[Kathe]

Community Music Schools of Toronto (CMST) is hosting The Great Pause on Saturday, January 20, 2024, from 2:30PM to 3:30PM ET at Isabel Bader Theatre (93 Charles Street West, Toronto).

This FREE event is a musical archive of how the pandemic impacted the CMST communities in Regent Park and Jane Finch, and the ways that they made meaning of this unusual time.

Featuring both solo and ensemble performances by CMST students and faculty, this 13-song snapshot of the school community is based directly on interviews with parents, students, teachers, and members of the immediate neighbourhoods.

Join CMST as they explore both the challenges and the beauty of what their communities made of The Great Pause of our lifetime. ❤🎵✊

RSVP to be in attendance as a member of the audience. Your seat(s) will be held until 15 mins prior to the event.

CMST acknowledges the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.

[Katarina]

Registration is now open for Changing the Way We See Youth in Conflict with the Law, an online workshop taking place on Wednesday, March 22nd, from 6PM to 8PM ET.

Join YouthREX to explore how youth workers can draw from a Critical Positive Youth Development framework to support youth in conflict with the law as partners and agents in their own change process, and to create a sense of mutual ownership.

We will discuss the importance of leadership and skill development, social awareness, social responsibility, and restorative practices. We will also identify strategies for engaging youth who are involuntary participants.

The workshop will be led by Laurel S. Springer, founder and principal consultant of Springboard, and Alisha Kara, Youth Centre Deputy Administrator of Programs at the Roy McMurtry Youth Centre.

Register for free!

[Kathe]

Check out Harnessing the Digital Community to Center Black Youth Wellbeing, DIVERT Mental Health‘s inaugural education session in honour of Black History/Futures Month, on Monday, February 13th, online, from 12PM to 1PM ET.

Panelists Dr. Uzo Anucha (Academic Director for YouthREX), Dr. Carol Wade (Academic Member, YouthREX), and Kamau Davis-Locke (Learning and Research Associate, YouthREX) will chat about their experience launching Centering Black Youth Wellbeing. They will reflect on the possibilities and limitations of anti-Black racism trainings, such as this certificate, to contribute to organizational equity shifts and overall knowledge, awareness, and sense of safety in organizations.

To participate, register as an Associate Fellow for DIVERT. It’s free and only takes a few minutes. After registering, you will receive a calendar invitation for the event within one business day. As a registered member, DIVERT will be keeping track of your attendance so that you can receive a record of attendance for these sessions. Each session will be live captioned in French.

DIVERT Mental Health, a Canadian Institutes of Health Research Training Platform, is dedicated to disrupting mental health research and practice with children, youth, and families through integrating inclusivity and accessibility within university training programs and within communities of practice outside academia. Harnessing technology to increase the reach of the mental health system requires breaking down silos between disciplines, between universities, and between sectors. Their Associate Fellows stream is open to anyone and everyone interested in joining the DIVERT Mental Health training community as a learner, a mentor, or a teacher. Once registered, Associate Fellows get free access to DIVERT’s monthly virtual educational activities (one session and one professional development workshop a month), an invite to annual in-person regional meetings, and limited access to mentorship affinity groups with leaders in the field. Check it out!

[Kathe]

Check out this opportunity to learn about how the Family Navigation Project in Toronto was able to effectively and meaningfully engage youth with mental health and/or addiction (MHA) concerns in a health navigation and research project!

Register to join this free webinar on building integrated knowledge translation into research on Friday, February 3, from 11AM to 12PM ET.

You’ll learn:

• what effective youth engagement entails;
• the ways youth engagement can be applied to mental health and/or addiction services, particularly navigation services; and
• approaches to engaging youth in your own work.

The Family Navigation Project’s Community-Based Participatory Research study is one of two winners of the 2022 Paula Goering Collaborative Research and Knowledge Translation Award. The Family Navigation Project partnered with youth, decision-makers, providers, and caregivers as co-researchers to collect information from key stakeholders and develop a youth engagement framework for MHA navigation services. By partnering with youth and other key stakeholders to develop this framework, key findings and ongoing considerations provide an important example for other youth MHA services and navigation services seeking to engage youth in their programming.

Register today!

[Kathe]

TONIGHT in Toronto: commemorate World AIDS Day at An Evening of Storytelling, hosted by Casey House and Women’s Health in Women’s Hands at the Toronto Reference Library. FREE tickets are still available, so be sure to get yours now!

