Appendix - facts and figures

Building understanding - facts and figures

Canadian Campus Wellbeing Survey

NSCC conducted the Canadian Campus Wellbeing Survey in Fall 2020, touching on important indicators of creating a culture of mental health and wellbeing. These and other metrics from the CCWS will be monitored carefully to assess opportunities for growth and improvement.

  • Belonging: 75% of students indicated that they strongly agree or agree that they felt they belonged on campus.
  • Diversity: 90% agreed NSCC values diversity.
  • Mental health: 68% agreed that students’ mental health and emotional wellbeing is a priority at NSCC.
  • Supportive learning : 79% agreed that NSCC was supportive of learning.
  • Resource awareness: 63% of NSCC students were aware of mental health outreach efforts such as educational programs, awareness events and anti-stigma campaigns.
  • Student perception: 72% agreed or somewhat agreed that there is a good system of support for students going through difficult times.
  • Help-seeking: 84% agreed or somewhat agreed they knew where to access campus-based resources for mental health support.

A snapshot of path forward survey employee feedback (December 2021)

  • Promote scheduled time for wellness breaks and working at a healthy pace
  • Share positive news and feel-good stories
  • Offer specialized counsellors to unique groups such as Indigenous students
  • Change mandatory PD Days to Wellness Days
  • Dedicate wellness funds to subsidize on-campus activities (e.g., yoga)
  • Make ergonomic workstations (sit/stand, treadmill) available to employees on campus
  • Deliver mental wellness seminars and workshops in-person and online
  • Improve access to psychology and EAP supports (increase 2-3 sessions to 5-8)
  • Offer on-campus counselling for employees to improve access/uptake
  • Shift expectations to encourage all to stay home when sick
  • Provide access to free yoga sessions in-person and online, and more wellness workshops online
  • Dedicate place/space for feel good Fridays or wellness Wednesdays
  • Design in-person events to strengthen NSCC's sense of community

Employee pulse results from path forward survey (December 2021)

Covid-related adaptation continues and now is the time to reflect on what we have learned; what has worked, what to continue and what will further support the health, wellness and performance of our employees. NSCC employees weighed in from across the province to share their experiences and suggestions for the future of work.

College overall working situation

  • 15% solely working remotely
  • 12% working remotely/on campus every so often
  • 16% splitting time between remote and campus
  • 57% all or mostly on campus

Top 3 overall (95 pages/2,767 comments)

When you think about the last 18+ months, what three best practices or approaches to work that began or increased during the pandemic would you like to see continue (in order of importance to you) - 1,628 comments:

  1. Flexibility/blended – 37%
  2. Safety protocols – 24%
  3. Use of Teams – 16%

What more could we be doing? Please share your top three suggestions for NSCC to consider what would further support a culture of wellbeing (in order of importance to you) – 1139 comments:

  1. Wellness/mental health – 21.4%
  2. Flexibility/blended – 21%
  3. Safety protocols – 14.6%

Building capacity - facts and figures

Inquiring Minds Workshops

185 students attended 15 workshops for the Inquiring Minds Workshop series from August 2021 - May 2022.

PD opportunities and credential programs

From 2020-22, applied learning transitioned to online in the form of organizational learning's (OL) three credential programs: operational excellence, leadership essentials and leadership development.

  • 157 employees enrolled in OL programs
  • 17 credit courses attended by 257 employees
  • 17 OL credential program graduates
  • 154 employees enrolled in OL programs
  • 13 credit courses attended by 243 employees
  • 24 OL credential program graduates

Financial support for learning

Across 2020-22, a range of financial support options were available to faculty, professional support and operational support employees, including individual learning accounts, course and learning activity reimbursements and course, conference and workshop reimbursements.

  • 472 individual learning account reimbursements
  • 46 course and learning activity reimbursements
  • 39 course, conference and workshop reimbursements
  • 223 individual learning account reimbursements (to date)
  • 54 course and learning activity reimbursements
  • 18 course, conference and workshop reimbursements (to date)

Conferences

In the past two years, the support staff learning conference and facilities support learning conference provided unique opportunities to connect, explore and exchange ideas and approaches for learning with colleagues from across the NSCC community in an online format.

