Professional Development

2005 National Host Conference

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[ Section 3 ] Conference Workshops
Session 1

Workshop 1D - Mental Health and Well-Being Supports for Host Clients

Presenter:

Barbara Miller, YMCA Outreach, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Workshop Summary:

The topic of Mental Health and Well Being is directly related to Host clients, Host staff and Host volunteers. Host staff are often faced with supporting the mental health of newcomers. The special needs of newcomers needing professional help when something starts to affect their well being and quality of healthy life is an issue for Host staff and volunteers.

The workshop brought out this topic and generated discussion on it to see if there are more ideas for the future Host Program: how to work on the mental health issues. Information was provided on some of the methods and techniques that the presenters have tried in the past few years. Participants had an opportunity to share ideas and experiences.

Discussion:

• The focus of the Host Program at the YMCA of Greater Halifax/Dartmouth is on friendship, on caring, and on balancing the health and well-being of clients. The presenter wanted to increase awareness of mental health issues of newcomers for both service providers and settlement officers.
• The key point is to understand the importance of providing caring service – this in itself can support the mental health and well being of newcomers. With all the stresses immigrants face, having a caring individual speak to them (or if necessary redirect/refer them to other resources) can make a difference in how they perceive their settlement success or failure.
• Events are in areas where there are waiting lists of newcomers. These events allow newcomers to become involved in Canadian society.
• There are differences in the way settlement work is conducted across the country. Smaller centres do not have as many resources available to them as do larger centres. In smaller centres, the service provider organizations (SPOs) have to perform all the settlement work as there are often no community resources to which newcomers can be referred.
• Conversation circles are a common activity for newcomers in Halifax. Nation-wide, the success of conversation circles varies from centre to centre.
• The Newcomer Youth program is the niche of the Halifax YMCA. Some centres have drop-in activities for youth. This type of activity is less threatening to some teenagers than a one-to-one match.

Recommendations and Responses:

• A ‘holistic approach’ is required for working with newcomers.
• Working with newcomer youth is rewarding yet there are challenges. Their emotional and physical development is in upheaval and they have to deal with the issues and barriers of moving to and settling in a new country.
• Intergenerational connections are important. Seniors and retirees should be encouraged to join as Host volunteers as they have the time and experience to contribute to the Host Program.

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