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African Mental Health Awareness is not a one-day thing it is an everyday thing

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BY SIMONE J. SMITH

On Monday March 1st, 2021, Toronto, Ontario recognized Black Mental Health Day. This day was first officially recognized on March 1st, 2020 after the Ontario government recognized the need to deliver mental health services due to the long-standing and enduring impact of anti-black racism on African Ontarians.

There has been a silent, but ongoing impact on mental health that has resulted from staying mute on issues of anti-African racism in public services. The government saw this as an important step that would lead to health care professionals working collectively to ensure that Africans living in the North can successfully access services that will allow them to live healthy lives.

Bill 178 was proposed in 2020, and was passed to highlight the inequitable treatment and unequal outcomes that African Ontarians face across all sectors, including the: education, justice, employment, housing and child welfare sectors.

There has been a lack of concrete action to address anti-black racism in public services like healthcare education, and in the area of housing services. What the Toronto Caribbean Newspaper would like to do is move this beyond one day. In this article, not only are we going to address some of the mounting issues that have ensued since COVID-19, but we are also going to provide resources for our community. It is one thing to have a day dedicated to mental health, it is another thing to take it past that day and provide tangible resources that are accessible to the people when then need it.

We read about the horrors of suicides, overdoses, and other mental health tragedies that have increased since COVID-19 started, but I wanted the inside scoop as to what we were not hearing about, so I reached out to the Institute for Advancements in Mental Health (IAM), and I had an opportunity to speak with their Program Manager, Kayla Nicholls.

The Institute for Advancements in Mental Health (IAM), formerly the Schizophrenia Society of Ontario, is a community mental health organization with a 40+ year history in mental health services. In 2020, IAM became agile and flexible in responding to the needs of the community they serve. Putting people (not diagnosis or illness) first, they wanted IAM to help even more people impacted by mental illness.

They expanded their service offerings beyond schizophrenia and psychosis, and became home to Canada’s first community-based mental health innovation platform where they co-create services to improve the quality of life for people who use them.          

 During our discussion, Kayla let me in on some scary, yet insightful information that I am going to share with you, our reader today.

“Since the pandemic hit Simone,” she began, “IAM has seen calls to its mental health support line jump by nearly 500%, most related to COVID-19, and nearly 60% of those were from caregivers in need.

 From March to April 2020, we quickly moved all of the on-site, in-person and telephone supports onto digital platforms. This has allowed us to respond to that nearly 500% increase in volume and nearly 100% increase in demand for our educational offerings.

 Our counsellors are hearing that many are struggling to cope each day, especially due to heightened anxiety brought on by the loss of support networks or vital activities. Many who care for others are calling in distressed, feeling overburdened by the extra responsibilities and lack of respite that being shut-in during the pandemic brings.”

From personal experience I know that when someone is living with mental illness, it is often a family member or friend who acts as their caregiver. This can leave the caregiver feeling emotionally and physically depleted. Caring for those with mental illness is essential, but it is as important to build and protect a caregiver’s resilience and knowledge. It is why offering help to caregivers has been a specialized priority for IAM for over four decades.

With the second pandemic wave, IAM is now seeing a corresponding increase of families in need. After serving over 1,000 families and individuals this year, IAM is still faced with requests that outpace their current capacity. They continue to evolve their services, and currently they do have some valuable resources available to the community. IAM’s essential services for caregivers includes free and subsidized support online through:

  • One-On-One Counselling
  • Support Groups
  • Thematic Webinars
  • Skills Development

If you are a caregiver in need, you can reach out to one of IAM’s counsellors at 1-855-449-9949 or email IAM at support@iamentalhealth.ca. The line is open from 9 am to 5 pm on weekdays, with expanded hours until 7 pm, on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

I also want to provide you with some organizations that are found within the African community that might be helpful for our readers.

Black Mental Health Canada
(https://blackmentalhealth.ca/)
Their services are targeted towards individuals of colour, primarily those who identify as: Black, African, or Caribbean. They work with individuals of all ages, and aim to be a hub and distributor of relevant mental health research pertaining to the black community.

Black Health Alliance
(https://blackhealthalliance.ca/)
The alliance works in partnership to build and maintain communities. They recognize the community’s problems as being collective, and work cooperatively to eliminate these issues. They provide programs to support people who have serious and ongoing meSntal health issues.

The Association of Black Psychologist
(https://www.abpsitoronto.org/)
The Association is organized to operate exclusively for clinical and educational purposes. They promote and advance the profession of African psychology, and develop programs that can assist in solving problems of African communities.

There is hope for recovery that remains as light is shed on the mental health challenges that we as Africans living in the diaspora face. We have to continue to hold policy makers accountable and work with health systems to evolve better systems, which eliminate inequities in mental health services. This is not a one-day thing it is an everyday thing.

