by fizza | Feb 16, 2022 | Uncategorized
I hope the network is ready for all the incredible TNM Group visits Jay, and I will be doing over the next few months… because we’re just getting started!
Last week we had a chance to visit our TNM Group in Thunder Bay with our partner agency, Children’s Centre Thunder Bay. This was a unique visit, as the adult allies and youth were able to meet in person, and we joined via Zoom!
We started the meeting with a check-in by sharing a rose, a positive highlight of our day or week, and a bud, an opportunity to share an idea we had or something we’re looking forward to or are exploring. We learned more about the adult allies and the youth and found one youth who had the same love for Hot Cheetos as me, which created an instant connection. Who doesn’t love Hot Cheetos, am I right?
The youth and adult allies began brainstorming ideas for their TNM Group and shared that they have been working on an Instagram page that they recently created. If you haven’t already, follow their TNM Group here. They have some exciting ideas and content coming soon!
The youth and adult allies also brainstormed what they would like to include in their upcoming self-care kit project, which will be handed out in their community. They came up with many great items to place in their kits, such as tea bags, stress balls, cooling masks, notepads for folks to journal and write down their thoughts, and chocolate! It’s always so great to hear how many of our TNM Groups have created self-care kits to give back to the community and encourage others to take care of themselves.
After some project planning, we shifted gears and heard from the TNM Group about some of the changes they would like to see within the Child and Youth Mental Health sector. We heard that many school guidance counsellors dismiss the mental health needs of students, and resources and access to quality care are limited. An adult ally shared that only one psychiatrist in Thunder Bay is currently accepting clients, leading to a crisis-oriented system. Jay and I really appreciated the youth and adult allies’ honesty and vulnerability. The system needs to move from crisis to quality.
Thank you to the wonderful adult allies and youth for welcoming us, even though we were on screen! Jay and I are looking forward to connecting with more of our TNM Groups across the province and learning about all the awesome work everyone is doing.
If you are a youth mental health advocate and want to be a part of a TNM Group, click here to find one near you!
See you all soon on zoom,
Fizza Abbas, Network Coordinator
by fizza | Feb 9, 2022 | Uncategorized
I’m back on tour, visiting all of our TNM Groups across the province…. and this time, I’m bringing TNM’s New Program Manager, Jay Baker, along with me!
To get started with our tour, we visited our TNM Group in Kirkland Lake last week with our partner agency North Eastern Ontario Family and Children’s Services (NEOFACS).
Even though we haven’t been able to do TNM Groups visits in person for two years now, our virtual visit transported us from the cold winter days to a warm summer day…as the adult allies planned a Beach Party-themed meeting! The adult allies and youth were decked out with Lei necklaces and themed Zoom backgrounds, and it felt as if we were in paradise. The adult allies are continuously going above and beyond when it comes to youth engagement by dropping off beach theme activities and snacks at the youth’s home before the meeting.
We played many icebreakers during our group visit, such as Two Truths and a Lie, Never Have I Ever, and Trivia. I discovered so much about everyone on the line, such as how one of our youth is exceptionally good at axe throwing!
The last time I visited, I learned how students drive snowmobiles to school. It’s always so interesting to learn about the different traditions and norms in each community. Adult allies and youth shared with me that the community has a very competitive ice sculpture contest every year and how 9-year-olds can get a boating licence. However, most exciting of all was that some workers received nuggets of gold as a gift… let’s say I’ve already added Kirkland Lake to my retirement plan.
During our visit, we discussed the possibility of having all of our northern TNM Groups collaborate and connect for an event or a meeting to get to know each other and engage more youth leaders. If you’re reading this and you want to join a TNM Group, click here to find one near you!
Thank you to the fantastic adult allies and youth for such a warm welcome and all the laughs! Jay and I look forward to continuing our tour across the province and getting to connect with all the incredible adult allies and youth who are constantly shifting the needle to create meaningful change within the Child and Youth Mental Health sector.
See you all soon on zoom,
Fizza Abbas, Network Coordinator
by fizza | Dec 2, 2021 | Uncategorized
Hey TNM Network!
My name is Jay (she/her) and I’m so excited to introduce myself as the Program Manager of The New Mentality. I’m looking forward to getting to know all of you (old TNM friends and new), but in the meantime, let me share a bit more about myself!
