Indspire is partnering with The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) to develop culturally relevant educational resources and events for Indigenous learners.
The collaboration will connect Indspire’s extensive network of Indigenous youth with Youth Wellness Hubs Ontario (YWHO) and Shkaabe Makwa, two initiatives run through CAMH. The aim is to utilize the expertise within the networks to support the mental health and wellness of youth aged 12 to 29 with culturally responsive instruction and approaches.
Resources and events will be shared through Indspire’s Rivers to Success (R2S) program and other channels.
“Indspire is pleased to be able to collaborate with a world-class leader in mental health research, CAMH, to deliver culturally relevant and supportive mental health resources,” said Indspire’s President and CEO Mike DeGagné. “Through our Rivers to Success mentorship program, we aim to support learners not only with mentorship but also with resources to prepare them for wherever they are on their educational journey.”
Indspire’s Rivers to Success program is comprised of three unique streams; high school, post-secondary, and career transition. Customized cultural resources provide a strong support system to ensure the success of Indigenous students as they graduate and go on to become the leaders of tomorrow.
Indspire’s Mental Health Initiative is supported by The Slaight Family Foundation. With Indspire leading the initiative, YWHO, a network of integrated youth hubs, will support the distribution and implementation of educational resources at local sites across Ontario.
“We are very pleased to partner with Indspire to support the creation of these youth mental health resources. The voices of Indigenous youth and organizations are central to the development of appropriate and effective resources for Indigenous youth,” said YWHO’s Executive Director Dr. Joanna Henderson. “It’s a great privilege for YWHO to have the opportunity to work in partnership with a number of Indigenous organizations, communities, youth and families to learn about and support culturally-appropriate services for Inuit, Métis and First Nations youth.”
CAMH’s Shkaabe Makwa will support the development of the resources, co-ordinate knowledge exchange and ensure Indigenous youth engagement is incorporated at every step.
“Shkaabe Makwa is committed to supporting Indigenous youth by amplifying their voices so it is an honour to be invited to work alongside Indspire and YWHO to facilitate these youth-led endeavours,” said Shkaabe Makwa’s Director of Wellness Innovation Laura Gagnon. “These young warriors are leading the development of wellness resources and I couldn’t be more proud of all who are involved.”