We, as humans are guaranteed certain things in life: stressors, taxes, bills and death are the first thoughts that pop to mind. It is not uncommon that many people find a hard time dealing with these daily life stressors, and at times will find themselves losing control over their lives. Simone Jennifer Smith’s great passion is using the gifts that have been given to her, to help educate her clients on how to live meaningful lives. The Hear to Help Team consists of powerfully motivated individuals, who like Simone, see that there is a need in this world; a need for real connection. As the founder and Director of Hear 2 Help, Simone leads a team that goes out into the community day to day, servicing families with their educational, legal and mental health needs.Her dedication shows in her Toronto Caribbean newspaper articles, and in her role as a host on the TCN TV Network.

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Community News

Record entries for JCDC FiWi Short Film Competition

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Winner of the 2023 staging of the JCDC FiWi Short Film Competition ,Joel Miller, (third from left), shares a moment with representatives of the Jamaica Cultural |Development Commission (JCDC), organizers of the event. From left are Shaun Drysdale – Drama and Theatre Arts Development Specialist, Andrew Brodber – Director, Arts Development and Training and Executive Director, Lenford Salmon.

BY RUSHANE FERRON

The Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) has received an unprecedented number of submissions for this year’s FiWi Short Film Competition. Launched earlier this year, the competition drew an impressive 47 entries. Currently, 17 shortlisted films are available for public viewing on the JCDC’s YouTube channel, with winners set to be announced on October 24th.

Executive Director of the JCDC, Mr. Lenford Salmon, expressed pride in the competition’s growing success, stating, “This record number of entries reflects how Jamaicans are embracing the programmes offered by the JCDC. While the Commission is well known for preserving and showcasing our culture, we also recognize the importance of using technology to engage, particularly with our youth. The FiWi Short Film Competition is a perfect example of how we can bring our culture to life in the digital age. The fact that it’s four years old and already experiencing this level of growth is a promising sign for the future.”

Drama and Theatre Arts Development Specialist at the JCDC, Mr. Shaun Drysdale, attributes this year’s spike in entries to the increasing interest in filmmaking, fueled by the proliferation of social media platforms that support storytelling through visuals.

We are living in a digital age. Filmmaking is now in the hands of the average person on the street via his, or her cell phone. Add to that the inherent creativity of Jamaicans and you are left with a potent combination, which when given the correct environment, can reap tangible rewards. That is what we are experiencing at this time,” Mr. Drysdale said.

The JCDC FiWi Short Film Competition seeks to promote Jamaican culture through the production of films ranging from 3-5 minutes in duration. The films must be based on set criteria, and primarily centred around a Jamaican proverb.

This year’s proverbs are: “Sweet mout fly follow coffin go a hole”; “Puss nuh hab han, but him tek him foot wipe him face”; “Keep clear a ole house, les dem fall dung pon you”; “Rockstone a riber bottom nuh feel sun hot”; and “Finger tink, yuh cyan cut eh trow ‘wey”.

In addition to the proverbs, participants were also given two special themes around which to build the treatment of their films, based on concepts provided by two sponsors. These are: “SEAS IN FOCUS: Uniting for marine managed areas”- National Conservation Trust Fund of Jamaica (NCTFJ) and “Need a passport quick, Get it with just a click”- Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA).

Mr. Drysdale further noted that this year’s shortlisted films represent a variety of the possible genres with eleven dramatic works, two animation films, one comedy, one documentary and two science fiction films. Three of the participants are from the youth category, which is for filmmakers between 12-18 years old and the remaining 14 from adult category.

In addition to viewing the short films online, the public will have an opportunity to view at a special screening to be held on National Heroes’ Day, Monday, October 21st, 2024, as a feature of JCDC National Heritage Fest and Family Fun Day being held on the south lawn at Devon House in St Andrew.

The FiWi Short Film Competition was started by the JCDC in 2021 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The competition is the brainchild of the JCDC’s Drama and Theatre Arts Unit and encourages Jamaican amateur filmmakers to examine selected Jamaican proverbs and based on their interpretation create the treatment for a short film.

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York Catholic is leading the province in educational achievement

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BY PAUL JUNOR

The Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO), which administers the Grade 3, 6 and 9 assessments across Ontario and the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT), recently released the 2024 results. For many schools across the province, EQAO results are a snapshot of how students are doing compared to their peers in other schools at the same grade level.

The York Catholic District School Board (YCDSB) has maintained a high level of consistency with respect to the outstanding performance of its students on the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) and the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT). In a media release on Wednesday, October 9th, 2024, details were revealed about the positive achievements and exemplary accomplishments of its students.

EQAO results were released on September 26th, 2024. The focus was, “Mathematics Achievement Remains an Area of Focus but Sees Gradual Growth Over Time with Some School Boards Showing Significant Increases; Literacy Achievement Remains High but Shows Some Decline.” The data was based on the 2023-2024 school year during which over 570,000 students wrote the EQAO assessments at the elementary and secondary levels on the English and French-language school systems.

