Mental Health Archives - Fostering Community

Resources and Strategies for Indigenous Youth

by Sebastian Hable

Indigenous youth in foster care face unique challenges but also have incredible opportunities to build skills and connections that empower them to thrive. Whether you’re focusing on education, life skills, or mental health, there are resources and strategies to help you navigate this journey.

1. Education: Your Path, Your Future

Education can open doors to a brighter future. If you’re in foster care, you might be eligible for bursaries or grants designed for Indigenous youth. Look into programs like the Indigenous Skills and Employment Training (ISET) program or scholarships specific to Indigenous students. Remember, it’s okay to take your time to figure out what you want to pursue—there’s no one “right” path.

2. Building Life Skills

From managing your money to preparing for independent living, life skills are essential. Start small by learning how to budget your expenses or cook simple meals. Many community organizations offer workshops tailored for youth in care, where you can practice these skills in a supportive environment.

3. Mental Health: Prioritize Yourself

It’s normal to feel overwhelmed, but you don’t have to face it alone. There are culturally relevant mental health supports available, such as counseling services rooted in Indigenous traditions. Talking to a trusted Elder or support worker can also help you find balance and connection to your identity.

4. Peer Connections: You’re Not Alone

Finding others who understand your experience can be empowering. Consider joining a youth group or online community for Indigenous foster youth. These spaces offer a chance to share your story, learn from others, and build lasting friendships.

5. Your Resilience is Your Strength

As an Indigenous youth, you carry a legacy of resilience. Despite the systemic barriers you may face, there are resources, people, and organizations ready to support you. Lean into your strengths, ask for help when you need it, and remember—you have the power to shape your future. You’re not on this journey alone. Whether you’re looking to continue your education, find housing, or build stronger connections, there are people and programs out there to guide you every step of the way.

Finding a Mentor in the Community: Why It’s Important and How to Make It Happen.

by Yasmine V.

Having a mentor can be a game-changer, especially for youth in and from care. Mentors provide guidance, support, and a listening ear, which can make a huge difference in navigating life’s challenges. A mentor is often someone with more experience who can share their knowledge, offer practical advice, and, most importantly, be a trusted adult to look up to. For youth in care, finding that trusted connection can open doors to new opportunities and provide a stable support system that encourages growth and self-confidence.

Why a Mentor Matters: A mentor is more than just someone who gives advice; they’re a guide, a supporter, and a cheerleader. Mentorship has been shown to positively impact mental health, academic achievement, and career prospects. Having someone who believes in you can boost your self-esteem and help you stay motivated, even when times are tough. Mentors can offer insights based on their own experiences, helping you make decisions that align with your goals and values. For youth in care, who might not have a consistent adult figure in their lives, this support can be invaluable.

How to Find a Mentor Finding: The right mentor can feel overwhelming, but there are ways to make the process manageable. Start by identifying what you’re looking for in a mentor. Do you want someone who can help with career advice, school challenges, or maybe just someone to talk to about life? Once you know what you’re looking for, consider reaching out to local organizations that offer mentorship programs, such as Big Brothers Big Sisters, or local youth groups. Another good approach is to get involved in community activities, such as volunteering or joining clubs that align with your interests. When you’re involved in activities you’re passionate about, you’re more likely to meet people who share your values and can offer guidance. Don’t be afraid to ask for help or express your interest in finding a mentor. Most people are flattered by the opportunity to share their experiences and are happy to support young people who are eager to learn.

Benefits of Having a Trusted Adult in Your Life: For youth in and from care, having a trusted adult can create a sense of stability and belonging. This person can offer advice, help with setting goals, and provide encouragement through difficult times. They can also serve as a role model, showing you what’s possible when you work hard and stay dedicated. A mentor can help you build confidence by reminding you of your strengths and achievements and encouraging you to step outside of your comfort zone. How Mentors Guide and Empower A mentor’s role isn’t to give you all the answers but to help you find your path. They can guide you by sharing tools, strategies, and resources that have worked for them or others. For example, they might help you learn how to set achievable goals, manage your time, or prepare for a job interview. They’re also there to listen when you’re facing challenges, offering a fresh perspective and helping you work through obstacles.

