An update from the Frontlines: October 2023
Summer is over and we are well into the fall season, which tends to be a busy time for many, especially the work at the Tema Foundation.
We kicked off the month with a mental health and wellness training with staff at Grammar School, a private elementary and secondary school in Halifax. This initiative is the start of a 3-Tier peer support program for the youth of this school. The plan is to train staff first, then provide some mental health education to parents, and finally create a much needed peer support program that will be run by youth and supported by their teachers/mentors at the school. The commitment to making a supportive and empathetic school culture is what can significantly improve the mental health and overall wellbeing of the children and youth in this environment.
Another very exciting initiative was the opportunity we had to provide mental health training to new fire recruits through Halifax Fire. This training was comprehensive and tailored to the unique challenges and demands of their profession. The key areas of focus included mental health awareness; trauma and stress management; resilience building; self-care; crisis management; communication and suicide prevention. In addition the Tema Foundation will be meeting individually with each of the recruits and their loved ones to plan a strategy for ensuring continued support in their mental health and resilience.
In mid September we focused on Ontario and were able to roll out very dynamic peer support training for the Oxford County Paramedic service. The training included some of their original peer supporters along with the new nominated members. This paramedic service has such a strong commitment to mental health and wellness and a strong support from their managers. We look forward to watching them continue to make a difference.
Our other very exciting opportunity was the peer support training we did with the Northumberland Golden Plough Lodge, a long-term care facility in Cobourg, Ontario. Peer support in a long-term care facility is a vital component of promoting the wellbeing and effectiveness of staff. Having a supportive network among colleagues, long-term care staff can better cope with the demands of their profession, improve the quality of care they provide, and reduce the risk of burnout and turnover. We all know that long-term care facilities have suffered greatly over the past few years, which makes this initiative so important. The team of peer supporters we trained are excited, committed, and ready to take on this amazing opportunity to make mental health better in their workplace.
In the late part of summer, the United Way in Nova Scotia reached out to us to see if we could support the volunteers who were helping deal with families in the aftermath of the Tantallon and Shelburne wildfires. We quickly moved on this request by offering a workshop on “The Cost of Caring” in the Tantallon, Shelburne, and Barrington community. Volunteers who work with people in tragic situations play a crucial role in providing support, empathy, and assistance during times of crisis. To ensure that these volunteers are well prepared and capable of handling such emotionally charged situations, we felt it was essential to provide this workshop that focused on self-care, resilience, and an opportunity to debrief. It was a rewarding opportunity to meet the many selfless volunteers behind the scenes making an impact in these communities in times of need.
In October we ‘set sail’ in another creative direction. Well, we didn’t really set sail but we did have the opportunity to offer much needed mental health and wellness training for Captains and Senior Crew Leaders from several fishing vessels from Clearwater Seafood Inc. in Nova Scotia. Mental health training for fishing vessel captains and senior crew leaders is part of a broader effort to create a safer and more supportive work environment in an industry that is known for its unique challenges (high risk work, isolation, separation from loved ones). We were so impressed with the openness these individuals had in trusting the training material and seeing the importance in what they need to do to stay healthy both physically and emotionally/psychologically. We feel quite honoured that Clearwater Seafood reached out and worked closely with us to create such a unique training that we believe will be life saving.
We continue to be excited by the unique opportunities we are launching. Please take the time to have a look around the website so you can look at the many courses, and opportunities available for those working the frontlines and their loved ones. We can’t wait to share more soon!