Storytellers include HIV Advocate Muluba Habanyama and Community Health Leader (and former YouthREX team member!) Sané Dube. ❤

[REX]

Don’t miss Hacking Deficit Thinking: A Youth Work Teach-In!

Join us on Wednesday, November 30th from 12PM to 2PM ET when we’ll host Dr. Byron McClure and Dr. Kelsie Reed, US-based school psychologists and authors of Hacking Deficit Thinking: 8 Reframes That Will Change The Way You Think About Strength-Based Practices and Equity in Schools.

The education sector has focused for far too long on what’s wrong with students, staff, and even parents. Deficit thinking has created a powerful narrative within education that prioritizes mental illness instead of mental wellness. This narrative seems too enormous to shift away from at times because it’s ingrained in how we have historically thought about mental health.

You will be inspired and energized to explore an equity-informed strength-based approach to support youth mental health and wellbeing.

Register for FREE today!

Live interpretation will be available in French.

[Kathe]

Are you familiar with SKETCH? They are a community arts enterprise engaging diverse young people, ages 16-29, from across Canada, who live homeless or on the margins and who navigate poverty.

SKETCH is hosting an Artist Night Market in Toronto on November 18th and 19th at Withrow Common (200 Princes’ Boulevard), from 4PM to 10PM.

This two-day event will feature one-of-a-kind artworks, live music, food, and DJs, representing the wide range of artists across SKETCH. Artists have been creating screen-printed apparel, upcycled streetwear, paintings, decor, jewelry and accessories, tote bags, hand-dyed textiles, candles, embroidery, chocolate confectionaries, and lots more. Many items are priced at or around $25 to celebrate SKETCH’s 25th anniversary.

While you’re at the gallery, you can also see two new SKETCH exhibitions:

• Threads of Resistance is a collaborative exhibition of SKETCH in its 25th anniversary celebrations, where artists created and curated original works expressing journeys of resistance, art, and activism for just and liberatory futures.
• The Year of Public Art Retrospective is a new documentary by media artists Jahmal Nugent and Xeynamay.

This event is FREE and open to the public. Registration is encouraged but not mandatory.

[Kathe]

Don’t miss our upcoming two-part webinar series, Arts-Based Approaches to Advancing Youth Mental Health & Wellbeing. We’re partnering with Broadview Psychology to explore improving mental health literacy and delivering engaging and supportive arts-based programming to advance youth wellbeing.

Part 1 (on Monday, November 7th, from 1PM to 2:30PM ET) will look at four core facets of DBT-informed creative arts interventions, including:

• Metaphor use
• Mindfulness skills
• Distress tolerance techniques
• Dialectics in Action

Part 2 (on Tuesday, November 8th, from 1PM to 2:30PM ET) will provide an overview of evidence-informed practices to deliver arts-based youth programming to support mental health and wellbeing, and engage in a discussion with practitioners across a variety of disciplines and communities on how these practices can be applied in your work with youth.

Learn more and register for free today!

[Katarina]

Curious about how you can improve your evaluation processes? Interested in identifying what kinds of data can tell the story of your program’s impact and legacy?

YouthREX & ArtReach are excited to co-present Evaluation 101, an online workshop for Toronto youth aged 13-29, on Wednesday, November 2nd, from 6:00PM to 8:00PM.

This interactive workshop will provide an overview of conducting program evaluation in the youth-serving sector. It will also explore creative strategies and tools for collecting data and sharing it with others, moving evaluation beyond reporting requirements to truly strengthen programming.

Click here to learn more and register!

[Kathe]

We’re very excited to announce our next online Youth Work Teach-In — Beyond Invisible: Exploring Pedagogy, Perspectives & Practices for Black Youth Mental Health.

In collaboration with Donna Richards and the York Research Chair in Youth and Contexts of Inequity, YouthREX is excited to co-host this free event for the Ontario youth sector on Thursday, October 6th, from 9:30AM to 1PM ET.

The Teach-In will include a keynote presentation, engaging workshops, and conversations that explore how race shapes the mental health experiences of Black youth, and the importance of an anti-Black racism framework in transforming oppressive practices and policies.

Our opening keynote speaker, Mercy Shibemba, is an award-winning youth activist from the UK who uses her story of growing up with HIV to educate, challenge stigma, and inspire!

