Laugh More, Worry Less!

Stand Up Comedy & Improv Programs

for Schools

January 22, 2025 marks the ending of an era for Stand UP for Student Well-Being and also a new beginning as it merges with Thrive Youth!

After 15 years of building this passion of ours at Stand UP for Student Well-Being, working closely with industry comedians in order to bring more joy and laughter to schools and youth, I now find myself guiding the journey in a time of transition.

Thrive Youth is vibrant Canadian arts-based charity with many of the same goals as ours. I am thrilled that we have found each other. We are merging our Laugh More Worry Less programs to Thrive Youth – www.thriveyouth.ca under the leadership of Pari Rajagopalan, CEO.

Thrive Youth Development Canada was founded in 1996 out of a belief in the power of children and youth. What began as a single, out of school program delivered in Toronto has grown to a continuum of programs serving children aged 9 to 17 that support the grown and well-being of young people through skill-building, educational opportunities, and mentorship. They deliver programming in Vancouver, Toronto, Halifax, remote First Nation communities, and virtually. They offer a rich blend of arts-based programs and we are excited to be able to add stand-up and improv comedy to their programs.

I want to thank the many people who worked with Stand UP for Student Well-Being over the years!

All of the schools, school boards, teachers, principals and youth, all the campers and their parents and the many relationships we have formed. Thanks for experiencing the benefits of laughter and comedy in life, especially when it gets tough. Thanks to all of big and small donors, individuals, foundations and companies that made it possible for us to share our work at zero-cost or low-cost to many kids, schools and families. Thanks to The Aune Foundation, The Beutal Goodman Foundation and Meridian Credit Union for their major donations.

Meeting Steve Wilson founder of World Laughter Tour was a life-defining experience and joining the Association of Applied and Therapeutic Humorgave me the conviction to create Happiness at School with comedians Kyle Woolven and Marc Hallworth from the Humber College School of Comedy. This led to my writing two books on laughter, Laughing Matters with Paul Thibault, by Solution Tree, and Kidding Around: connecting kids to happiness, laughter and humour..

When it came time to form this charitable organization, SUSWB, the formation of the first Board of Directors of Ardeth Staz, Doug Cornell and myself was guided by consultant Akela Peoples. Other Directors have followed: Sarb Cheema, Priya Talati, Gurjit Nahal and George Limberis. Our comedian coaches cadre grew with Chili Davidson, Christel Bartelse, Jeremy Dobski, Trevor Burnett, Isabel Zaw-Tun, Kevin Shawanda, Charmaine Turner, Kenny Robinson, Harpreet Sehmbi and Rachel Callaghan. Thanks to Gayle Rotenberg, Anita Townsend, Lisa Gervais, Melissa Story, Michelle Fenn, Trevor Burnett and Glenn Marais for their work as program managers. Salma Ahmad led our fundraising team with never-ending perseverance. Andrew Lizotte shared our social media messages with style and depth. Greg Rodrigo has been our tireless webmaster. Jim Brodie, a filmmaker extraordinaire, captured our unique process in action on film. All of these people have been a great support to me and the organization and we are grateful to them from the tips of our “funny bones”.

When my husband Tom Milner died in March, the depth of that experience gave me the strength to go in a new direction in my life and the energy to find another charity with similar goals to continue our legacy. Tom loved to laugh and I feel his strength and spirit around me, cheering us all on! I am so glad he met many of you.

All the best to everyone, Sue Stephenson.

Stand Up for Student Well-Being

Our Laugh More, Worry Less! programs use stand up and improv comedy led by professional comedian coaches.

We work as visiting artists to promote well-being with strategies for coping with stress and anxiety. Youth enhance their confidence, resilience, public speaking and creative, writing-for-performance skills by shaping their own stories with a sense of healthy humour.

Stand UP for Student Well-Being is a registered Canadian charity.

“The value of laughing for an hour each day is the best medicine around! Additionally, the comedians who work with the kids really connect with them and make them feel ok to be themselves.”

“Overall these camps were very beneficial to my son’s confidence, and I would definitely recommend to others”

student doing stand up comedy in front of other students

Check out our new mini-doc!

You can also see our two other videos by clicking on the arrow at right edge of this box.

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.

What People Are Saying

Over the years, young people said this program helped them:

to make jokes that are funny but also appropriate and kind
to not be scared and to be confident in yourself
to bring out my inner humour
to be more confident when speaking in large groups
to be more open and social

“This program has helped me understand that being different is not a bad thing. It has taught me that I should not be ashamed of my flaws but to embrace them with laughter.”

Student, from a post program survey

“It helped me get all the issues off my mind and really helped me laugh.”

Sonia, Student

“This program has also helped me to make jokes that are funny but also appropriate and kind.”

Student, from a post program survey

“[This program] has been a great success over the last 3 years at North Kipling JMS. [It] created an innovative format using stand up comedy in our grade 7 classrooms to meet literacy and mental health expectations. The teachers and students loved the class visits and culminating Comedy Showcase.”

Alex Tracey, Principal, North Kipling Junior Middle School, Toronto District School Board

“My son Ryan Doyle participated in your program at St. Michael Catholic School in Belleville, ON, and in short, it was a Godsend for him. You should know you’ve had a huge impact on his life! I never saw him enjoy school the way he did during the time you were teaching him. The days that you were there were the days he set his alarm to be up early and ready to go. He worked at his comedy like it was a full time job. Thank you for awakening that in him!”

Amy Doyle, Parent

“[This program] is an opportunity for teachers to understand and appreciate their students better. When a student shares personal experiences and talks about their emotions openly during this project, the teacher can better assess that student’s needs and strengths going forward.”

Kita Szpak, Project Researcher and Teacher

The issues brought up by these students belonged to them and that part of this process was to be comfortable with who you are and laugh at yourself and your situations.”

Kathleen Robson, Teacher, General Brock Public School