Ambassador Feature

Meet University of Red Deer Polytechnic Ambassador, Ethan West!

With his breadth of experience as a post-secondary student, Ethan West is very familiar with anxiety-causing stresses that making new friends, meeting deadlines and adjusting to life on one’s own can bring to the fore.

Now, as a Cam’s Kids co-Team Lead at Red Deer Polytechnic in Alberta, he is uniquely positioned and qualified to help overwhelmed students in need of a friendly face or listening ear, or often a combination of both.

From Sylvan Lake near Red Deer, Ethan began his post-secondary journey in 2018, attending what was then Red Deer College for his Bachelor of Science in kinesiology. After two years, he transferred to the University of Alberta in Edmonton to finish his degree. Now back at Red Deer, Ethan is working toward an education degree, but is actively trying to secure a place in medical school.

As Ethan puts it, the past six years have been “a marathon” but he made the time to learn more about Cam’s Kids – a process that bore fruit when a family friend at Red Deer Polytechnic, who works in counselling services, connected him with Cam’s Kids National Ambassador Manager Brittany McGibbon. “As part of the application process for medical school, they look at your volunteer and life experience,” notes Ethan, who came into the Cam’s Kids fold last year as an Ambassador but shares Team Lead responsibilities.

"I was really getting comfortable with it (Cam’s Kids) that first year, trying to be a better advocate for mental health. Talking about mental health and talking with people was a big thing for me…a big adjustment. I’ve since learned that a big part of it is having conversations with people but, sometimes, those can be quite serious conversations depending on what people want to share or talk about.”

“I now realize how valuable a resource it is for my fellow students; how valuable it is to have support in place for those experiencing anxiety or any type of mental health crisis.”

What Ethan brings to the table is his own experience around anxiety, dating back to when he first attended Red Deer College.

“There were many times that I was so focused on my performance that I didn’t realize the toll that was taking. There were definitely anxiety, especially around test time and midterms. Now I know what students are feeling because I felt it too. That puts me in a better position to help.”

The Cam’s Kids team at Red Deer is a work in progress, says Ethan.

“This school year has been all about trying to build up our numbers. We go to campus events where there’s a bunch of student groups or clubs. Lots of people students approach us and ask what it (Cam’s Kids) is all about. We have a conversation with people that are interested.”

At this point, Ethan is unsure if he’ll return to Red Deer Polytechnic in the fall. If he’s accepted into medical school, he’s going to jump on that, he says. That said, should he return, he’s already thinking about a new Cam’s Kids focus.

“We’d like to do a couple sessions in high schools, not only better preparing kids for post-secondary but also help them with any anxiety they’re already feeling,” he says.

“We're also trying to build the social media aspect of things. We’ve had quite a bit of interest through Instagram. That's been a good way to get the word out. Other than that, we’re trying to get the onboarding process going so we can get more Ambassadors and build our team. When we get more numbers, we'll be able to do more events on campus.”

On a personal level, Ethan says his Cam’s Kids involvement has taken his empathy for others to another level. But something else has evolved.

 “The social aspect of it; being able to have conversations with people. Doing this has brought out that confidence. Before, when I was walking through the hallways and saw another table, I would walk by. I didn’t want any interaction. Now I have the confidence to be the one standing at the table and having a conversation with people.”

In the meantime, Ethan’s core message to those struggling is as simple as it is sound.

“You're not alone,” he says, adding “Being able to identify your support system, like friends or family, is important.

“But another thing I’ve learned is the benefit of focusing more on a process-oriented approach as opposed to an outcome- or goal-based approach. Lots of students are more worried about the future as opposed to the present and enjoying life as they are living it.”