Young Carers Program

Growing up in a family with mental health issues can be challenging and at times isolating. Often times, such responsibilities place on individuals from childhood transition into adulthood. Family members grow up to be care givers to siblings, parents and partners. Feelings of isolation, excess stress from additional responsibilities can lead to our own mental health challenges. At FAME, we home to prevent, support and empower young carers to tap into the resilience by creating a community of shared experience.

FAME's Toronto Office is excited to restart our Young Carers Program this September 16th.
Carers between 18-25 years are welcome to attend the group.

Our program aims to educate, empower and promote connection for a group of people whose experiences often go unheard from. 

September 16th at 6:30pm 

Sherbourne Health Centre (333 Sherbourne St) 

Room 2008, 2nd floor

Project Semicolon

There are lots of different ways to start talking about mental health, advocating for yourself and supporting others.  Something that's gaining a lot of popularity right now is the Semicolon tattoo movement - which I love! A lot of individuals are using these tattoos as a conversation starter about mental health, and a reminder to themselves that their story isn't finished yet.  This project was originally started by Amy Bleuel of Green Bay, Wisconsin, who founded "Project Semicolon" in 2013 after losing her Father to suicide and dealing with her own mental illness.  There are so many ways we can spread awareness of mental illness, and even more so, to let people know they aren't alone.  We're all in this together!  
Here are some articles about the movement:

Article from The Star

UpWorthy article

Global News - tattoo raising funds for CMHA Calgary

COPMI Launches Video Series For Youth

COPMI: Children of Parents with a Mental Illness.

COPMI is an online Australian mental health information resource for children, teens and parents. Recently COPMI has launched a brand new video series for youth living with a parent experiencing mental illness. These videos provide a wide range of information based on specific illnesses, treatments, coping strategies and much more.

These videos aim to be both educational and engaging for youth and so they are filmed with youth who have experienced similar struggles.

http://www.copmi.net.au/kids-young-people/about-mental-illness

BC-Based Anxiety App: MindShift

MindShift is a joint effort by Anxiety BC and a non-profit public awareness organization.

This app aims to reduce anxiety in the user's life by instilling an awareness of one's thoughts via Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. MindShift also provides the user with educational tools, mood and anxiety tracking, relaxation tools, quick tips and inspirational quotes.

As a part of British Columbia's ever-growing mental health initiatives, MindShift is an excellent free tool for loved ones coping with anxiety. Because smartphones are an integral part of many people's lives, this app is a coping tool that's just a swipe away.

Mindshift is available on both Android and Apple devices.

#WeAreAcceptance

"The world is filled with people who couldn't care less. Be the person who could care more."  - Anonymous

I want to be that person.  I want FAME to be that organization.  Those words stuck to me like two sided duct tape when I first heard them in the opening address at the NAMI 2015 Conference last week in San Francisco. They resonated through my brain like an echo chamber.

The messages were loud and clear.  For four days we listened, learned, shared, talked, networked and snatched up programming ideas.  All of it done with a view to being the organization that could care more.  To be the organization that would find better ways to support families, to look for new, fresh and innovative ideas that would families would embrace with hope and understanding.

Looking back over those days spent in San Francisco I think what I came to realize while listening to Keynote Speaker and Mental Health Advocate, Hakeem Rahim, was that for us to truly be able to succeed in recovery, we must first enter in to the journey of acceptance.  Until we have that we will never truly begin to be able to stamp out the stigma that is associated to mental health, mental illness or mental wellness.  At the end of his address he asked conference participants to use the hash tag #IAmAcceptance.  I looked over at my associate, board co-chair, Cindy Woodcock and said "that is FAME....except for us it will be #WeAreAcceptance"

The Effects of Stigma in Mental Health

I came across this picture today and it completely resonated with me. As a society, we should be cautious of stigmas we attach to mental health.

Stigma and Youth

Stigma about Mental Illness is all around us, and it is especially prominent in youth, and young males in particular.  Anytime I come across a member of the youth community sharing their story or advocating for others, and am overcome with hope for the future.  Please take a look at this article and video about a youth mental health advocate in Kelowna, BC.