If I had to describe myself in a word or two, I’d say I’m a possibility thinker. I love getting curious and exploring a variety of options and possibilities. I like to think that we are happier when we can imagine new ideas and opportunities for ourselves and our futures.
It’s possibility thinking that makes me a life-long learner. I’m constantly trying new things. Whether it’s salsa dancing, fighting in a boxing match, skydiving, or travelling, I’m always looking for ways to meet new people and gain new experiences.
I actually started my career journey working in international development – primarily supporting youth in their personal and career journeys through arts and education programming. I’ve had the pleasure of working with youth all around the world – Nicaragua, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Germany, and Brazil to name a few – and they have taught me so much, both personally and professionally.
As I continued to work with these youth, the one thing I realized is that without the proper supports and considerations, systemic challenges exist as critical barriers to youth success. These barriers can look like access, discrimination, tokenism, or just a lack of meaningful engagement. Regardless, the one thing they always have in common is how they impact the wellness of young people.
It quickly occurred to me that we can’t run any successful programs where youth are encouraged to actively participate, without consideration for their mental health. It’s this realization that prompted me to work on programs like the Community Healing Project, Connected North, the Toronto Youth Equity Mental Health Training, and Kids Help Phone Crisis Response.
Throughout all these experiences, I’ve learned that the people and organizations I’ve worked with have the best understanding of their needs and the needs of their communities. What I love about The New Mentality is that it provides opportunities for young people and their allies to be the driving force for the changes they want to see.
I believe that the most effective programs are the ones that allow folks to see themselves reflected in, not just impacted by, the work.
I’m looking forward to continuing to collaborate with the Network to further feelings of ownership, include more voices that reflect the diversity of our young people, increase capacity building opportunities for our adult allies, and build a more sustainable program for years to come.
For now, though, I’m just excited to say “hi”! Please feel free to reach out to me to me. I’d love to schedule a virtual coffee (or tea) chat to get to know everyone!
If you would like to connect, please contact me at jay@thenewmentality.ca
by fizza | Oct 7, 2021 | Uncategorized
Turning 18-years-old can come with some new and exciting experiences like voting, opening your own bank account, or getting a tattoo. It can be starting a new chapter of your life by graduating high school and starting university or college. However, the biggest thing about turning 18 is becoming an adult, at least on paper (I’m 21 and I definitely don’t think of myself as an actual adult), and that can mean changes to the mental health services that you have access to.
In high school, I started in a therapy program at my community’s youth mental health agency, Skylark. I also started receiving services at Sick Kids Hospital with a care team of doctors and therapists. On my 18th birthday, I found myself at my very last appointment and thought, “Well, what am I going to do now?”. The program at Skylark had a two-year maximum and Sick Kids only treats kids, so I knew from the beginning that my time at both place was limited, but when the time came I still didn’t know what to do next. Through a series of tips I learned on my journey, I want to share some of my experiences with starting over in the adult mental health system to hopefully provide some guidance and hope to anyone going through the same thing.
So there I was, 18-year-old brand new adult Dana. I no longer had a psychiatrist or therapist, and I was moving away to a new city to start my undergraduate degree. I was completely unsupported arriving to residence in September of my 1st year, so I started looking in the first place I could think of: campus.
If you’re a university or college student, check out the services offered by your school.
I go to Western University and one of its affiliates, Brescia University College, in London (Ontario not England, but how cool would that be?), and a great thing about it is the student health clinic. The clinic offers support not only for physical health, but for mental health, including access to crisis counselling and psychiatrists. My smaller school, Brescia, has a social worker on staff that offers case management to students experiencing moderate to severe mental health struggles. I’ve worked with this social worker since my 2nd year of university and continue to meet with them regularly well into my 4th year. They helped connect me to a psychiatrist on campus without waiting months to be seen, find a therapist in the city, and support me with any academic accommodations I need. Do some digging to see what kind of mental health and wellness services your school offers on its campus! Services on campus can be convenient and helpful if they’re a good match for you. I personally found that the mental health services at my school have been a paramount support throughout my education.
You might have to look at private practices if you’re looking to work with a therapist long-term.
