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CMHA Victoria Office (BC Division)

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High School Student Internship Opportunity

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High School Student Internship Opportunity

Canadian Mental Health Association – BC Division, Victoria

Positions Available: Two

Location: Victoria, BC

CMHA Victoria is looking for two high school students to help with youth engagement projects and programs across the lower island. This opportunity will run during the 2021 – 2022 academic school year, from late August to mid-June. There will be the flexibility to work both at our downtown Victoria office, as well as remotely, depending on the current project’s needs.

 

Our ideal candidate will be:

  • Grade 10 or 11
  • Interested in pursuing a career in mental health, social work, psychology, education, non-profits
  • Good communication skills
  • Initiative
  • Timely
  • Knowledge or willingness to learn about mental health
  • Comfortable with outreach practices
  • Available to work required hours / time commitment
  • Good at following directions
  • Willing to contribute ideas and thoughts
  • Organized

 

Responsibilities will include:

  • Help plan future youth summits
  • Follow up with attended schools
  • Support action-plans of students
  • Keep office updated about school initiatives & outcomes
  • Provide information to students about resources / community partners
  • Assist with planning in youth involvement in Ride Don’t Hide

 

The successful applicants will receive $500 each for their involvement. We will be accepting applications until July 30th 4:30pm. Please send your resume and cover letter to lauren.sykes@cmha.bc.ca.

 

Statement Regarding the News from the Secwépemc Nation

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We are deeply troubled by the discovery of 215 Indigenous children buried at a former residential school in Kamloops. This is part of the ongoing trauma. The National Indian Residential School Crisis Line 1-866 925-4419 is there to listen and support. Our hearts are with the communities and families that have been affected by this tragedy.

Nous sommes profondément troublés par la découverte de 215 enfants autochtones enterrés à l’ancien Pensionnat de Kamloops. Ceci perpétue le traumatisme. La ligne téléphonique d’aide aux anciens résidents des pensionnats autochtones 1-866-925-4419 est là pour offrir du soutien.Nos pensées vont aux communautés et aux familles qui ont été touchées par cette tragédie.

Complied is a list of support lines, organizations to donate to, and educational resources to help expand your knowledge of Indigenous matters.
Support Lines:
National Indian Residential School Crisis Line:
1 – 866 – 925 – 4419
KUU-US Crisis Line:
1 – 800 – 588 – 8717
Vancouver Island Crisis Line:
1 – 888 – 494 – 3888
to text:
250 – 800 – 3806
Donate:
Indigenous Residential School Survivor Society
BC Aboriginal Child Care Society
Legacy of Hope Foundation
Kamloops Aboriginal Friendship Society
First Nations Child & Family Caring Society
Reconciliation Canada
Orange Shirt Society
Victoria Native Friendship Centre

Take the time to learn more and educate yourself about Indigenous matters. We’ve provided a list of education resources to help you get started. This is an ongoing issue in Canada, so we are asking you to do your part. We all having something to learn and we encourage you to never stop seeking more information. Complied is a list of resources:

Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action. You can read the full document here.
trc.ca 

Read about the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc peoples
tkemlups.ca

Recognize the Indigenous land you live, work, and play on
native-land.ca/

Read Missing and Murdered Indigenous women and girls report
mmiwg-ffada.ca/final-report/

Learn how to do a meaningful land acknowledgment
nativegov.org/a-guide-to-indigenous-land-acknowledgment/

Educate yourself about Orange Shirt Day (September 30) and it’s significance
orangeshirtday.org/

On Canada Project: Settlers Take Action. Read about what you can do to help as a settler
oncanadaproject.ca/settlerstakeaction

Reconciliation Education; these online courses provide a customized education in line with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action
reconciliationeducation.ca

Additional Helpful Links:

Ride Don’t Hide 2021 Launches!

