WINNIPEG, May 23, 2017 /CNW Telbec/ - Bell Let's Talk
and Unifor are pleased to announce a donation totalling
$200,000 to Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata
Centre (Ma Mawi) and CMHA Manitoba and Winnipeg to support the launch of
the Strengthening Wellness Education to Love Life (SWELL) program.
"The mental health needs of the Indigenous community are unique,
complex and rooted in multi-generational trauma," said Diane Redsky, Executive Director of Ma Mawi.
"SWELL directly addresses this critical need by providing best
practice training to staff helpers who are on the front lines
supporting youth and saving lives. This program will reach more
than 2,000 individuals over the next two years."
"Working in partnership with Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata and other
youth-serving organizations to build capacity and make available
evidence-based mental health supports to empower Indigenous youth
and their families is the goal of SWELL and a priority for the
Canadian Mental Health Association," said Marion Cooper, Executive Director of CMHA
Manitoba and Winnipeg. "Key to the
SWELL strategy is building partnerships, youth voice and leadership
and increasing access to the best programs and supports."
Through the SWELL program, Ma Mawi and CMHA will deliver
culturally relevant mental health programs to Indigenous youth and
their families. The organizations will partner to deliver promising
practice programs through the Listening to One Another and Live
Life to the Full programs, which will equip Indigenous families
with healthy tools for mental health promotion.
Additionally, volunteers and staff from youth-serving
organizations in the community will be trained in Mental Health
First Aid for First Nations and safeTALK. SWELL will also engage
youth through an annual Indigenous Youth Summit to increase their
voice in mental health services.
"Unifor shares the Ma Mawi philosophy of working together to
help one another," said Jerry Dias,
Unifor National President. "The stigma of mental illness too often
leads to isolation and solitary struggle, which makes the need for
community and culturally based support so crucial for Indigenous
people."
"Bell Let's Talk is proud to support these leading organizations
alongside Unifor in addressing the need for Indigenous mental
health support and services in the province," said Mary Deacon, Chair of Bell Let's Talk.
"Developed and adapted to serve the Indigenous communities of
Manitoba by Ma Mawi and CMHA
Winnipeg and Manitoba, innovative
and focused programs like SWELL can make a real difference for
youth and their families. We are thrilled to partner with them for
our first Bell Let's Talk gift in support of Indigenous mental
health in the province."
About Ma Mawi
Established in 1984, Ma Mawi Wi Chi
Itata is a Grandmother in the Winnipeg family of community service-providers
with over 30 years of experience working with Indigenous
families. We are community people helping other community
people reclaim Indigenous people's inherent roles and
responsibilities as caregivers and the most important teachers of
our children. Today Ma Mawi has over 50 programs, 12 sites, and
200+ staff and volunteers. Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata translates from
Ojibway to, "we all work together to help one another."
About the Canadian Mental Health Association
Founded
in 1918, the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) is the most
established, most extensive community mental health organization in
Canada. Through a presence in
hundreds of neighbourhoods across every province, CMHA provides
advocacy and resources that help to prevent mental health and
addiction problems and illnesses, support recovery and resilience,
and enable all Canadians to flourish and thrive.
About Bell Let's Talk
The Bell Let's Talk initiative
promotes Canadian mental health with national awareness and
anti-stigma campaigns like Bell Let's Talk Day, and provides
significant Bell funding of community care, research and workplace
initiatives. To learn more, please visit Bell.ca/LetsTalk.
Today's announcement builds on Bell Let's Talk support for
Manitoba mental health programs.
In 2016, the Bell Let's Talk Community Fund announced grants
totalling $100,000 to help 7 local
Manitoba organizations deliver
mental health support in their communities.
About Unifor
Unifor is Canada's largest union in the
private sector, representing more than 310,000 workers in every
sector of the economy. It was formed Labour Day weekend 2013 when
the Canadian Auto Workers and the Communications, Energy and
Paperworkers unions merged.
The Unifor Social Justice Fund is a registered charity,
maintained by contributions from Unifor employers negotiated during
collective bargaining, for more information visit
unifor.org/sjf.
For more information:
Amber Gareau
Communications and Events Manager, Ma Mawi
akgareau@mamawi.com
204-999-3732
Marion Cooper
Executive Director,
CMHA Manitoba and Winnipeg
mcooper@cmhawpg.mb.ca
204-982-6103
Kathleen O'Keefe
Unifor Communications
kathleen.okeefe@unifor.org
416-896-3303
Jeremy Sawatzky
Bell MTS
jeremy.sawatzky@bellmts.ca
204-391-2849
SOURCE Bell Canada