There are so many amazing community agencies/organizations across Ontario that provide mental health services for adults, however, many of these places don’t offer long-term individual therapy. This was something I was looking for coming out of the youth system and quickly found out that if I wanted to work on my mental health challenges and personal goals one-on-one with a therapist over an extended period of time, then I needed to find someone in the private practice sector and pay them (this is where my school’s social worker helped me out, as mentioned above). This was very different, and a bit stressful, for me because up until that point I never had to pay money to work with a therapist and rates for one session could be upwards of $150. I was lucky enough to find someone who offered subsidized rates for broke students like me. If you’re worried about finances, but want to work with a therapist long-term there are options for those in financial need through government grants, OSAP, and your school’s health insurance plan.
You still have access to lots of community mental health services, support lines, and hospital services that don’t cost anything.
The word “youth” has a pretty wide age range, typically ages 13-25 (sometimes even going up to 27), so many youth mental health agencies continue to provide services to young people over 18. If you’re able to continue accessing services at your current youth organization or can start at another one, that’s awesome! It adds a few years to your time before you need to cross the line into the adult system. This wasn’t the case for me, but the adult mental health system still have great community services. In London, CMHA Middlesex is one of the biggest community mental health service providers in the city. They offer a wide range of supports free of charge, everything from crisis intervention and stabilization services, to an eating disorder program, to supportive housing. There are also helpful support lines such as Reach Out, Crisis Text Line, and Good2Talk which is post-secondary student-specific, and I’ve used each of these lines myself. Hospitals also offer different inpatient and outpatient programs for adults, depending on the severity of the mental health challenges one is struggling with. If you’re looking to get support from a hospital program, connect with your family doctor for a referral.
Thanks for giving this a read and I hope there was something you could take away. See you next time!
Thank you so much Dana! If you have any questions please contact email info@thenewmentality.ca
by mary-anne | Sep 17, 2021 | Uncategorized
Job Posting: Program Manager
Position Type: Full-Time Contract position until March 31, 2023, with the possibility of renewal
Reports to: Senior Program Manager
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Salary: $60,000-$70,000
Start date: October 2021
Number of Hours Per Week: 40
About The New Mentality
The New Mentality (TNM) is a provincial network that engages and connects youth ages 13-25 who identify as having experience with mental illness. We co-create, support, and facilitate structures for youth-led change in the mental health system and work on a provincial scale to improve the practice of youth engagement. We believe youth can contribute to creating a better mental health system. Working in partnership with youth, adult allies, and child and youth mental health centres, we amplify youth voice and produce recommendations to the mental health system. The New Mentality is a program of Children’s Mental Health Ontario (CMHO). CMHO is the association representing Ontario’s publicly-funded Child and Youth Mental Health Centres.
About the Role
The New Mentality Program Manager oversees all elements of The New Mentality program, including the planning and delivery of TNM Groups, Disable the Label, and the Youth Action Committee. The Program Manager is a key member of the CMHO team focused on youth voice and has an important role in policy, advocacy and member service delivery. The Program Manager works with the Senior Program Manager and other key stakeholders, including TNM youth, adult allies, consultants, advisory members, to develop high-level objectives and oversee the strategic direction of The New Mentality. The Program Manager is responsible for the financial management of the program, which includes identifying and pursuing funding opportunities, developing and monitoring project budgets, and other day-to-day project management. The Program Manager supervises and supports the Network Coordinator.
The Ideal Candidate
The Program Manager is a visionary who looks ahead with clarity. As a result, they seize opportunities and leverage points to amplify youth voice and drive change in the child and youth mental health system. They have a passion for working with young people and creating inclusive spaces for all youth to thrive and contribute. They have a deep understanding and experience leading conversations on racism and other equity challenges. They are skilled in budget management and have experience supervising staff. We emphasize the need to welcome into our community a strong leader who is committed to co-creating spaces centred on meaningful relationships and shared leadership using anti-oppressive and anti-racism frameworks. The successful candidate is looking to lead a dynamic team of individuals who are passionate about creating real change.
Key Accountabilities
- Build and execute The New Mentality program operational plan, including Network Engagement, Disable the Label, and the Youth Action Committee.
- Work with the Senior Program Manager to develop a program sustainability model.
- Develop and monitor program budget and provide quarterly reports to the Senior Program Manager; ensure TNM projects stay within budget and deliver as obligated.
- Oversee delivery of annual Disable the Label conference, including the hiring of the facilitation team, safety and crisis management, managing on-site incidents, and post-event reporting and evaluating
- Oversee delivery of the Youth Action Committee, including supervising and supporting adult allies, safety and crisis management, managing on-site incidents, and ensuring project deliverables are met.
