Are you interested in advocating for a sustainable funding model for long-term investment in community mental health and well-being? If so, join us for our upcoming Community Workshop Series in February and March throughout Atlantic Canada put on by The Atlantic Summer Institute on Healthy and Safe Communities (ASI) to network and learn about the importance of mental health promotion.
Building on the success of our first community workshop held December 5, 2022 in Port Hawkesbury , Cape Breton, NS in partnership with Raising the Villages, the upcoming workshops will introduce you to the ASI policy brief: “Upstream Investment – Placing child and youth mental health promotion at the forefront” and give you the opportunity to explore initiatives happening in your community and innovative models from other regions. You will connect in-person and share experiences; identify barriers and opportunities for investing upstream; and identify next steps in promoting community resilience and mental health of infants, children and youth through upstream action.
We are also hosting two regional online workshops where participants will be introduced to ASI Policy Brief, explore promotion of infant, child and youth mental health in their communities, and recommend next steps in implementing “upstream” policies. If you live in Labrador, the first workshop will be offered by Zoom and hosted by the Labrador Friendship Centre. The second workshop will be offered to Atlantic First Nation communities, also by Zoom, and hosted by the Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nations Chief Secretariat.
Upcoming ASI Community Workshops:
February 24th, 2023 – St. John’s, Newfoundland: https://NLCommunityWorkshop.eventbrite.ca
March 2nd, 2023 – Petit Rocher, New Brunswick: French https://AtelierCommunautaireNB.eventbrite.ca and English https://NorthernNBCommunityWorkshop.eventbrite.ca
March 14th, 2023 – Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island: https://PEICommunityWorkshop.eventbrite.ca
March 20th, 2023 – Saint John, New Brunswick https://SaintJohnNBCommunityWorkshop.eventbrite.ca
Background: In March 2022, ASI launched a policy brief “Investing Upstream: Placing infant, child and youth mental health at the forefront”. The brief proposes a transformative change in policy development and outlines four priorities: Mental Health in All Policies, Multisectoral Platform, Community Investment, and Sustainable Funding Model. You can access the policy brief and its executive summary through the links provided below.
What is upstream you ask? This short video from Upstream – Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (1:22 Minutes) provides an animated definition. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qarQXqKbmLg
ASI’s policy brief can be accessed through the following links:
We are also hosting two regional online workshops where participants will be introduced to ASI Policy Brief, explore promotion of infant, child and youth mental health in their communities, and recommend next steps in implementing “upstream” policies. If you live in Labrador, the first workshop will be offered by Zoom and hosted by the Labrador Friendship Centre. The second workshop will be offered to Atlantic First Nation communities, also by Zoom, and hosted by the Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nations Chief Secretariat.
Upcoming Regional Community Online Workshops:
Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nations Chiefs on March 9 from 10:00am -12:00pm https://ASIAtlanticFirstNationsOnlineWorkshop.eventbrite.ca
Labrador Friendship Centre on March 7 from 9:00-11:30am https://ASILabradorOnlineWorkshop.eventbrite.ca
Registration for all workshops is open. Please consider registering as your input will be crucial in informing the Council of Atlantic Premiers and other Atlantic policy makers about the need for upstream investment in mental health promotion. Don’t miss this opportunity to be a part of the solution and create positive change in your community. Keep an eye out for Facebook events, registration links and join us in our mission to promote mental health and well-being for all – beginning with a focus on our infants, children and youth.
- Infographic (two pages): www.asi-iea.ca/en/files/2022/03/ASI-2022-Infographic-03-07.pdf
- Full policy brief: www.asi-iea.ca/en/files/2022/03/ASI-Policy-Brief-2022-03-09.pdf
- Executive Summary: www.asi-iea.ca/en/files/2022/03/Policy-Brief-ES-.pdf