Red River College Polytechnic
PA-14: Wellness Program

RRC Polytech provides many tools, resources, events, and workshops to staff and students to support their wellbeing. Some examples of wellness programs that make counseling, referral, and wellbeing services available to all students and staff and included below.

STUDENTS
- Student Counselling Services: All students at all campus locations are welcome to access support from our professional and registered counsellors free of charge. RRC Polytech counsellors help students work through personal struggles, develop skills to manage better, and improve their wellbeing.
- Early Assist: Early Assist is a confidential online platform that provides the RRC Polytech community, including faculty, staff and students, an opportunity to identify students who may be struggling personally (non-academic), so that staff can offer them appropriate support and services at an early stage.
- MindBeacon Digital Therapy: MindBeacon is customized digital therapy, guided by a mental health professional. Using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, MindBeacon can empower you to deal with life’s challenges. With guidance from a registered therapist, you’ll develop strong coping skills and techniques. Now available for free for Red River College Polytechnic students, MindBeacon can help with mood, anxiety, attention, and insomnia.
- Light Therapy: Due to our northern latitude, many Manitobans experience Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), while others experience a milder form of winter blues. SAD is a form of depression that occurs mostly during the fall and winter months, when days shorten and sunlight decreases. Several campus libraries have light therapy stations equipped with a specialized light.

STAFF
- Employee and Family Assistance Program: RRC Polytech Staff as well as their family members have access to Homewood Health’s Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) - a free, confidential and anonymous program which offers short-term counselling and support related to a wide variety of issues including relationship issues, depression and anxiety, stress management, grief and bereavement, work and family balance, parenting, gambling, substance use and work-related problems. It can also support in areas of childcare and eldercare, career planning, financial and legal consultation.

STAFF AND STUDENTS
- MindWell: RRC Polytech staff and students have unlimited access to the MindWell platform, which includes online mindfulness training, live guided mindfulness practices, monthly webinars with experts and a resource library. MindWell teaches practical skills for positive mental health that can help staff and students to be happier, healthier, more collaborative and more focused.
- Fitness Facilities: Red River College Polytechnic has recreation and fitness facilities located on both the Notre Dame Campus and the Exchange District Campus. Membership is free for most students and staff.
- Virtual Thrive Activity Series: Two weekly yoga classes, monthly paint nights and cooking classes are offered free of charge to all students and staff.

E5 – SMOKING

4. Policy
The College is committed to a smoke-free campus environment.

Subject only to the exceptions set forth in part 5 below, smoking is prohibited on all College owned, leased and/or occupied buildings, property and grounds under its control. This smoking prohibition covers, but is not limited to, all enclosed public places and outdoor public places. Leased and/or occupied buildings and grounds may be subject to lessor or third party smoking policies; the College Smoking Policy shall govern all College-controlled spaces.

Where individuals choose to smoke on third party property adjacent to College owned, leased and/or occupied buildings, property and/or grounds, such individuals shall show courtesy and consideration for others and be respectful of both this Policy and any third party rules, requirements and policies.

Smoking in any vehicle, including, but not limited to, fleet vehicles, patrol vehicles or otherwise, operated by the College is prohibited. Smoking in private vehicles but on College property remains prohibited.

It is illegal to sell or supply tobacco to persons under 18 years of age and cannabis to persons under 19 years of age. The sale of cannabis is not permitted at the College. The sale of tobacco, tobacco products and electronic cigarettes will be available at limited locations as approved by the College.

Smoking is not permitted in student residences.

The cultivation of cannabis plants is prohibited in College property and in student residences.

Subject to approved medical accommodation, the use or consumption of cannabis or cannabis-containing products by College employees (faculty, staff and contractors) during working hours is prohibited.

5. Permitted Exceptions
Nothing in this Smoking Policy restricts:
i. a person from using tobacco for smudging;
ii. a person from supplying or offering to supply tobacco or a tobacco-related product to a person described in (i) above provided that the activity is carried out for a traditional Indigenous spiritual or cultural practice or ceremony, and in the College’s Sweat Lodge or other room or location with appropriate ventilation designated for such purposes.

Students, faculty, staff, contractors, visitors and volunteers who require medical accommodation that includes the use of medical cannabis, and who have been authorized by the College, may only smoke cannabis in a space designated by the College with appropriate ventilation, and must be prepared to provide supporting medical documentation in support of their request for accommodation.

Full policy: https://www.rrc.ca/legal/policies/smoking/