Regina school installs bench to promote mental health, friendship

Buddy bench at Thomson School in Regina.

The Canadian Mental Health Association Regina launched their first buddy bench at Thomson Community School on Tuesday morning.

Buddy benches are put in place to teach children about diversity, compassion and inclusiveness.

They are brightly coloured benches where students can sit if they are feeling bored or lonely.

Other students can then go to the bench and ask them if they would like to play or talk.

“Along with our bench comes a curriculum guide for our teachers so it's not just installed and forgotten about,” the schools vice-principal Katherine Black said. “We teach about how we use the bench, how inclusion and non-bullying and friendship and respect and kindness are part of our everyday work.”

This is the first of eight buddy benches to be installed at a Regina elementary school.