Having a mentor can make a big difference in feeling connected, confident, and prepared to face the future. If you’re a youth in or from care, finding a mentor could be one of the most valuable steps you take toward building the life you want.

Manitobans can now access addiction treatment virtually without appointment

Manitobans can now access addiction treatment through Rapid Access to Addictions Medicine (RAAM) clinics virtually without an appointment. This new option allows individuals to connect with RAAM clinics online.

The Digital Front Door platform provides virtual drop-in services led by nurses. This platform aims to reduce barriers to care, such as transportation costs, travel, and stigma, making it easier for individuals to seek help for substance use and addictions.

RAAM clinics are drop-in facilities that help people manage substance use, including medical assistance to reduce or stop use.

The clinics operate on a firstcome, first-served basis. Dr. Erin Knight, medical lead for RAAM, said that the virtual platform allows for aspects of addiction services such as treatment overviews, harm reduction education, and connections to counselling while still enabling in-person assessments when necessary.

Network Retreat for Youth from and in care in Manitoba

Youth in and from care, ages 14 to 24, are invited to join VOICES for a weekend of learning, sharing, and making friends. At the Retreat, you will learn more about yourself, your connections to community, and ways to use your experiences to be empowered. You can also climb things, jump off things, swim, go for walks by the lake, and play weird games.

The theme for this retreat is “Living Expert. Sacred Story.” We are the expert of our own lives, and we hold within us our sacred stories. We can choose to share our stories to help us heal, and to help inform and educate others. During the retreat, you will learn and practice the art of sharing your stories in safe ways.

The BOLD Show: Based on the success of VOICES’s talent show last fall, participants are once again invited to share their gifts and talents and reveal their identity at the BOLD Show on Saturday night. Sing, dance, yodel, recite your poetry, show us your art, twist your legs into a pretzel, throw webs from your wrists.

The Fall 2024 retreat will be held October 11th to 13th, 2024. Download and save your registration package to your device before filling it out. Once complete, return by email to ask@voices.mb.ca or drop off at 3rd floor, 61 Juno Street (BGC Winnipeg head office) by Monday, September 23rd, 2024.

https://voices.mb.ca/wp-content/uploads/Participant-Registration-Forms-Fall-2024.pdf

https://voices.mb.ca/wp-content/uploads/Adult-Support-Registration-Form-Fall-2024.pdf

Consultation on the Youth Mental Health Fund – Opportunity for youth 16 and above

The Government of Canada is working to implement a new fund to make it easier for youth in Canada to get the mental health care they need. The Youth Mental Health Fund aims to break down barriers to access mental health care for youth.

They are consulting with people 16 years of age and older to gather perspectives on priority areas to improve youth mental health. Your feedback will help guide the focus of the new Youth Mental Health Fund, including decisions on the types of activities that could be funded.

Health Canada is seeking your input on the types of activities that could be funded through the Youth Mental Health Fund, such as helping youth and their families navigate and seek mental health care, increasing youth suicide prevention supports and services and more.

Share your ideas online by filling in filling in the following questionnaire: https://healthcanada.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_7ZLv4931gtmzqIK?Q_Language=EN. All responses are anonymous.

For more information, please check out Consultation on the Youth Mental Health Fund – Canada.ca.

How to Enjoy Spending Time Outside Alone

Now that the weather is getting warmer, I see families at the park and people walking their dogs a lot. It makes me wonder if I would go outside more if I had a dog… Though I have a cat I’m sure I could put a leash on, I should probably come up with other ways to encourage being outside.

I have been exploring activities to do outside that feel engaging to me. I know a walk is the easiest way to spend time outside and get exercise, but sometimes walking is boring or unfulfilling. I have found several different activities to do outside that can be engaging and fun.

Here are five activities that helped me enjoy spending time outside:

Journal in a Park

If you enjoy writing or doodling, this is a great activity to keep you outside and engaged. I love doodling while listening to a podcast or music, or writing some wacky stories for fun.

Watch the Sunset or Sunrise

If it helps to go outside with something to do like buying groceries or running errands, try to find something to look forward to. If you want to see the sunset, try going outside just with enough time to go somewhere comfortable (like a park or a backyard) and experience that sunset or sunrise.

