Buddy Check for Jesse works to increase mental health awareness among young people, with the goal of removing the stigma of asking for help.
The Victoria-based organization was set up to give coaches the tools they need to talk to kids about the importance of taking care of their mental health and to stay ahead of problems by communicating and caring.
The program was established in 2018 in honor of Jesse Short-Gershman, a 22-year-old who committed suicide in 2014. After his death, his father, Stu Gershman, felt called to raise awareness about mental health issues and support to boys and girls. young adults who might be struggling.
In the world of sports, physical injuries are often talked about and treated without stigma. Gershman’s goal is to make mental health equal.
Gershman said a friend check can be as simple as putting your arm around someone and letting them know you’re there, or telling them it’s okay to reach out if they need help.
“It doesn’t have to be a deep, deep, dark discussion to control someone,” Gershman said. “We all go through things and you can’t always tell what someone is feeling inside by looking at them. People check stuff and it’s invisible.”
The main objective of Co-worker Checkas well as raising awareness, it is to destigmatize mental health issues and encourage support, rather than judgment.
The organization provides tools for coaches, who Gershman says occupy a unique position in society, to share with the young lives they impact.
Because coaches are youth leaders and in an environment kids often choose to be in, Gershman said they can often reach out to them in ways that parents and others can’t. He said the coach’s role involves more than just instilling the rules of the game, it’s an opportunity to develop life skills as well.
“You have a group of young people around you who look to you for guidance, they look to you for mentors and they look to you to model behavior,” he said. “Everyone has challenges, and you don’t generally expect a coach to bring that up, but the coach is a powerful role model in being able to do that with the youngsters, who are paying attention to them.”
The idea came to Gershman when he was helping coach his two youngest sons’ hockey team. Before every game, he would talk to the team about Jesse and encourage them to treat each other like family, supporting their teammates like brothers.
The sports community is just a starting point for the organization. A larger Buddy Check goal for Jesse is to mold young minds into the kind of people who will continue to control those around them and work to create a future where talking about mental health is free of stigma.
“Over 70 percent of mental illness starts before the age of 19, so what we’ve seen is message creation,” Gershman said.
The program has had firsthand experience seeing an increase in individuals and youth speaking out about mental health.
“More youth, coaches and families are personally reaching out to me and our small team about the benefits they have seen,” he said.
As a small team, Gershman said he is often contacted by several people who provide personal stories about how implementing the program has been beneficial to them.
“It seems to be having an impact, just the conversation,” he said.
He said awareness is rising, partly due to the inclusion of the color green, which signifies mental health and creates space for conversation.
“That’s a big part of what we do,” Gershman said. “That color really helps bring people together and show that they have a common purpose. It’s something that has an impact on people who remember what Buddy Check is, when they see green.”
Trainers and others interested in participating in Buddy Check for Jesse can visit buddycheckforjesse.com for resources and practical examples. People can also contact Gershman and his team through the website for one-on-one assistance.
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If you or someone you know is struggling, call the Provincial Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-suicide (1-800-784-2433), or visit crisislines.bc.ca to find local crisis and health resources mental.
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