Year: 2015
Type: article
Abstract: The Butterfly Effect: A Legacy Through Kindness was a health promotion initiative at Western University involving a class of 348 students voluntarily participating in completing “random acts of kindness” to encourage positive health and wellbeing. Students were empowered to take a leadership role during the 3 weeks of implementation, and hundreds of anonymous submissions of kind acts were received. The impact on the youth involved and the greater community included increased class cohesion, belonging, and positive mental health outcomes in the area of stress, confidence, and self-exploration. There was also evidence of students’ continuation of random acts of kindness and the formation of new habits, as well as increased awareness to the needs of others following the intervention. It is believed that this experience can provide a strong base to guide similar youth led initiatives in a variety of settings to facilitate positive health and community outcomes in the future.
Source: TSpace (University of Toronto)
Author: Paviglianiti, Nicola
Institution: Western University
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2568955775