What is Cultural wellness?
Cultural wellness is the ability to create and maintain a positive, inclusive environment that values inclusivity and mutual benefit. It is also a strong sense of citizenship/belonging and positive contribution to one’s home, community, school, organization, neighbourhood, city, province/state, and country. Cultural wellness encorporates a sense of awareness, understanding, and respect for different cultures, genders, sexual orientations, income/education levels, and other aspects of diversity.
Similarly, it includes awareness and understanding of, as well as respect, for one’s own cultural background. Cultural wellness also includes avoiding damaging biases and stereotypes, ensuring a positive, inclusive, equitable environment, and standing-up for others in cases of injustice, as well as respect for, and adherence to, laws and regulations.
Cultural wellness includes, but is not limited to:
- Strong citizenship (neighbourhood, city, province/state, country)
- Positive, inclusive, equitable environment
- Understanding and appreciation of edict, cultures, traditions, and diversity (your own and others)
- Establishing relationships with those of different backgrounds (inclusivity)
- Standing-up for/supporting others in times of injustice
- Avoidance of damaging stereotypes and biases
- Acceptance of all ethnicities, cultures, religions, genders, sexual orientations, creeds, etc.
- Respect for, and adherence to, laws and regulations
Resources
Looking to enhance your cultural wellness? Below are some resources both on and off campus, as well as general information related to cultural wellness.
On-Campus Resources
- Social Responsibility
- University of Waterloo Policies
- International Peer Community
- Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion Office
- Glow Centre for Sexuality and Gender Diversity
- Engineering Society (ENG Soc)
- ECE Society
- Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA) – 400 clubs
- Graduate Student Association (Waterloo), ECE GSA, MME GSA,
- Waterloo Athletics (classes, intermurals, and more)
- Move Your Mind
- Women in Engineering Living-Learning Community
- Waterloo Indigenous Student Centre
- Women’s Centre
- Waterloo International
- Resources for International Students
Off-Campus Resources
- EngiQueers (Canada)
- Society for Canadian Women in Science and Technology (SCWIST)
- Health Promoting Campuses
- Community of Wellbeing Framework (Conference Board of Canada)
- Center for Wellness and Health Promotion (Harvard University)
General Information
- Cultural Wellbeing Indicators (Australia)
- Culture of Wellbeing (Article)