  • 3 conferences attended by 371 employees

Note: the facilities conference did not take place in 2020 or 2021.

The support staff learning conference theme for 2022 was supporting you so you can support others.

The theme for the Facilities Support Staff Learning Conference (held in June 2022 at Truro Campus) was sustainability.

Learning leaves

Eligible employees had the opportunity to take a year leave to enhance their skills, knowledge and performance. In the past two years we had:

  • 4 learning leave approvals
  • 24 learning College portfolio faculty and professional support employees continue to focus on self-directed skills development and growth
  • 19 learning College portfolio approvals

Workshops

From 2020-2022, a range of facilitated online workshops were available for employees to learn new and innovative approaches and explore and share best practices and ideas.

  • 26 non-credit courses attended by 1,139 employees

Online resources

A greater range of online resources were developed to support just-in-time learning needs, including access to a variety of subject guides and self-paced resources as well as online learning through LinkedIn Learning.

  • 6 online, self-paced workshops for employees and leaders
  • 3,474 libguide resource views
  • 7 online, self-paced workshops for employees and leaders
  • 2,504 libguide resource views (to date)
  • College PD days provided a unique opportunity for all employees to participate in real-time skill and knowledge building learning experiences through keynote speakers and workshops. Post-event recorded webinars were made available.

Student Association addressing food insecurity

In the Canadian Campus Wellbeing Survey, 20% of responding students indicated low food security and 21% very low food security. In response, our Student Association supported students across all campuses with over $100,000 in grocery gift cards to support students in need. Food pantries were operational this past year at Akerley, Lunenburg and Marconi campuses, with breakfast programs at Annapolis Valley, Ivany, Kingstec, Strait Area and Truro campuses, and lunch programs at Cumberland, Lunenburg, IT, Marconi and Strait Area campuses. Annapolis Valley Campus also maintains a relationship with Feed Nova Scotia.

The College also established a $60,000 emergency cost of living bursary specifically to address rising costs of groceries and gas, supported by the NSCC Foundation.

Counselling

For the 2021-22 academic year, student services personal and career counsellors conducted 3,273 counselling sessions, a 25% increase in the number of students accessing student services counselling services from fall 2019.

SaDeia Williams has been hired to provide counselling to students at Akerley campus as well as to any NSCC student who identifies as Black/African Nova Scotian, African Canadian or of African descent seeking culturally-responsive counselling.

Advising team

The NSCC advising team conducted 7,871 advising sessions in 2021-22, helping students set goals, solve problems, evaluate their skills, and make educational and career decisions. They know the programs, services and supports well, and help students navigate their way to needed supports. Specific supports are available for Indigenous, Black/African Canadian and International students.

Preventative health and dental plan

Since 2006, full-time students are supported with health and dental coverage to maintain a basic level of health while engaged in their studies. In 2021-22, the number of students enrolled on health benefits averaged 6,145 and the number of those enrolled in dental benefits was 6,202.

Health claims made during the year (in main benefit categories):

  • 79.4% prescription drugs
  • 9.3% vision care
  • 5.5% paramedical services (including chiropractic, physiotherapy, massage therapy, etc.)
  • 5.9% other

Urgent aid

In 2021-22, approximately $155,000 was distributed to assist 300 students with emergency or unplanned financial challenges. Another 300 students were awarded a one-time $200 bursary to assist with rising costs of gas and groceries.

Financial literacy events

To support expansion of money management skills, money matters sessions were hosted by all campuses across the province as part of Get Started for incoming students. Over 200 students participated in the financial literacy passport challenge where they completed a series of activities and earned points.

Building connections - facts and figures

ISA activities

In 2021/22, the international student ambassadors (ISA) membership was 213 in total, with 88 in the fall term and 125 in winter. They held a total of 124 events, with 59 in the fall and 65 during winter.

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