The recent earthquakes in Turkey and Syria have brought significant destruction and resulted in thousands of lost lives and the displacement of entire communities. I would like to express my deepest condolences and thoughts to those in our community with ties to the region.
Over the past week, we have all encountered heartbreaking reports and images of the devastation caused by one of the strongest earthquakes to hit the region in a century. We all have different lived experiences, and members of the George Brown College community may be feeling sad and anxious, or experiencing trauma or re-traumatization as a result of recent events. Our varied responses are normal, and these troubling events can, at times, affect how we feel here at school or at work. We encourage you to reach out for any support you need, and to offer your best support and understanding to those around you.
We have felt the pain of George Brown students and employees, many of whom are overcome with worry about the people and places they love. Our hearts go out to the families who have lost loved ones or are having trouble reaching them and to everyone who is affected by this tragic event.
For anyone requiring support, I want to remind you that free and confidential counselling services are available to all registered George Brown students. Student counselling is available through the counselling and well-being team. International students are encouraged to reach out if they need assistance: intlsupport@georgebrown.ca.
For all employees and their families, support services are available through our provider TELUS Health (formerly LifeWorks). To access support, go to login.lifeworks.com and sign in with username: GBC and password: wellness or call 1-866-833-7690.
Dr. Gervan Fearon
President