For students who wrote the Grade 3 Assessment of Reading, Writing and Mathematics:

  • 71% met the provincial standard in reading compared to 73% in 2022-2023, and 73% in 2021-2022.
  • 64% of Grade 3 students met the provincial standard in writing, compared to 65% in 2022-2023 and 65% in 2021-2022.
  • 61% of Grade 3 students met the provincial standard in mathematics, compared to 60% in 2022-2023 and 59% in 2021-2022.

For students who wrote the Grade 6 Assessment of Reading, Writing and Mathematics:

  • 82% met the provincial standard in reading, compared to 84% in 2022-2023 and 85% in 2021-2022.
  • 80% met the provincial standard in writing, compared to 84% in 2022-2023, and 84% in 2021-2022.
  • 50% met the provincial standard in mathematics, compared to 50% in 2022-2023 and 47 % in 2021-2022.

For students who wrote the Grade 9 Assessment in Mathematics:

  • 54% met the provincial standard, compared to 54% in 2022-2023 and 52% in 2021-2022.

For students who wrote the Grade 10 Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT):

  • 85% of first-time eligible students were successful, compared to 85% in 2022-23 and 82% in 2021-2022.
  • 52% of previously eligible students were successful in 2023-2024, compared to 63% in 2022-2023 and 85% in 2021-2022.

John De Faveri, Interim Director of Education of the YCDSB writes, “We are always looking for ways to provide a better school experience, but today is a time to celebrate our students and staff for their excellent academic achievement. I want to particularly highlight the incredible work that is being done in mathematics, which we see in these results. Mathematical literacy is such an important life skill and we are happy to share a love of numbers with our students.”

Results from the Grade 3, 6 and 9 EQAO Mathematics results show improvement in Mathematics compared to 2023. In addition, with respect to reading and writing results for Grade 6 there has been a consistent steady upward rise in the performance of students as 89% and 90% of students met or exceeded provincial standards when compared to the province’s average of 82% and 89%.

Elizabeth Crowe, Chair of the Board of Trustees for YCDSB states, “EQAO results are just one of the ways we see how York Catholic is leading the province in educational achievement. As a Catholic learning community, we want to see every child succeed and EQAO results help us measure our progress toward that noble goal.”

Overall, the percentage of students who participated from YCDSB in Grade 3 and 6 EQAO were 97% and 98%, respectively. For Grade 9 Math assessment there were 93% of eligible students and 97% in the OSSLT.

Any parents or guardians interested in learning about the 2024 EQAO and OSSLT results and individual school results for their children can check the EQAO’s website: https://www.eqao.com/results/.

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York Catholic District School Board plans open house for future high school students

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Credits: Pch.Vector

BY PAUL JUNOR

There is: planning, preparation, and organization that parents, guardians and caregivers must make in York Region as they prepare their children for high school. For those who chose to send them to a high school at the Catholic board, there are open houses planned to make this process easier to navigate.

In a press release on Thursday, October 10th, 2024, details were revealed about these open houses. It notes, “The open houses will highlight key aspects of each school, including administration, programs, graduation requirements, uniforms, school structure, student opportunities and more. In addition, information about the registration process, including registration dates, deadlines and documents needed to enroll, will be discussed.

The media release mentioned the seven regional programs, and ten Specialist High Skills Majors (SHSM) programs. They include:

Advanced Placement

Programs with an extended and enriched curriculum allow students to earn credits or advanced standing at most universities.

English as a Second Language

(ESL) and English Literacy Development (ELD)

English as a Second Language and English Literacy Development programs assist English language learners from diverse linguistic and education backgrounds in attaining English language proficiency.

French Immersion (FI)

Students who completed the Elementary French Immersion programs, or equivalent can continue with the immersion program to earn a French immersion certificate upon graduation.

High Performer Athlete (HPA)

An academic-based program for student-athletes participating in competitive-level athletics. Students benefit from a flexible timetable to help balance their academic and athletic commitments and earn high school credits for the work they put into their training.

International Baccalaureate (IB)

A rigorous and intellectually challenging pre-university course of study that allows students to earn an IB Diploma upon graduation, recognized in Canada and abroad.

Regional Arts (RAP)/Integrated Regional Arts Program(iRAP)

Students specialize in drama, dance, visual arts, digital media arts, instrumental music, or vocal music- while obtaining their high school diploma. In the iRAP, students experience their learning through an integrated model where the curriculum is explored in relation to the interconnectedness of the individual, the community, and the world.

STREAM Program

Students explore real-world challenges and use the design thinking process to develop critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication skills, guided by the traditional Catholic social teachings. This academic program uses an interdisciplinary approach to inquiry and problem-based learning.

Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM)

Students can obtain a diploma with a specialist in either: Arts and Culture; Aviation and Aerospace; Business; Health and Wellness; Hospitality and Tourism; Information and Communication Technology; Justice, Community Safety and Emergency Services, Manufacturing; or Non-Profit. Every YCDSB school offers a SHSM program.

Parents or guardians who live in York Region and are interested in any programs can check: Website: www.ycdsb.ca

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