Community Grant Recipients 2019-20

11th Annual Ray of Hope Retreat

This retreat will provide a safe, nurturing environment for women in recovery to share their experiences, strength and hope with one another while building connections with each other and nature. 

A for Adventure – Healing and Connecting in Nature

In partnership with the Immiration Settlement Association of Nova Scotia, A for Adventure will hold day-long programs introducing new Canadians to the great outdoors as a tool for healing, self-discovery and processing trauma. Participants will be introduced to resources to help connect them with nature and explore their new home in a safe and supported way. This will also be documented and made available to the ISANS community through online how-to videos. 

Adsum Association for Women & Children – PeerWorks Training Program

PeerWorks provides marginalized women, youth and trans persons living on income assistance with a work training opportunity to gain experience and improve their skills, well-being and confidence.

Alice House – Live Safe Counselling and Support Program

Live Safe is a therapeutic, trauma informed recovery program which includes counselling and peer support. This comprehensive program assists women in the journey of recovery from domestic violence.

Coverdale Courtwork Society – Wellness Inside: Incarcerated Women’s Mental Health Program Wellness Inside is an innovative project aimed at improving access to mental health care for incarcerated and criminalized women. 90% of women and girls involved in the justice system are living with a mental health issue-- either diagnosed or undiagnosed.

Chester Municipal Heritage Society- Then, Now and Tomorrow

This program will bring together youth and seniors to plan and create an online presence comparing life ‘then’ to life ‘now’. The Chester Municipal Heritage Society project will engage youth through video to tackle the stereotypes often connected with aging and dementia. 

CMHA Halifax-Dartmouth – Mental Health Community Coffee House & Summer Jam

A socially inclusive and supportive venue for isolated individuals living with mental illness and addiction. This program aims to reduce loneliness, social exclusion and stigma through free cultural and musical events that create a sense of community and foster peer support.

CMHA Kings County – Audience Response System

The Audience Response System will display live results during CMHA Kings County weekly Resource Management Peer Support Group sessions. It will allow full participation at key points, especially by those new to the group or experiencing anxiety

CMHA Nova Scotia - The Art of Friendship

A community resiliency-based peer support pilot project in three Nova Scotia communities. The project will provide a safe, caring and supportive environment for youth and adults to reduce social isolation, build self-awareness, gain confidence and develop social and emotional skills.

Dalhousie University – Working Well with Mental Illness

Working Well with Mental Illness will offer accommodations to workers with mental illness in seven different Nova Scotia locations by way of a web-based Job Access Mobile application (JAM App) designed by Dalhousie University’s Inclusive by Design Research Lab. 

Eating Disorders NS – Peer Mentors: Building Capacity

This program will provide specialized training to 10 people who have recovered from an eating disorder enabling them to provide individual peer mentoring. This tailored, personal support will help people living with an eating disorder connect with resources, build their own coping skills, and feel less alone in their struggle.

Family SOS – Healthy Relationships Plus Programming at Greystone

This 16 week program for youth age 12-18 focuses on mental health literacy including suicide prevention, addiction prevention, healthy relationship skills, and the tools to improve overall mental well-being. It’s aimed at helping youth gain knowledge surrounding healthy, positive relationships, critical thinking and self-awareness.

Family SOS – Kidz Connect

Kidz Connect by Family SOS will address mental health and online safety for HRM children and youth with the goal of proactively teaching awareness and prevention of mental health problems at a young age.

Healthy Minds Round the Loop – Community C.A.M.P.F.I.R.E.S. Pilot Project

CAMPFIRES is a weekly drop-in program in the Spryfield area that provides Nova Scotians living with mental illness and addiction a safe place for peer-support, resilience-building and mental wellness skill development. This program will support the understanding of brain function and cognitive health to reduce stigma and provide hope. 

Inverness Family of Schools- Parent Resource Lending Library

Parent Resource Lending Library will develop a library of resources for parents in the Inverness Family of Schools aimed at helping them learn about mental health problems that are prevalent at various ages and stages. 

John Howard Society of Nova Scotia – Life Skills Project

The Life Skills Project will provide Anger Management, Emotional Intelligence and Healthy Relations Programming and foster a sense of community while teaching mental health skills and well-being. 

LakeCity Employment Services- Pre-Employment Peer Support Program

This program operates as a launch pad toward employment, learning opportunities, relationship-building and integration for adults living with mental illness. 

LOVE Halifax - Leadership Training & Outreach

This leadership program will provide youth who‘ve experienced violence and mental health problems with the skills and knowledge to become leaders who educate others about youth culture, violence prevention and additional important issues.

PAC Autism Nova Scotia – ANS TV: Video Project Club

The Autism Nova Scotia Video Project Club provides adults living on the Autism Spectrum a place to develop and showcase their talent. The club meets for two hours a week over the course of 24 weeks to make their shared vision come to life. Once complete, the film officially premieres with a free “red carpet” screening.

Pathways to Employment – Youth Life Skills Project

Pathways to Employment aims to empower individuals living with mental health and substance use disorders by enhancing their quality of life though community inclusion. Through hands-on workshops, followed up with on-going support, youth will gain independence and confidence, and enhance social connections with peers.

SchoolsPlus – Stomping Out Mental Health Stigma

Eighty grade 7-9 students from across the Halifax region from HRCE will participate in a mental health conference aimed at reducing the stigma around mental illness while supporting youth to lead anti-stigma initiatives in their own schools. The Summit provides tools and stories that empower youth to become mental health leaders in their schools and beyond.

Self-Help Connection & Common Roots - Rooting the Farm & Spreading the Model

This program will allow the Common Roots Urban Farm – Dartmouth to offer new employability programming while continuing skills-training and educational workshops.

Sou’West Nova Transit Association – Increasing Access to Mental Health Programming

The goal of this project is to provide equal access to the services and opportunities people need to live healthier, more connected lives. Sou’West Nova Transit will assist Shelburne County residents and mental health/community service providers by providing a travel fare subsidy for riders accessing mental health services locally and, when not available locally, throughout the province.

Strongest Families Institute- Expanding the ICAN Adult Anxiety Program to Nova Scotia

This telephone coaching service will focus on providing support to Nova Scotians between the ages of 18-30 who are significantly impacted by anxiety and depression.

Tatamagouche Centre – Therapeutic Narrative and Play

In partnership with Heroes and Adventurers, the Tatmagouche Centre will host a trauma-informed, inclusive gaming group to support people who struggle with poverty and mental health problems. Through therapeutic gaming, individuals gain confidence, resiliency and peer support while decreasing social isolation, and self-harm through regularly scheduled activities with new friends.

The Youth Project – Safer and Healthier Transgender Youth

Gender affirming garments such as chest binders and gaffs will be provided to transgender and gender non-conforming Nova Scotia youth. Binders are compression undergarments that safely flatten the chest and reduce the appearance of breasts. Gaffs are undergarments designed to hide the visibility of male genitalia. These gender affirming garments will allow youth to align their gender expression with their gender identity, ultimately reducing gender dysphoria, and improving mental health outcomes and confidence, while reducing violence.

Veith House – Newcomer Women 4 Women Program

The Newcomer Women 4 Women Program will provide newcomer women opportunities to engage socially, build skills, and improve their integration experience in Halifax. The project aims to strengthen social connections, economic independence, improve food security and increase familiarity with North End Halifax, an area with potential for affordable and subsidized housing options.