Ambassador Feature

Meet University of British Columbia Ambassador, Hasti Amirsalari

Hasti Amirsalari chose wisely in September 2022…much to the benefit of Cam’s Kids and the students at the University of British Columbia (UBC).

Starting her first semester that fall of what is now a double major in psychology and philosophy, the Calgary-raised daughter of Iranian immigrants found herself on the university’s main mall where various clubs and campus student organizations had set up booths in a bid to attract new students into their respective folds.

“There were two booths that interested me,” recalls Hasti.

“One was the Persian Club. The other was this little table with one person standing at it. I saw something about mental health on the poster, so I started chatting with her. She told me a little bit about Cam’s Kids, and the Candy Cane and Chocolate Heart campaigns. Throughout high school, I volunteered with Distress Centre Calgary, so felt keeping that momentum going at UBC would be a good fit with what I potentially want to do.”

That initial interest led to Hasti’s application and acceptance as a Cam’s Kids Ambassador. She became one of just two new members. Now, less than two years later, the UBC team boasts 10 members, with Hasti serving as Team Lead.

“We’re slowly getting there,” assesses Hasti of the team’s progress.

Referencing her own move “away from friends and home” in Calgary to UBC, Hasti says she “can’t even imagine what it’s like for international students” not only dealing with the huge adjustment to university life but also the culture shock of living in a new country.

“One of the biggest issues I've ever seen in my experience working in different mental health areas is loneliness. And so, yes, I think these kind of hubs and sorts of communities (like Cam’s Kids) are so important for making sure people feel less alone and, by extension, feel better about their life which, of course, is good for their mental health.”

“I'd really love to ensure Cam’s Kids has a really robust community, making sure more people know that our club exists. I'd also like to for us do more events where people can just come and hang out and de-stress for a couple of hours.”

On a more personal level, Hasti says her Cam’s Kids involvement “appeals a lot to my personality:

“I’m an introverted extrovert. I'll talk a lot and be very social when I'm in a certain situation but I need an external force to push me into that situation. The clubs that I was a part of during university, including Cam’s Kids, will always remain the life force of my university experience.”

"I'd really love to ensure Cam’s Kids has a really robust community, making sure more people know that our club exists. I'd also like to for us do more events where people can just come and hang out and de-stress for a couple of hours.”

On a more personal level, Hasti says her Cam’s Kids involvement “appeals a lot to my personality:

“I’m an introverted extrovert. I'll talk a lot and be very social when I'm in a certain situation but I need an external force to push me into that situation. The clubs that I was a part of during university, including Cam’s Kids, will always remain the life force of my university experience.”

Meanwhile, in the now, Hasti is grateful for the reward of human connections made.

“You feel the warmth when you hand someone a chocolate or a candy cane and their face just lights up, especially during exam season when you walk into the library and you can feel the stress. Sometimes somebody will retort with something like ‘This made my day’ or ‘I really needed this’ or something like that. That's really nice. It makes you feel good.”

“Mental health, adds Hasti, is now getting the attention it merits but she rightly notes, that wasn’t always the case.

 “They are studies that show having a strong support system around you is a better indicator for a long lifespan than exercise or eating healthy. We get so much into the X, Y and Z of being healthy, but we forget to make time for our relationships, which is also so important for our health.”

“The thing that drew me to Cam’s Kids is the social aspect of it. We’re not trying to provide a place where you need to be talking about your problems all the time, but rather a place where you can have a friend and support just by virtue of being together and building a community.”