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CSC Montreal, QC Design Lab, May 2022

The Canada Service Corps (CSC), funded by the Government of Canada, provides youth the opportunity to be engaged and involved in their communities in a variety of ways. National youth organizations are working with young people on innovative and inspiring projects. Learn more about mindyourmind‘s Design Labs at youthexperts.ca.

What?

The mindyourmind team went to Montreal, Quebec to work with a group of newcomer youth in partnership with The Refugee Centre. The group consisted of youth who were new to Canada and currently enrolled in local universities and colleges in Montreal. Over the three days we talked about mental health, issues they faced as students and newcomers along with what they were hoping to do for their communities with what they learned from this project.

Why?

This was mindyourmind’s first in-person Design Lab since the pandemic started and for many of the youth, this was their first in-person workshop in general. Face-to-face, we were able to have a more rich discussion about the issues that the youth faced within their communities. Themes such as lack of motivation, experiencing imposter syndrome, the negative effects of social media and the overall pressures of school were common amongst the group. Through this conversation, we decided that we wanted to create a tool that incorporated all the things that the youth identified.

Who?

The mindyourmind team and a group of ten amazing youth: Andre, Batool, Chidi, Farah, Haneefa, Katherine, Louis, Samreet, Val and Wijdane.

Tool?

This group created The Wellness Deck! The Wellness Deck is a set of cards that provide tangible wellness tips that youth can incorporate into their wellness journey. The content of the cards was adapted from the Wellness Tips on mindyourmind.ca. These cards are here to remind you that you are not alone, your feelings are valid and it’s okay to not be okay.

Accordions

BiFields Collection

Tips

Tools Links

Gallery

Videos

Audio

Downloads

Youth Partners

This team decided on these three questions for their bios…

1. Why did you get involved with this project?

2. What are your goals for this campaign/project, or what impact do you hope this campaign/project will have?

3. One random fact about me is…

Andre

1. I am in this project because I am psychologist and I am interested in the Care of mental health.

2. My goals in this project are Iearn more about myself , l want to share my ideas and creativity and I want to have an impact in lifes that need help.

3. I love to walk without shoes in the grass.

Batool

1. Support the awareness about Mental Health within the youth community.- Make a new experience and help others.

2. Joining YouthExperts was an opportunity to facilitate the creation of creative tools, support mental health and stand with the community.

3. A computer Engineer who is in love with art!

Chidi

1. As a first year student studying at a big university, finding the right resources and supports was and can be extremely difficult. I joined the lab to help mitigate this and create one resource that is accessible and actually helpful for other first years specifically.

2. I hope to prevent other first years from going through what I did and remind them that they are not alone in their struggles. There is always help available.

3. My favourite food ever is kimchi-jiggae 🙂

Farah

1. Because I can relate to all the topics. I hope to raise more awareness about mental health within my community.

2. Hope to make a major difference.

3. I love to make dreamcatchers

Haneefa

1. I got involved with the design lab to learn how to create impactful resources for our community and meet/get to know other people who are passionate about community care as well.

2. This flashcard tool we’re creating can provide a sense of comfort and support in a creative way.

3. I absolutely adore cats

Louis

1. I never say no to a journey because each one is an opportunity to grow.

2. Help people get the courage to get out of their comfort zone.

3. It might not look like it but I actually love meeting new people and getting close to them.

Samreet

1. I got involved with this project because I am passionate about breaking stereotypes about mental health. I am a mental health advocate and I do not shy away about talking about it out loud. I want to normalize discussions and create an impact in the community by being a part of this project in whatever capacity that I can offer. I want to invite people for open discussions rather than dealing with the mental health problems behind closed doors. This can only be done by creating a supportive and comfortable environment, where these issues are not a taboo topic and people feel encouraged and empowered to discuss the internal battles they have been going through. This can be achieved by projects like these that not only come forward to talk about the issues but also create resources to help the people in need.

2. My goal for the project is to create a mental health resource about a chosen topic which can help to create awareness about a mental health issue among the common masses, so that they are more equipped with the information and the tools to make informed decisions in their lives. I hope to reach out to people who might be facing such issues, and if the tips mentioned in our mental health resource can create an impact in their lives, however small it can be, I would be satisfied with the work done by me as part of my contribution to the project.

3. One random fact about me is that I have mysophobia (fear of germs) and I do not shy away from taking upto five showers a day (lol) to keep myself ultra-fresh and clean (Yes, I have Sheldon in me).{Context: Big Bang Theory}

Wijdane

1. I got involved in the design lab because I believe that mental health is an important topic that we should all raise awareness for.

2. I hope this project can help someone out there who is struggling, not necessarily change their life radically, maybe just make them smile or feel better about themselves.

3. I love math.

Val

CSC Adventures Series

About Design Labs

This section is all about the work we do with youth in Design Labs. Here, you will find everything about the behind-the-scenes and the young minds that drive innovation and the creation of our mental health tools, resources, and solutions. From start to finish, youth are involved every step of the way!