New trauma-informed land-based program launched to support Indigenous youth mental health during pandemic – Anishinabek News
TORONTO — The Mount Dennis Aboriginal Child and Family Centre is one of three centres in Toronto that recently implemented a land-based learning and knowledge program for families. The Pilot of Trauma-Informed Land-Based Response to COVID-19 program was launched by Native Child and Family Services of Toronto on June 15 as a way to respond to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
“When COVID-19 first started and we were all stuck at home, originally we started to do some virtual programming [featuring art, songs, stories, Anishinaabemowin and other languages] on our Instagram page and we sent the link to all of the families,” says Reta Hamlin, supervisor at Mount Dennis Aboriginal Child and Family Centre and Aundeck Omni Kaning citizen. “We had guests come on and then we would do Zoom meetings as well with the families and children.”
Hamlin says the virtual programming was successful, with a couple of hundred people joining in for the sessions, but when the city’s parks began opening up, they decided to offer an opportunity for families to participate in programming on the land at different times.