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CMHA Victoria is pleased to announce that Ride Don’t Hide 2021 has officially launched and registration is open! Please help us raise funds and awareness of mental health programs and services in Victoria.
Although we are unable to host our in person event again this year, we are still encouraging riders to sign up, raise awareness, and fundraise for mental health by riding and walking within the safety of your small group.
This year registration is $15, and riders will have an opportunity to win prizes by participating in “Decoding Mental Health” from May 3rd to June 13th.
Learn more and register to ride at www.ridedonthide.com/victoria
To help encourage the community to register and participate during Mental Health Month, which is May, we will be doing two prize draws on May 30th.
  • One winner will be randomly selected from those that register before May 30th.
  • The other winner will be randomly selected from those that participate in Decoding Mental Health by scanning a RDH code at a partnering business.

Please enjoy these two wonderful interviews of Michael Schratter, Ride Don’t Hide Founder, and Gillian Carleton, Victoria’s Ride Ambassador.

Job Posting: Parent Support Coach

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Parent Support Coach
We are seeking three Parent Support Coaches to be part of an innovative program designed to reach families across BC. The Confident Parents: Thriving Kids – Anxiety program offers family-focused tools and coaching to help empower parents and caregivers to manage anxiety conditions in children ages 3-12. Coaches provide parenting support though structured individual sessions by phone or web-based applications.

We have two positions open for terms ending October 2021, and one position for June 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022. Applications are due April 29, 2021. Please see the job postings for details:

United Way Greater Victoria Grant

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CMHA BC Division – Victoria office is pleased to announce that it has received a $15,000 grant from United Way Greater Victoria. We will use the funds for delivery of our flagship program Living Life to the Full for Older Adults. This 8 – week program offers strategies to help manage mood and worry. For more information on upcoming programs contact victoria.office@cmha.bc.ca.

Thank you United Way Greater Victoria!

United Way Greater Victoria Website

 

YOUTH ART EXHIBITION CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

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Mindfulness in May: The Art of Kindness

APPLICATION DEADLINE: March 31st, 2021

Application for Submission

To learn more about the requirements, guidelines, awards, and exhibition details please click here.

Email enquiries please contact Diane Moran at moraninthemoon@gmail.com.

Artist Diane Moran has partnered with Amber Academy Youth Fine Arts Society and the Sooke Arts Council for a youth exhibition of fine art and literary art created by students in grades 6-8 and grades 9-12 that will run May 5-16, 2021. The exhibition is open to students registered in School District 62 and to students residing in the communities served by SD62 (Sooke, Port Renfrew, Metchosin, Highlands, Langford and Colwood) who are registered in a Home Learning Program. The exhibition works will be available for viewing on display at the Sooke Art Gallery and online at mindfulmay.artistquarter.com for the exhibition period. All submissions will be featured in the exhibition.

SHOW OBJECTIVE
The exhibition is taking place during BC Youth Week and during National Mental Health Week, so we have chosen “The ART of KINDNESS” as the topic for this year. We encourage students to explore what KINDESS means to them in their own lives and in their own language. Students will draw inspiration from whatever KINDNESS means to them, and perhaps even what it means to be impacted by KINDNESS. We believe the resulting exhibition will be a great success and create powerful conversations and heart felt art around the subject.

EXHIBIT CATEGORIES
Students are invited to submit a maximum of one entry per Category:

Category 1 – Visual Art

  •  2D Art – Includes all media on board, canvas or paper (excluding Photography – see below).
  • 3D Art – Three dimensional, functional or sculptural work of any material(s).
  • Photography – Either Traditional Print or Digital Print. Images that have been altered via digital software or other means must state “creatively altered and artists must advise how their artwork was altered, i.e. whether digitally altered, used as a base/foundation, etc.”. Artists may only alter their own original photographs.
  • Fibre Art – Wall hangings, quilts, rugs, wearable work etc. where the primary material is fibre.

Computer-generated artwork is acceptable but must be entirely original and/or created from the artist’s original work.

With respect towards the cultural rights of Indigenous Peoples, it is requested that artists’ work be culturally appropriate in its content, and that artists are authorized to use and can provide proof of permission, if they have used Indigenous motifs/designs in their work.

Maximum size for submissions is 11” x 17” (28 cm x 43 cm) except paintings which must be no larger than 20” x 24” (50 cm x 60 cm).

Category 2 – Literary Art
Writers should draw inspiration from what “Kindness” means to them in the form of one of the
following:

  • Fiction or Non-Fiction Story (500-1000 words)
  • Poetry

Literary Art submissions must be double-spaced with all pages numbered using the format Page # of #. Please include your full name, email address, and phone number in the top right-hand corner of each page.

