Stand UP for Student Well-Being is a registered Canadian charity. Their Laugh More, Worry Less! programs use stand up, improv and meme comedy led by trained, industry comedian coaches. They work as visiting artists to promote well-being with strategies for coping with stress and anxiety. Youth enhance their confidence, public speaking and creative, writing-for-performance skills by shaping their own stories with a sense of healthy humour.
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Building Confidence and Belonging
Our research proves that writing for performing not only builds confidence but also a sense of belonging in the class. Doing hard things has a payoff for youth!
Sharing Feelings Through Humour
A huge part of finding our comedic voice is sharing sad, awkward moments, or tough times and moving past them with laughter.
Comedy helps people cope with the tough times in life. Healthy humour can be the best survival tool. “Laughter is the Best Medicine” is no longer just a quote used to coach people into feeling better. It is a researched and studied area by doctors and psychologists who are finding there is great evidence that in fact, laughter is medicine that can be used to change the mental and physical well-being of their patients. (Vantage Point Recovery, 2019)
Youth with healthy humour as a character strength approach life playfully, making others laugh and finding humour in difficult and stressful times. Rooted in the fields of Positive Psychology and Positive Education, we support the 24 character strengths model, especially the character strengths of humour, bravery & confidence, and creativity. Healthy humour is our goal rather than hurtful humour such as sarcasm and the mean humour of bullying. Our research base is well-cited and respected. (For more on our research base, visit www.viacharacter.org)
Our programs are designed to be FUN and YES we want young people to laugh. We unlock student voices and quickly capture their imagination. We aspire to bring joy and well-being to young people one laugh at a time.