There will also be a spoken word performance by The Poet MJ.

Learn more and register for free today!

[Kathe]

Check out the recording of the opening keynote by Mercy Shibemba and the closing workshop led by our YouthREX colleagues!

[REX]

Don’t miss our next webinar, Advancing the Possibilities of Youth-Led Organizing, on Wednesday, August 17th, from 4:30PM to 6:30PM ET. 🤝

Join YouthREX and Leading in Colour for this engaging conversation and hear from young leaders across Ontario. Our confirmed guests include Sarah Jama, Co-Founder of Disability Justice Network of Ontario, Peter Cohen, Organizer, Climate Justice Durham, Habon Ali, Leader & Advocate, Serisha Iyar, Founder & Executive Director, Leading in Colour, Fae Johnstone, Executive Director, Wisdom2Action, and more!

Together, we will explore:

• Why and how young people get involved in organizing;
• What issues are driving their current activism;
• The benefits of organizing for youth;
• The limitations and possibilities of youth engagement; and
• How adults can become allies in support of youth leadership.

REGISTER FOR THIS FREE EVENT TODAY!

[Kathe]

As you know, June is Pride Month! 🏳️‍🌈

There are multiple events happening across Ontario to recognize and honour 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. But as @labraha writes on REX Blog, Pride is “more than waving a rainbow flag or joining parades” — Pride is about an ongoing commitment to working against discrimination and systemic exclusion and harm. Be sure to visit our Knowledge Hub for hundreds of resources to support your work with 2SLGBTQIA+ youth.

Plus: our staff have compiled an essential soundtrack in celebration of Pride Month: “Queer Love Forever.” Listen now on Spotify!

[Lidia]

Thanks for sharing @Kathe ! Also, make sure to check out our upcoming event on Twitter Space! We’ll be hosting a live conversation with Jordan Zaitzow, facilitator of Families in TRANSition at Central Toronto Youth Services.

We’ll be discussing how to better support families and caregivers of gender diverse youth, how gender affirming practices are critical to trans youth wellness, and what change we want to see in society.

🗓 Date: Wednesday, June 29, 2:00PM-3:00PM

Set a reminder NOW: https://twitter.com/i/spaces/1dRJZlQArdQKB

[Kathe]

Join YouthREX and LGBT YouthLine for Asking About Gender: Confronting Assumptions and Challenging Transphobia, an opportunity to interrogate and challenge how we understand gender and how we engage with gender in our youth work.

This webinar is happening on Thursday, April 21st, from 1PM to 2:30PM ET.

Register today!

Together, we will:

• confront the ‘problem’ with gender;
• expand our definitions and understandings of gender;
• interrogate assumptions inherent to the gender binary; and
• determine how we can challenge transphobia in our practice.

We will also explore Asking About Gender: A Toolkit for Youth Workers, developed by YouthREX and LGBT YouthLine. This resource will support you to apply these learnings to your work, specifically in the development of gender menus that will accurately capture information about your program participants – and reflect to youth that your programming is inclusive of diverse gender identities.

We look forward to learning with you!

[Kathe]

Hi everyone! Don’t miss Thursday’s webinar, Centering Equity in Family Engagement, hosted and facilitated by Dr. Carol Wade and featuring caregivers, advocates, service providers, and researchers.

Register online and join us from 12:30PM to 3PM ET! Together, we will:

• surface challenges and complexities in families and in family engagement
• unpack assumptions, stereotypes, and biases around definitions of family, what is possible in our engagement work, and what meaningful engagement may look like
• disrupt current practices at the individual, community, and system levels
• explore how to create safe and accepting spaces for families abandoned by systems
• strategize ways to empower and uplift parents and caregivers
• cocreate inclusive, affirming, and strength-based approaches that advance the wellbeing of youth and families

We look forward to learning with you! (Can’t join us for the live webinar? No worries! This event will be recorded and available on our Knowledge Hub.)

[Kathe]

YouthREX is excited to partner with professional information designer Chris Lysy
to offer two free interactive webinars to support your youth program evaluations!

Don’t miss User Experience (UX) Evaluation on December 1st (1-2:30PM ET) and Creative Reporting in Evaluation on December 8th (1-2:30PM ET).

