About this Toolkit

This toolkit was created to support post-secondary students in building and maintaining healthy friendships and relationships in general. Relationships can be joyful, complicated, messy, and meaningful. Post-secondary education is a period during which many people are figuring out what they want and need in their relationships. This can include not only how to set boundaries, but how to communicate openly and with care, articulate what needs have to be met, and how to end relationships when they are no longer working.

This toolkit offers evidence-based ideas, reflections, and tools to help you think about your current relationships, how to create new friendships and connections, where you want to be, and how to get there. It doesn’t have all the solutions, and it’s not about being perfect. Take what you want, leave what you don’t. Our hope is that this guide can be a starting point for learning more about yourself and the connections that matter to you most.

As with all of our toolkits, this is a living document. As we continue to learn and grow, we will keep adding new ideas and approaches for navigating relationships in ways that feel real and respectful. We are open to and value your feedback; if you wish to complete our toolkit evaluation, please visit this link.

This toolkit was created in collaboration with individuals working across post-secondary institutions and community organizations who are in close connection with students and understand the complexities of navigating relationships on campus. Contributors brought experience from areas such as student wellness, crisis support, residence life, and Indigenous mental health. The lead on this project, Ella, is a trained social worker who works from a critical, anti-oppressive framework and brings those perspectives to this toolkit. The co-lead on this project, Julie Porrot, is the Bilingual Knowledge and Research Lead at CICMH and focused on ensuring that the content was informed by current research and accessible in both official languages. Every available effort was made to include information that speaks to the diverse ways students experience and navigate relationships. This toolkit primarily discusses relationships from a Western perspective.

This toolkit is designed for students and uses a “choose your own adventure” style to support self guided exploration. You can start wherever feels most relevant to you and there is no need to read it in order. Whether you’re thinking about starting new friendships, ending a relationship, reflecting on your values, or learning how to set boundaries, you’ll find sections that speak to different aspects of relationships. We also acknowledge that students can be from any age group, but this toolkit primarily focuses on advice for young adults. You’re welcome to print and/or download the full toolkit or any section you need.

We have also included short stories, “tableaus”, to put this information into real life contexts. These stories are not based on any specific person, but reflect some of the challenges, concerns, and successes students experience.

Please note, the recommendations and advice provided within this toolkit are meant to be an introduction to what healthy relationships look, sound, and feel like. This toolkit is not meant to replace therapy, other formalized mental health supports, or medical advice. We do not guarantee the level of success you will experience following the advice and strategies in this toolkit. Results will vary for each individual.