WE Wellness Environment

Relate

Build connections. Create relationships.

This key Pillar of Wellness is devoted to the development and practice of relationships. The University of Vermont Wellness Environment aims to assist students in developing additional knowledge, skills, and attitudes that they can take to their relationships with themselves, others, and in mentoring.

The Wellness Environment shares in the UVM Division of Student Affairs mission to celebrate and promote safe and healthy community life for people of all races, ethnicities, religions, national origins, socio-economic classes, gender identities and expressions, sexual orientations, physical and learning abilities, nationalities, and ages. The WE Relate pillar encourages and facilitates student engagement in this shared mission.

About WE Relate

WE Student does magic tricks during WE Has Talent Show

Promotes healthy, affirming relationships in a positive, judgment-free environment
Improves mental health and resilience among college students
Increases interpersonal skills, empathy, and assertiveness
Inspires young adults through improved self-awareness and confidence

About WE Mentors

Creates a network of mentorship between the greater Burlington area and University of Vermont students
Offers training to become a mentor, as well as additional learning experiences from professionals
Blue Cross/Blue Shield is proud to support WEmentors

Quotes from WEmentors Parents and Mentors

WEmentor and mentee drawing each other without looking

“Today we created pie monsters! Afterward, we went outside and played frisbee and wiffleball!” - mentor

“We first had a drawing competition to see who could make the best pumpkin zombie. After, we went outside to play 500.” - mentor

“Max super super enjoys the time with Liam. He's always like "is it Liam today?" Super nice match there. Definitely want to continue.” - parent

“We painted and played ping pong” - mentor

“My mentee’s “grandmother told me he woke up Thursday morning and said “today is my mentoring day, yes!” -mentor

“Before beginning, I was so scared that my mentee wouldn't like me but I don't feel that way anymore.” - mentor

“We baked paleo chocolate chip cookies.” - mentor

“We played some charades and drew pictures of the things we loved and shared with each other.” - mentor

WEmentors

WEmentors program is a partnership between the University of Vermont Wellness Environment and the Vermont Center for Children, Youth and Families (VCCYF) and nearby schools allowing students in the Wellness Environment (WE) to mentor children in the local community.

WEmentors is an essential component of WErelate. Mentorship paves the way for our students to give back to their community in a mutually beneficial relationship. WEmentors provides a mentorship experience that stems from the mentee’s interests, and includes learning about the four pillars of wellness. Mentors and mentees meet throughout the year for one hour per week.Mentoring is a powerful way to support positive youth development.

WEmentors’ mission is to build healthy brains by cultivating mentoring relationships centered on fitness, mindfulness, nutrition, and relate. WEmentors creates positive outcomes for both mentors and mentees by focusing on neuroscience-based best practices for health and wellbeing.