NEWS RELEASE
NEWMARKET AFRICAN CARIBBEAN CANADIAN ASSOCIATION
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In response to their five-year strategic priorities, the Newmarket African Caribbean Canadian Association looks to further engage African, Black and Caribbean communities through accessible mental health education, programs and supports that foster validation and healing.
“In the past, we have championed innovative programming, like our culturally relevant mental health education and support programs. Over the next five years, we will move into the next stage of our development while continuing to prioritize mental health,” says Jerisha Grant-Hall, NACCA’s chairperson. “Access to safe mental health support spaces is critically important for members of our community.”
Building community - The community survey and focus groups conducted by CQ Business Consulting Inc. on behalf of NACCA provided insight into the needs of the Newmarket community. NACCA aims to be responsive to the needs of the community by providing access to programs and services that positively impact Black youth, families and seniors in Newmarket and surrounding areas.
Aligned with its strategic priorities - NACCA has the following Mental Health programs currently available to members of Black communities in York Region at no cost.
Mental health and wellness individual therapy – our network of therapists provide culturally appropriate counselling support to Black residents across York Region. Mental Health (naccacommunity.ca)
Youth School Success Initiative (YSSI) - Newmarket African Caribbean Canadian Association (NACCA) is a proud partner of the Youth School Success Initiative (YSSI) which is an ethno-specific collaborative made up of 7 York and Toronto-based agencies working together to empower the educational and holistic success of Black youth in York and Toronto regions.
NACCAs vision is to focus on African positive identity formation/ Rites of passage as a foundation for mental wellness, and supporting children and youth in developing a positive sense of self. Childhood and adolescence are critical stages of life for mental health. This is a time when rapid growth and development take place in the brain. The consequences of not addressing mental health and psychosocial development for children and adolescents extend to adulthood and limit opportunities for leading fulfilling lives.
Program starts Sept. 20, 2022. Click the link to register. Visit the program page here.
Foundational Youth Mental Wellness Program
Thanks to the Ontario government and the Ontario Trillium Foundation, the Newmarket African Caribbean Canadian Association is the proud recipient of the Resilient Communities Fund – Promising Young People Fund (RCF). The fund will be used to develop a foundational Black youth mental wellness program, recognizing that mental wellness is a priority for the community of youth whom have been isolated by the 2-year pandemic and have witnessed and endured ongoing anti-Black racism on a daily basis. In doing so, the RCF project will look to the association's mission and vision, as well as identify key strategic goals and actions, setting measurable goals and realistic objectives. The hiring and planning process is underway with more details about the program coming soon.
Upcoming Mental Health Workshops
The Impact of Anti-Black Racism in Ontario’s Education System:
This workshop will discuss the impact of Anti-Black Racism in Ontario's Education System and the subsequent impact/outcomes in the lives of Black children. It is a fact that Anti-Black Racism has a direct impact to our mental, physical, emotional and cognitive well-being.
Register Here - The Impact of Anti-Black Racism in Ontario's Education System Tickets, Wed, Sep 21, 2022 at 7:00 p.m.
Mental Health Support Team, York Regional Police - Learn about the role of the FrontLine Officer and the Mental Health Support Team when attending to a person in crisis. This workshop will discuss the role of the York Regional Police Mental Health Team when they respond to a crisis call in the community. There will be a discussion on cultural impact and stigma, what is authorized by the Police and community supports and referrals.
Register Here - Mental Health Support Team - Presented by Ava Griffith York Regional Police Tickets, Tue, 27 Sep 2022 at 7:00 p.m.
Visit Home (naccacommunity.ca) for more information.
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