The first session will explore ways that UX strategies can improve the design of the process evaluation component of a youth program evaluation.

The second session will look at how you can share your evaluation findings in more creative, accessible, and engaging ways.

Both webinars will allow you to ask your questions, tackle current challenges in your work, and connect with other participants. Attend one or both!

Learn more and register today.

Oh, and all of our webinars are recorded and archived on our Knowledge Hub. 🙂

[Kathe]

Our friends at MENTOR Canada shared that they will partner with the Canadian Centre for Mentoring Research to host the first-ever virtual edition of the Canadian Institute on Youth Mentoring on January 20-21, 2022.

This event will explore how mentoring supports the mental health of young people and discuss strategies for effectively mentoring youth with mental health needs.

This unique professional development opportunity in the youth mentoring field relies on a small group format to create a think-tank atmosphere to delve into program practices and innovation. Participants will learn about the latest development in theory and research on youth mentoring and mental health, engage in conversations with scholars and program staff, and think about how research findings can be applied to improve policies and practices.

Space is limited, and an application is required. Please note that the application deadline is December 13, 2021, and that the registration fee for accepted applicants is $100.

You can learn more and register online. 🙂

[REX]

Be Kind To Your Mind: The Community Healing Project

Join Jane-Finch Community and Family Centre every Tuesday and Wednesday for a conversation on mental health and wellness led by their youth facilitators! Starting September 21, 2021, to December 8, 2021.

1. Jane Sheppard/ Chalkfarm Workshop: Every Wednesday 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm.
2. Rexdale Workshop: Every Tuesday 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm.

Additionally, community hours, support letters, gift cards, and other support and incentives are provided!

Please visit their website for more information and other events for youth!

[Kathe]

To celebrate International Literacy Day on September 8th, YouthREX and The Reading Partnership are co-hosting a conversation about the importance of literacy learning that centres the cultures, histories, and identities of Black communities. You can learn more and register on our website!

[Katarina]

The Jamaican Canadian Association and partners are hosting a COVID-19 vaccination information and pop-up clinic for African, Black & Caribbean communities on July 3-4 at the JCA Centre at 995 Arrow Road. Ages 12+, OHIP not required.

[Kathe]

I’ll be joining Dr. Joseph Smith (Co Founder, Generation Chosen) and Jemmelia Morgan (Co-Founder, My Girls Night In) for an online workshop on June 21st: 5 Keys to Program Development. Register online to participate and learn about the tools necessary to increase program participation, intended program outcomes, and overall program sustainability. 😀

[Kathe]

Join YouthREX and Ontario Caregiver Organization on Thursday, June 24th from 12PM to 1:30PM to learn about the experiences of young caregivers and what they want YOU to know. Register online to connect with us on Zoom!

[REX]

Understanding Domestic Sex Trafficking for Youth Work

Register online for this workshop presented by YouthREX and SafeGuards, and facilitated by Karly Church. March 23, 2021, 1:00 – 4:00 PM EST.

Learning Objectives:

• Define domestic sex trafficking
• Examine the stages of commercial sexual exploitation
• Identify risk and vulnerability factors as well as sex trafficking warning signs/indicators for young people
• Understanding best practices for intervention and engagement with survivors

Please click this link for more information and registration details! Be sure to check out the Relevant Resource list before or after the workshop!

[REX]

Check out this panel discussion on cannabis use amongst diverse youth happening on Sept 29 at 12:00 pm EST. Panelists will dive in on how to meet the needs of diverse youth and provide concrete skills that practitioners can use when working with youth – you don’t want to miss it! Click here to register online!

[REX]

Check out this learning opportunity with Dr. Jean Rhodes on Youth Mentoring in the 21st Century. Date: September 14th, 2020 at 11 AM (EST). Register online here.

P.S. there are lots of resources on YouthREX’s knowledge hub on youth mentorship!

[Kathe]

YouthREX’s In Conversation series on Reimagining Youth Work in a COVID-19 Era is returning in September!

Join us on September 2nd with Youth Opportunities Unlimited; learn how their team is continuing to provide services and mentorship opportunities, and how their social enterprise businesses have been impacted by the pandemic.

Join us on September 17th with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Ottawa; learn how their team transitioned to virtual programming, and how their virtual site will be integrated into their programs after re-opening.

Register online and receive a link to join us on Zoom, or watch us on Facebook Live!