Hike on a Trail

If there are walking or biking paths near you, it can be fun to try changing up your environment for a walk. Sometimes you can find trails that feel like they’re not in the city. If you bring bird seeds with you, you might be able to feed some birds or chipmunks along the way!

Have a Picnic

Prepare or pick up something for a snack or lunch, bring a blanket or beach towel, and head to a nice park for a picnic. I like to cut up meat and cheese to pair with crackers and mustard. I like to bring a book, but I always end up listening to a podcast anyway.

Paint in the Park

One of my favourite activities to do right now is paint, so what better way to spend time outside than painting? A dollar store should have a mini canvas and a small paint kit, which you can easily pack in a purse, tote, or backpack and bring to a cool location. Last time I painted outside, I went to a park on the waterfront.

Make a Mindfulness Box with Me!

A mindfulness box is a box, or anything you want to put stuff in, that includes items to help soothe you, calm you, or help you be mindful. I have been interested in making one since my therapist suggested I try making one last month. I love learning about new things I can try at home to practice mindfulness, so learning about the mindfulness box was so helpful!

If you’re interested in making a mindfulness box, follow along as I share what I put in mine:

Choose Your Box

Pick what you want your mindfulness items to go in. This could be a portable cosmetics bag, a old shoe or amazon box, or a basket. I chose an old shoe box. Once you find something to put all your mindfulness items in, you’re ready to start!

Self-Care Items

I added a bottle of lotion, a foot mask, nail file, and a jade roller. These are some of the self-care items that soothe me the most.

Stress Ball

I of course had to add a stress ball because as much as I might feel silly squeezing a happy emoji face, it makes me feel grounded and regulated. I also like slime, silly putty, and colourful clay.

Photos of Friends

I added photos of my friends and my cat. I also included old doodles from notebooks that I thought were cool. This reminds me that I have people who care about me and who I care a lot about.

Notebook and Pen

I added both a notebook and sketchbook with pencils and pens. Sometimes I like to doodle or write words over and over which provides a distraction from worrying about little things.

I hope talking through my mindfulness box helped spark some ideas about what you could put in yours!

3 Apps that Will Help You Manage Your Stress

We struggle with stress every day, whether small stresses or big, it’s important for us to know how to manage our stress. Unfortunately, that can be really difficult to learn.

What I found helped me learn how to manage my stress better was taking small steps. Instead of fully committing to a bunch of skills, I tried one. After trying boxed breathing a few times and seeing how it helped ground me, it became a habit. After weeks of not remembering to box breathe when I was stressed and failing to do it early enough to avoid further stress, I found myself immediately trying it without even thinking about it. It became a habit and I finally got the hang of it.

If you are thinking about trying out some mindfulness exercises, cognitive behavioral therapy skills, or other stress management skills, I recommend trying one of these free apps:

Calm

Download on the App Store or Google Play

With really cool backgrounds and a range of meditations, Calm (calm.com) is a space to escape and relax in the comfort of your hands. This app is designed to keep you calm and it’s quite successful at it.

Headspace

Download on the App Store or Google Play

Headspace (headspace.com) is a comprehensive meditation app, with guided and unguided meditations to help you through all phases of your life. The free app offers ten sessions, with hundreds of hours of extra content if you love it and want to subscribe.

Happify

Download on the App Store or Google Play

Happify (happify.com) is all about positive psychology, mindfulness, and cognitive behavioral therapy. As the name suggests, Happify’s goal is to help us all feel happier, and more emotionally fulfilled. This is a great tool to keep in mind if you find yourself overwhelmed often and are struggling to feel emotional fulfilment.

Try One of These 7 Relaxing Video Games for a Cozy Night in

For those of you in exam season, you may be studying a lot, feeling stressed, or maybe you’re finished exams and want to relax, but just aren’t sure what to do.

I have some of the BEST relaxing games you can try when you want to have a chill and cozy night in. I enjoy playing games on a computer and a Nintendo Switch, so I have gone ahead and made a list of my favourite games on a Nintendo Switch, Windows, and Mac, so that you can try out some of the games that you may have a system for.

My suggestion is to sign up for a Steam account and then watch the sales!