CMHA Victoria is proud to sponsor this exhibition, and as always we are delighted to support Sooke youth.

Email enquiries please contact Diane Moran at moraninthemoon@gmail.com.

Sooke Arts Council

 

Berwick Retirement Community Raises Funds Locally

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This past winter, Berwick Retirement Communities had seven of their sites raise funds for their local CMHA Branches. It all started when one resident expressed the interest to raise funds for mental health services and programs.

Here in Victoria, we were fortunate to receive funds from Berwick House and Berwick Royal Bay. With these funds, CMHA Victoria will be able to help support services and programs that target older adults and seniors. In total, Berwick Retirement Community raised $1905.50 for the Canadian Mental Health Association. The breakdown of funds to CMHA sites is as follows:

CMHA Port Alberni $713

CMHA Mid Island (Nanaimo) $376

CMHA Kamloops $190

CMHA Victoria $625.50

 

We express our gratitude to Berwick, and wish them a safe and sunny springtime.

You can check out your local Berwick Retirement Community here: https://www.berwickretirement.com/

Find them on Facebook @berwickrc

Find them on Instagram @berwickrc

7-Eleven raises $650 for CMHA Victoria

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Over the past couple winter weeks, local lower island 7-Elevens kept donation boxes at their registers to raise funds for CMHA Victoria.

The idea came from the manager of store 26518, Mary Reddy, who wanted to support her local community. She recruited up to eight different 7-Eleven branches to participate in this fundraiser, which will help support local mental health services and programs. The fundraiser was a success, and raised $650 within a few weeks. CMHA Victoria is very grateful for the support from a local business, and even more grateful and inspired by folks like Mary who wish to make a difference.

 

Find your local 7-eleven store here.

 

Youth Spoken-Word Workshops

Youth Spoken-Word Workshops

Youth Spoken-Word Workshops

We are inviting youth from 12-24 years old to sign-up and participate in a spoken-word workshop series. These workshops started in February of 2020.
In the Fall, Foundry will also be hosting a music and poetry open-mic event, UNQUIET MINDS II, which will address and support youth mental health awareness and advocacy within Victoria and surrounding areas.

TIME: Wednesdays, 5pm to 7pm.
Location: ONLINE via Zoom Call – RSVP by FB Events.
Page: https://www.facebook.com/unquietmindsproject
Website: https://foundrybc.ca/victoria
Email: unquiet.minds.project@gmail.com

SIGNUP for the Youth Performance Workshop by EMAIL!
SPONSORED BY Foundry Victoria, the Centre for Youth and Society (UVic), and the City of Victoria.

Noodles can help mental health!

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Noodlebox is happy to again support the CMHA by donating 30% of proceeds on Wednesday, September 16th – A day when NOODLES can help mental health! You can easily support the CMHA while staying safe by downloading the Noodlebox App, and pre-ordering & pre-paying for your box, for contactless pickup!

You can find the app here: https://www.noodlebox.ca/app
Or order online here: https://www.noodlebox.ca/delivery

Find your local Noodlebox branch and the corresponding CMHA branch below

Store  CMHA Branch
ALBERTA
Airdrie CMHA Calgary
Baseline CMHA Edmonton
Beltline CMHA Calgary
Deerfoot CMHA Calgary
VANCOUVER ISLAND
Port Alberni CMHA Port Alberni
Courtenay CMHA Mid Island
Duncan CMHA Cowichan
Port Place CMHA Mid Island
Metral Station CMHA Mid Island
Douglas CMHA Victoria
Langford CMHA Victoria
Shelbourne CMHA Victoria
Uptown CMHA Victoria
LOWER MAINLAND
Gastown CMHA Vancouver Fraser
Homer CMHA Vancouver Fraser
Kitsilano CMHA Vancouver Fraser
Squamish CMHA North & West Vancouver
Morgan Crossing CMHA Vancouver Fraser
Port Coquitlam CMHA Vancouver Fraser
East Abbotsford CMHA BC
Sardis CMHA BC