Our Thrive 365 programming is created with intention and is meant to be responsive to the current needs of Queen’s employees. Programming is created as a proactive response to data received through the Employee Experiences Survey, benefit usage, and event feedback surveys. In addition, wellness programming is designed to cater to the diverse needs and dimensions of an individual’s wellbeing.
Thrive also aligns with the Campus Wellbeing Framework, the Queen's Strategy, and The Okanagan Charter.
With guidance from the Campus Wellbeing Framework, our programming incorporates four priority focus areas:
- Belonging and Social Connection
- Personal Wellbeing
- Places
- Culture
Queen’s University’s commitment to healthy and sustainable workplaces, student experiences, and the development of a vibrant intellectual community is strengthened significantly through a commitment to enhancing mental health and wellbeing of students, staff and faculty. Thrive is an important part of this commitment and is a key component of larger plans to enhance health and wellbeing at Queen’s.
Upcoming Thrive 365 Events
Discover and participate in wellness programs, events, celebrations, workshops, and initiatives designed with diverse needs in mind, including nutrition, fitness, and mental health resources.
Any Queen’s student, staff, or faculty members are invited to become a Thrive Champion. Thrive is a campus-wide initiative designed to promote positive mental health for everyone. Thrive exists to encourage dialogue about balance, community engagement, social support, and healthy lifestyle choices. By becoming a Thrive Champion, you can contribute to this dialogue and support positive mental health at Queen’s.
- Event Lead: Plan and run an event with your team, or let the Thrive team use your space for an event.
- Event Host/Volunteer: Host your own Thrive event or support with facilitating an event.
- Committee Member: Participate in our committee to plan the annual Thrive week.
- Donate: Donate to fund a specific event, activity, or speaker. Donate prizes or supplies.
Thrive began as an idea between two colleagues at UBC, Patty Hambler and Suzanne Jolly, in the spring of 2009. They shared a common goal - to create a campus environment that better understood the importance of mental health and wellbeing, one that was supportive of individuals to make choices that promoted not only healthy bodies, but healthy minds.&
- 2009: First annual Thrive week launched at UBC Vancouver with 20 different events and the tagline ‘Health, Community, Commitment’.
- 2014: By far Thrive’s biggest year yet. Over 65 partners and 100 events and activities marked a highly successful initiative that reached over 35,000 campus community members. Thrive events were hosted on two UBC Campuses and in 7 different locations.
- 2015: Queen’s adopts Thrive onto its campus.
- 2021: Shifting our approach to thriving all year around.
2023 Keynote with Dr. Jacoba Lilius
Dr. Lilius joined Queen’s in 2006 after receiving her Ph.D. in Organizational Psychology from the University of Michigan. Her research centers on unpacking prosocial emotions and behaviours in the workplace, with a particular interest in individual practices that support compassion. She has continued her research on workplace compassion for over 20 years as an active member of the CompassionLab. For Thrive Week 2023, Dr. Lilius hosted a 75-minute keynote presentation to discuss compassion in our lives.
2022 Keynote with Dr. Gillian Mandich
Dr. Gillian Mandich is an award-winning, internationally recognized happiness researcher, speaker, educator, and author. She is the founder of the International Happiness Institute of Health Science Research and a Research Associate at the World Database of Happiness, based out of Erasmus University, Rotterdam, Netherlands. For Thrive Week 2022, Dr. Mandich hosted a 75-minute keynote presentation to discuss happiness in the new world of work and the digital era.
2021 Keynote with Janice Brant
The work of Ratinenhayen:thos as a community collective, demonstrates principles rooted in our traditions, and speaks to a number of concepts surrounding individual and community wellness, and many ways in which we can work towards healing, health and wellness through planting and seed saving. The keynote will touch on traditional ways of knowing and doing as it relates to seed saving and planting activities, and also how these activities promote and contribute to wellness.
2019 Keynote with Francoise Mattieu
Executive Director of Tend and former crisis counsellor at Queen’s University. Specializes in high-stress, trauma exposed work. Navigating times of crisis and ways to show compassion while taking care of yourself.
Learning across Queen's
Several university departments offer courses, workshops, and training for employees. Keep learning, keep growing!
Wellness that Works
Your personal wellness directly impacts your ability to achieve your goals at work. Take care of you.
Access TELUS Health One Resources
Username: queensu
Password: telushealth