Boost Wellness of Transitional Age Youth-Supporting the Health of those Most Affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic

This project will provide wrap-around support to approximately 1000 youth including newcomer and refugee youth and international students (aged 16-28 years) in Peel Region’s South Asian communities to support their mental and emotional health and address settlement challenges they face in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Working closely with established multi-disciplinary community partners, this proven model will be achieved through a culturally responsive mental health promotion curriculum for youth delivered through psychoeducational-social groups, Chai and Chat sessions and ‘circle of care’ support sessions for families to better equip them to support their youth dealing with mental/emotional health challenges during this pandemic.

Lead organization: Indus Community Services

Better understanding and addressing the specific mental and emotional needs facing newcomer youth and international students, arising from the COVID-19 pandemic

WHO
WHAT
HOW
WHERE
WHY

Newcomer, refugee youth and international students in Peel Region’s South Asian communities.

Objectives

To equip families to better support their youth dealing with mental and emotional health challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic

Culturally responsive mental health promotion curriculum for youth delivered through psychoeducational-social groups
Wrap-around support model

Settings

Community
Online
Clinical

Implementation sites

Peel Region
Virtual

COVID-19 amplified health inequities among marginalized populations
Racialized and newcomer youth were disproportionately impacted by the pandemic
Youth were being left behind in education, economic opportunity, health and wellbeing

In the words of the project team members

“This pandemic not only magnified the health inequities, it also highlighted a silent mental health crisis that was going on in our community. We felt that it was time to break the silence by starting a conversation about mental health, mental health struggles and learn ways to improve them. My biggest hope is to break the silence.”