to obtaining dental services by delivering care to students in their schools. We describe the evaluation of a school-based dental program operating in Chelsea, a city north of Boston, with a low-income and largely minority population, by comparing…

Purpose: Insufficient physical activity leads to an increase in chronic diseases. Skills-based health education methods are supposed to be more successful than traditional methods to promote healthy behaviors. Skills-based health education is an approach to create healthy lifestyles and skills using participatory methods. The purpose of this paper…

Lay Health Advisor (LHA) programs hold tremendous promise for reducing health disparities and addressing social determinants of health in medically underserved communities, including African American populations. Very little is understood about the capacity of LHAs in these roles and the broader contributions they make to their communities. This…

Objective: "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot is an award-winning biography engaging its readers on important topics ranging from race, science and ethics to the social determinants of health. However, the multiple pedagogic impacts of this book on the public health classroom setting have yet to be comprehensively…