It has been a busy few weeks for Cambridge BaySA国际影视传媒檚 Department of Healthy Living, with one new mental health-related program underway, and three more set to begin soon.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 actually not a normal thing to have this many programs starting at the same time,SA国际影视传媒� said James Ayodele, the departmentSA国际影视传媒檚 director. SA国际影视传媒淏ut for me, since I took over this position, ISA国际影视传媒檝e been thinking of how to make things a bit better, and just doing something different from the status quo, something that will be impactful and something that will help the community and the people generally.SA国际影视传媒�

The departmentSA国际影视传媒檚 newest mental health initiative is a suicide prevention program directed at young people. It began in August, and has been running weekly since, combining elements of wellness and recreation into each session. It runs out of the departmentSA国际影视传媒檚 maker space. It was initially advertised as an opportunity for skill-building and arts and crafts, as young people can be reluctant to attend suicide prevention programming, whether they have considered suicide or not.

SA国际影视传媒淭eenagers are more likely to commit suicide than any other group of individuals,SA国际影视传媒� Ayodele explained. SA国际影视传媒淎bout half of the population of Nunavut is probably under 25. WeSA国际影视传媒檙e looking at how to target that particular group of people, because itSA国际影视传媒檚 about catching them young and looking at how to help them.SA国际影视传媒�

The new suicide prevention sessions will soon be paired with a program called The Art of Healing, which is scheduled to begin on the week of Oct. 9 and run weekly from there. It will be similar to the suicide prevention program, with a significant recreation aspect to entice young people, but will focus more on recovering from past traumas than preventing future incidents.

SA国际影视传媒淭he Art of Healing will be like a corrective program while the suicide prevention program is like a preventative program,SA国际影视传媒� Ayodele said of the two programs.

The department is also developing new mental health programming with adults in mind, most notably its new Alpha Corner and Bravo Corner initiatives.

The Alpha Corner, which will be facilitated as a 12-16 week workshop with meetings twice a week, is designed for men specifically. According to Ayodele, it was developed in response to a lack of programming for men, who are at the second highest risk of suicide and self-harm behind teenagers.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檝e heard from people around town that men are usually forgotten,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭heySA国际影视传媒檙e not usually top of the line when we start thinking of how to help the community. ThereSA国际影视传媒檚 always kidsSA国际影视传媒� programs, youth programs, womenSA国际影视传媒檚 programs, but thereSA国际影视传媒檚 very few menSA国际影视传媒檚 programs. WeSA国际影视传媒檙e trying to change that narrative, so weSA国际影视传媒檙e focusing the Alpha Corner program on men.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 a program that basically deals with how to handle anger and anxiety, how to improve communication with oneself and communication with others, and of course, self-care,SA国际影视传媒� he added, noting that the program will specifically target men dealing with issues like homelessness, unemployment and intimate partner violence, SA国际影视传媒渂ecause men also suffer from that, but itSA国际影视传媒檚 never talked about.SA国际影视传媒�

Bravo Corner, conversely, will focus on parents who SA国际影视传媒渘eed to improve their communication with their kids, or even communication with their partner,SA国际影视传媒� and will teach skills like enhancing communication and creating boundaries.

SA国际影视传媒淥ver the last couple of months weSA国际影视传媒檝e had many issues with the youth, which is one of the things that has spurred us to come up with these programs and see how we can engage the youth and engage the parents and the whole family, separately and together at the same time,SA国际影视传媒� Ayodele said.

Cambridge BaySA国际影视传媒檚 Department of Healthy Living has already received praise for its innovative programming, such as its land-based addictions treatment programming.

The departmentSA国际影视传媒檚 new mental health programming should strengthen that reputation, but for Ayodele, thatSA国际影视传媒檚 not the priority.

SA国际影视传媒淚 think, so far, I can say that Cambridge Bay has been at the forefront of a lot of very good things, and weSA国际影视传媒檝e been trying to set examples for other communities to follow,SA国际影视传媒� he said, noting with a laugh that he did not want to brag. SA国际影视传媒淏ut the idea is not actually to be at the forefront of anything.

SA国际影视传媒淲e have a very strong team that is always coming up with innovative ideas and ISA国际影视传媒檓 always very supportive of helping to fine tune those ideas and make then work,SA国际影视传媒� he added. SA国际影视传媒淲e just want to make the community better than it was when we met it.SA国际影视传媒