My top PAID games:

Stardew Valley (Windows, Mac, Nintendo Switch)

$16.99 on Steam

You’ve inherited your grandfather’s old farm plot in Stardew Valley. Armed with hand-me-down tools and a few coins, you set out to begin your new life. Can you learn to live off the land and turn these overgrown fields into a thriving home?

Unpacking (Windows, Mac, Nintendo Switch)

$22.79 on Steam

Unpacking is a zen puzzle game about the familiar experience of pulling possessions out of boxes and fitting them into a new home. Part block-fitting puzzle, part home decoration, you are invited to create a satisfying living space while learning clues about the life you’re unpacking.

My top FREE games:

The Sims 4 (Windows)

Free on Steam

Play with life and discover the possibilities. Unleash your imagination and create a world of Sims that’s wholly unique. Explore and customize every detail from Sims to homes–and much more.

Equinoxe (Windows)

Free on Steam

Equinoxe is a contemplative & narrative game with puzzle phases taking place in two mirrored worlds. Discover a quest for self-acceptance and restore the fragile balance of your world by using its main source of energy: water.

Fayburrow (Windows)

Free on Steam

In a world of fairies, a childhood friend suddenly calls Beatrice back to her old hometown. Yet when she arrives, her friend is mysteriously missing.

LAY (Windows)

Free on Steam

Immerse yourself in this adventure of poetic and contemplative exploration as Elise, a young explorer full of energy. This mysterious world awaits you to overflow with colour and life!

Kinoko (Windows)

Free on Steam

The crisp winter air fills your lungs, but you can feel the earth underneath calling for you. The warmth from the sun melts the snow away and flowers bloom. Spring is here.

BONUS Mobile Game: If you have a Netflix subscription, you can download Terra Nil on your phone for free.

Terra Nil is an intricate environmental strategy game about transforming a barren wasteland into a thriving, balanced ecosystem. Bring life back to a lifeless world by purifying soil, cleaning oceans, planting trees, and reintroducing wildlife, then leave without a trace.

Free on the App Store and Google Play Store.

I would recommend giving the games above a try if you like relaxing activities that can be quite entertaining for an evening. I personally play Stardew Valley often and my friend and I have made it to fall of year 2 (I don’t even want to tell you how many hours I have played this game for). I hope this list helps for those of you that enjoy cozy video games.

5 Ways You Can Practice Mindfulness Today

I have been learning about mindfulness for my own benefit for just over five years now. It has taken me a LONG time to put these skills into practice so believe me when I tell you I also thought it was silly to try breathing exercises when I was angry or trying to think logically when I was sad. It feels silly but remember that silly can sometimes work!

What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is being present in the moment and focusing your thoughts on what is happening in the here and now.

Why Should we Practice Mindfulness?

Some benefits include reducing anxiety, depression, chronic pain, stress, and mindfulness can even help improve sleep. It’s very hard to be mindful with many distractions, and sometimes we even forget to check in on ourselves. Once we break out of feeling guilty for slowing down and being mindful, it gets easier and more comfortable to take pauses.

5 Ways to Practice Mindfulness:

Check in on Your Body

Take a pause and think about how you’re feeling physically. Do you notice tension? Where is it coming from? If you bring your attention to your body, it can help bring you back to the present and connect with the information you’re observing about your body so that you can take better care of yourself.

Use Your Five Senses

Start using all your senses to observe what is going on around you. This can also be called grounding. Start to describe what smells are around you, the noises, and even touch an object near you and describe what it feels like.

Focus on Your Breathing

You breathe with or without consciously thinking about it. Start to notice your breathing. Take five deep breaths and focus your attention on inhaling and exhaling. Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 5, breathe out for 4, hold for 5. Do this boxed breathing activity to help bring yourself to the present.

Observe and Describe Your Thoughts

As scary as it may feel, take a pause and start to notice your thoughts. What do you notice? Sometimes our brains are running a mile a minute and it’s important to slow it down when we can.

Mindful Eating

When you eat your meals, you could try to just eat. Try not to watch YouTube, work, or read. Try to be present and focused on eating. Notice your chewing, the sensations, or the taste. Try to describe what the food tastes like.