Information about Children, Youth and Families - Health Promotion Resources

This section is designed to help people access health promotion information and resources that will enhance their work toward improving the overall health and knowledge of youth.  Schools, teachers, family members and community groups that work with youth can use the information.

Educating Students About Substance Use and Mental Health (Curriculum Guide)
A web-based resource that follows the Ontario curriculum guidelines for teachers of Grades 1 to 12. It contains lessons plans and support materials for Health and Physical Education expectations related to substance use  for grades 1 to 10 and mental health for grades 11 & 12.

Talking About Mental Illness (TAMI)
TAMI is a program for secondary school students that helps increase awareness about mental illness and the stigma that surrounds it. TAMI consists of a two-hour presentation designed to give students facts about mental illness and allow them to interact with people who have first-hand experience with mental illness.

Virtual Party
This interactive web-based resource, was developed by youth, for youth. The virtual party web site is an educational tool aimed at offering youth information using an interactive storyline that promotes healthy choices and reducing risky behaviour related to alcohol use. It was designed for youth 13-19 years of age. Storylines are related to alcohol and other drug use as well as to mental health.

Take Action
Take Action is a comprehensive, classroom-based program designed to support educators and engage school communities in teaching safety awareness regarding medicines and harmful substances and provides information about tobacco, alcohol and substance use through the integration of health and physical education & language and literacy expectations. Components of the Take Action Initiative include Take Action (Kindergarten), Take Action (1-3), Take Action (4-6), and Take Action (7-8).  CAMH is working in partnership with the Ontario Physical and Health Education Association (OPHEA) through the Curriculum and School-based Health Resource Centre, to develop the Take Action Secondary School component that is expected to be available in 2006.

VALIDITY
Vibrant Action Looking Into Depression in Today's Young Women is a participatory action research project that is exploring factors that may contribute to depression in adolescent girls and identifying strategies that could be used to help prevent it. It is a partnership with young women throughout the Province; youth service providers and CAMH staff. Through focus groups with diverse young women from various provincial communities as well as a provincial conference planned by young women for young women we have gathered information and recommendations related to depression.  These findings form the foundation of the booklet for service providers called Hear Me, Understand Me, Support Me . This resource reflects a collection of young women’s voices and perspectives along with some insight from other sources in the area of prevention and supporting young women who are experiencing depression.

Girls Talk
Girls Talk is an 8-session program for girls between the ages of 13 to 16 focusing on preventing and educating young women about depression. This program is not intended for young women who have already been diagnosed with, or in treatment for depression. After completing the Girls Talk program, it is expected that the participants will demonstrate their understanding of depression: potential causes, symptoms and treatment options. The young women will gain an understanding of the interrelation between depression and self-esteem, body image, stress, relationships and the media. The young women will also build on their skills to cope with daily life events.

Photo-Novella Francophone Health Promotion Project
This series of five stories uses photographs (photo-novellas) to illustrate the most common problems associated with drinking, problem gambling, depression, drugs and post-traumatic stress disorder. Available in French and English.

Cannabis Resource Package
The Cannabis Resource Package contains the latest facts, statistics and research about cannabis.  It provides information on current cannabis legislation, cannabis reform and decriminalization.  Topics include, health effects, medical marijuana, addiction issues, adolescent use, prevalence rates, cannabis and driving, cannabis reform & decriminalization and the position that that CAMH takes on this controversial issue.  The package contains a variety of resources including 4 information sheets, a PowerPoint presentation complete with comprehensive speakers notes and a resource list.

Let'Em Go: How to Support Youth in Creating Their Own Solutions
This is a handbook for professionals who work with youth. Based on the experiences of working with street involved youth, this handbook provides specific guidelines on how to implement participatory methods with youth to develop a harm reduction product.

Freedom to Act: The "Harm Reduction for Rural Youth" Project Experience
This is a sequel to Let'em Go, outlining the interactive process of working with rural youth to develop a harm reduction magazine for secondary school students.

Youth Scoop
Youth Scoop is a free series of tip sheets for child and youth serving professionals that summarize the latest research related to addiction and mental health issues.

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