Under the Acacia Tree

1. Community Youth Wellness Program : Ottawa, Ontario

2. Supporting ACB Youth Mental Health

3. Developed by the Somali Centre for Family Services SCFS

4. “Under the Acacia Tree” was chosen as a symbol of resilience to inspire youth and to convey a sense of communal gathering under its inviting umbrella-like branches. Source: https://olip-plio.ca/acacia-youth-wellness-program-supporting-acb-youth-mental-health/

5. This program also aims to bring to the forefront some of the challenges and barriers ACB youth face when interacting with police and through the Canadian justice system.

6. ADVOCACY work for children and youth in the education system to reduce the rate of suspensions, SCFS found gaps in culturally responsive mental health services for ACB youth which led to the creation of the Acacia Youth Wellness program.

7. Their live broadcasted webinars feature ACB mental health professionals and mental health service users who share their experiences.

8. OLIP partners include the City of Ottawa, local universities and colleges, the four school boards, employers and employer associations, settlement, social, and health service providers, and regional planning bodies.

9. PARTNERS

10. VISION: to increase awareness about the importance of mental health in African Caribbean Black communities, dismantle myths surrounding mental illness and share lived experiences of ACB mental health service-users.

11. Under the Acacia Tree is a virtual psychoeducational program developed to engage with youth where they already frequent, which is on social media.

11.1. The Acacia Youth Wellness program is a result of the previous work the SCFS has done within the community with youth including a counselling program for children under 12

12. Offers a Mentorship program for youth called Link-Up Series in which youth are transported to a Black-owned creative arts community space where they listen to various ACB mentors speak and enjoyed culturally appropriate food.

13. The Ottawa Local Immigration Partnership (OLIP) is a multi-sectoral partnership involving 60 local organizations working on a shared vision and common priorities designed to build local capacity to attract, settle, and integrate immigrants in five sectors: Education; Economic Integration; Health and Wellbeing; Language; and Socio-Civic Integration.