We are writing to you to provide you with information about upcoming Youth Mental Health Canada events, activities and programs, as well as to give you information about our services and resources. We have attached flyers and promotional material about our events, programs, resources and services.
COVID19 is having a very real impact on the mental health and wellness of all Indigenous people, particularly young people, and we know that proactive support through our mental wellness resources, online peer support services and active engagement in community activities can bolster mental wellness protective factors. We hope that you will help us to promote these activities, services and resources.
Indigenous Peer Support Service
YMHC has a free Indigenous peer support service for people of all ages led by an Indigenous peer support team. If people are struggling with their mental health, they can request a personalized message of support at www.indigenous.ymhc.ngo/ccs/
We are still looking for more members of our Indigenous peer support team. Interested people should send a resume to [email protected].
YMHC has another peer support service, a Daily Message of Support. People register and receive a daily message of support, compassion and hope at www.ymhc.ngo/dms
Directing Change Canada
YMHC has just launched a national mental health film contest, YMHC Directing Change Canada, open to youth and young adults. By submitting a film in the Through the Lens of Culture – Mental Health Matters category, young Indigenous filmmakers are encouraged to explore the topic of mental health in their lives. We especially want to encourage Indigenous youth to consider discussing mental health through the lens of cultural identity.
There are many different definitions for culture, but here is the one we use to provide direction to our filmmakers: Culture is the characteristics and perspectives of a particular group of people, defined by everything from language, ethnicity, nationality, religion, cuisine, social habits, sexual orientation, a shared experience, music, arts and more. And when it comes to mental health, culture can influence how and if we talk about these topics, whether or not we seek help, what kind of help, and from whom.
Participating schools will have access to evidence, strength and hope-based lesson plans and materials to assist students in film development. We also offer a mini-grant program and competition to support schools in mental health and Directing Change Canada infusion.
The submission deadline for the 60 second PSA films is April 1, 2021. Prize winners will be announced during Mental Health Week in May 2021.
To find out more about YMHC DCC, go to www.ymhc.directingchange.org.
Workshops
YMHC provides comprehensive mental health workshops on a variety of topics related to youth mental health issues. Workshops are led by YMHC’s Executive Director, an educator with years of experience in teaching elementary, secondary, postsecondary and adult education, in Canada and Africa. Interested people can register for individual workshops, part 1 that focuses on mental health challenges, part 2 that focuses on responding to mental health challenges or all 10 workshops. We can also tailor workshops to your needs. To find out more about the workshops we offer, go to www.ymhc.ngo/workshops/
Resources
YMHC has 5 mental wellness resources that have been reviewed by internationally known leaders in mental health and suicide prevention, Dr. John Ackerman and Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas. Providing resources to students, families, educators, community organizations and professionals is a proactive way of supporting mental health and wellness by providing tools for wellness. The resources include Sources of Support, Sources of Strength, Beneath the Surface Creative Journal Workbook and the Mental Wellness Workbook which includes the three handbooks, plus additional information.
YMHC produced a much-needed resource this year, In This Together: My Life During a Global Pandemic, a COVID mental wellness journal workbook. We have a special offer available: when people purchase 20 copies or more, the cost is reduced by $5 each for a savings of $100 and more. To order YMHC resources, go to: www.edu.ymhc.ngo
To order our COVID mental wellness journal workbook, go to https://edu.ymhc.ngo/product/in-this-together/
Volunteer Opportunities
YMHC has many volunteer opportunities for people of all ages. We are working on creating multilingual infographics and a book, Mental Health Matters, holding weekly multilingual Insta Live chats, managing a mental health TikTok page, organizing and leading workshops and conferences, organizing membership campaigns, analyzing research and communicating finds in compelling ways, and much more. Interested people should send a resume to [email protected].
There are many ways we can support the mental health and wellness of young people. We hope we can count on you to help us promote YMHC services, events, programs and resources so that more people have access to the information that can help make a difference in navigating COVID mental health and wellness. Please let us know if you would like to work together in some capacity.
Sheryl Boswell Judy Bear
Executive Director Indigenous Engagement