- Oversee implementation of TNM Groups, including building relationships with TNM group partner agencies and identifying and developing new partnerships with CMHO agencies.
- Identify funding opportunities from foundations and government; lead the proposal development and submission processes.
Key Qualifications
- Five years of experience working in the child and youth mental health sector or related social services field.
- Three years of experience in program management and staff supervision in a not-for-profit social service organization.
- Experience leading and hosting conversations on racism using integrative anti-racism and anti-oppressive practices.
- Demonstrated experience working with diverse staff and stakeholders, including youth from marginalized communities.
- Excellent communication, organization, time management, conflict management and interpersonal skills.
- An ability to work independently and as part of a team in a diverse environment.
- French/English bilingualism is a strong asset; a second language other than English and French is an asset.
- Related post-secondary education or equivalent.
Compensation
In addition to the Program Manager’s salary, the Program Manager will receive a competitive benefits package and be eligible for Children’s Mental Health Ontario’s RRSP matching program.
To Apply
To apply, submit your cover letter and resume to Mary-Anne Leahy as one document (titled with your first and last name), in PDF format, to resumes@cmho.org by October 3, 2021 with the subject heading “Program Manager, TNM.” Resumes not submitted in this format will not be accepted.
The New Mentality is committed to equity in our policies, practices, and programs. We strongly encourage and welcome applications from people who identify as Indigenous, racialized, 2SLGBTQ+, living with a disability, or a religious minority.
If you require accommodations at any stage of the hiring process, contact Mary-Anne Leahy at the email above. Please note in the subject line: “Program Manager Application: Accommodation Needed.”
We thank everyone for their expression of interest. We are truly appreciative of the time individuals put into applying, however, with the limitations of time, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
by mary-anne | Sep 16, 2021 | Uncategorized
Hello to our incredible network!
I hope everyone had a great summer and is settling back into old routines and new routines for some of our youth as you enter high school, post-secondary, and new jobs!
The New Mentality is growing at a rapid pace. Since 2007, we have done amazing work through our incredible network and staff leadership from Cath Dyer, Caralyn Quan, many others, and our current staff Fizza. As a result, we have grown our small pilot project to a robust community of youth and adult allies, creating real change in the mental health system.
I am so proud of all the work that has been accomplished in this beautiful and inspiring community of youth mental health advocates and adult allies!
It is now time to focus on growing and finding opportunities to provide more substantial support to our network to deepen our impact and expand our reach.
Beginning immediately, I will move into a new role at Children’s Mental Health Ontario (CMHO) as a Senior Program Manager, and we will be posting for the Program Manager position. This is a new role for me within CMHO. My new role at TNM will focus entirely on developing a sustainability model to deepen our impact, expand our reach, and provide growth opportunities in the network. The goal here is to expand our TNM staff team enough that we can maintain our day-to-day activities while focusing on building a sustainability model for the network. We want to see more support for our TNM Groups, and we are so excited for what that will look like and all the incredible opportunities that will bring to network members. My role will focus on supporting the success of the new Program Manager, and I will no longer be a part of the day-to-day activities of TNM. As part of my new role, in addition to providing leadership with TNM, I will be leading a new program of CMHO focusing on developing a provincial autism training program and will also provide support to the Family Partnership program.
This news is bittersweet for me! I love our network; being on the youth action committee as a 19-year-old changed my life. I have felt the impact of my adult ally really believing in me and giving me opportunities to grow and learn and stretch and really see what I’m capable of. As a youth in the network, TNM gave me so much confidence and this amazing community to be a part of. And then, I became a staff member in 2014. I was fresh out of university and looking for something that I was passionate about. I couldn’t have dreamed of the experiences that I’ve had as a staff member. I’ve absolutely loved being an adult ally in the network. It has brought so much fulfillment, and I’ve seen so many youth do such incredible and amazing things. I am so grateful for this network. And I look forward to my new role to provide a strong foundation as the network continues to evolve and do incredible work.
I’d love to hear from you all, so if you have any questions, please feel free to call or email me! You can reach me at mary-anne@thenewmentality.ca or 416-921-2109 ext 133, I’m happy to set up a time to chat. I know change can be hard, but I really believe this change will help The New Mentality grow. Remember I’m not leaving, I’ll just be a little bit more behind the curtain 🙂
Much love,
Mary-Anne
