Best Practices Library and Guide

Introduction

Close-up shot of a plant.

What is the Best Practices Library and Guide?

To advance evidence-based post-secondary student mental health and wellness initiatives, the Best Practices Network developed the Best Practices Guide (herein referred to as the “Guide”) to identify and categorize practices that improve Canadian post-secondary students’ mental health and well-being. Practices within the Best Practices Continuum track are classified based on operationalized criteria, ranging from cutting-edge, emerging, promising, and best. Practices within the Indigenous-Specific track are classified based on the Aboriginal Ways Tried and True Framework.

How and Why

Best Practices Guide Development

Why the Guide was developed

With increased recognition of the importance of evaluation practices, quality improvement, and program accountability within the post-secondary sector, the Guide seeks to support campuses by creating a process to identify practices that have had a positive impact on mental health outcomes for post-secondary students.

The Guide also utilizes a culturally appropriate tool that identifies successful practices in Indigenous contexts with the Ways Tried and True framework. Campuses share their evidence-based tools, program evaluation, and frameworks to support evaluation efforts. 

How the Guide was developed

The Guide was developed by adopting and incorporating existing best practice frameworks and the Ways Tried and True framework in the health and mental health sectors based on an environmental scan.

To contextualize the Guide within the Canadian post-secondary mental health sector, the National Standard of Canada for Mental-Health and Well-Being for Post-Secondary Students was utilized.

Best Practices Submission Guide (PDF)

Environmental Scan of Best Practice Frameworks (PDF)