Moving evidence to action
Community leaders, youth, researchers and policy makers will gather to take steps toward better mental health for children and youth at a symposium in Charlottetown in August.
The Atlantic Summer Institute (ASI) on Healthy and Safe Communities is hosting the event to highlight the importance of directing the conversation on mental health beyond issues such as treatment and access to care to the larger factors that promote positive mental health – factors like income, education, housing, nutrition, family and community support.
“Mental health promotion belongs to all of us, and connects to all sectors,” says Patsy Beattie-Huggan, co-ordinator for the ASI Symposium.
“While it is important to provide effective services for treating mental illness, we must think beyond treatment, to ensure that positive mental health is promoted in schools and communities, and that children have access to the supports they need for long term wellbeing. This is essential to the health and sustainability of communities in Atlantic Canada.”
Registration is now open for the ASI symposium called Moving Evidence to Action, which runs Aug. 21-23 at Holland College.
Programming for this bilingual event builds upon the previous two summer events, which focused on investing in youth mental health, and engaging all generations in prioritizing mental health promotion. The keynote speaker, a champion of mental health promotion for youth, is Dr. Margaret Barry, head of the World Health Organization’s Collaborating Centre for Health Promotion Research. She will speak on “thinking upstream”, highlighting innovative approaches to child and youth mental health promotion. ASI’s Youth Leadership Program for youth ages 18-25 returns for its fourth year. This program runs alongside the ASI Symposium, with opportunities for collaboration and networking between youth participants and experienced professionals working in health and education, community leadership, policy and academia.
Interested participants are encouraged to register for the ASI Symposium and the Youth Leadership Program in advance, due to the popularity of previous years’ events.
To register, visit www.asi-iea. ca.