Youth Voices Research Group and mindyourmind are hiring and training youth around issues of mental health and navigating the Canadian mental healthcare and health-promotion systems

Organizations:  mindyourmind (http://mindyourmind.ca/) and Youth Voices Research Group (http://www.youthvoices.ca)

LOCATION:  London, ON

Reports to:  Youth Project Coordinator

Duration:  November 12,13,14 and November 26,27,28 with online assignments in between

Application Deadline:  October 29, 2010

How to Apply: See blue box at the bottom of this article

mindyourmind (mym) is a non-profit mental health engagement program that works with youth, emerging adults and the professionals who serve them to develop reliable and relevant resources and communication platforms. These resources are designed using current evidence and research to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness and increase access and use of community support, both professional and peer-based. Through the use of active engagement and technology mindyourmind inspires youth to reach out, get help and give help.

Youth Voices Research Group (YVRG) is a research and social innovation unit based at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto. We focus on creating accessible, responsive, and health promoting systems for youth and young adults. This approach relies on the use of social media technologies to connect, illuminate, and communicate ideas and people across geographic, social, educational and cultural boundaries to establish effective collaborative partnerships for health.

Role Summary

We are seeking to hire and train youth around issues of mental health and navigating the Canadian mental healthcare and health-promotion systems. The position emphasizes learning about, researching and de-stigmatizing mental health - with the intention of sharing this knowledge with the broader community.

You will work with other youth, mym and YVRG to develop mental health resources and help with the following:

• Linking of resources between mindyourmind.ca and youthvoices.ca
• Development of interactive health promotion tools and materials

You will provide feedback and direction in the development a number of health promotion tools that will focus specifically on issues relating to mental health resource navigation amongst newcomer populations. You will, over a two weekend intensive period with YVRG and MYM staff, co-develop health promotion tools and vet out the relevancy of these tools and key messages.

Key Responsibilities:

• Undergo relevant training(s) and share your knowledge with the broader community
• Co-develop health promotion tools relating to navigating mental health care and health-promotion systems

Skills:

• Must be able work with different ages and diverse groups
• Some knowledge of, or experience with, mental health promotion and/or the mental health system
• Have a willingness to engage with and speak to others in order to promote mental health and reduce stigma related to mental health issues
• Ability to inspire, motivate, and build relationships with the team
• Basic computer skill and familiarity with online social networking tools
• Demonstrated ability to exercise sound and independent judgment
• Good organizational and time-management skills, with close attention to detail
• Creative problem-solving skills
• Strong written and oral command of the English language
• Preference will be given to those who also speak additional languages such as: Mandarin, Tamil, Tagalog, Hindi, Somali, Vietnamese, Urdu, Korean or Russian

To Qualify, Applicants Must:

• Have a strong desire to link those in need with relevant health resources
• Be between the ages of 15 and 30
• Be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or a person to whom refugee protection has been granted under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act
• Have strong ties to the “newcomer” experience
• Legally entitled to work in Ontario
• Hours: 40hrs
• Salary: $10.25 per hour

mindyourmind.ca        youthvoices.ca

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