ANNOUNCEMENT
March 19, 2021
NCYMH grateful for donations to extend free counselling on Wednesdays for children, youths, parents and families.
OTTAWA, Canada–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The National Collaboration for Youth Mental Health, NCYMH is known for it’s multi-faith, diverse, inclusive SAFE environment which offers free counselling, student and family advocacy, pet therapy, art therapy, music therapy and walking therapy. Its ZERO tolerance for bullying policy became nationally known when an employee was terminated for cyber bullying in January.
Kamala Tiwari: “We serve over two million clients a year. Parents and youth know they can trust us because NCYMH is first and foremost committed to Safety and Inclusivity. There will never be any judgement of anyone at the National Collaboration for Youth Mental Health, only Acceptance and Support. Our decision to quickly terminate one staff member in January 2021 for bullying brought us closer because NCYMH responded with protection, compassion and integrity and we stayed true to NCYMH’s Zero Tolerance Bullying Policy. NCYMH is committed to Safe Spaces that support, include and accept ANYONE and EVERYONE. When team members or/and clients bully, we give counselling because the bully is obviously hurting and lashing out at others, but if it continues we terminate the staff or client.”
In the past few weeks the National Collaboration for Youth Mental Health has received an overwhelming amount of donations which has allowed it to extend its pet therapy program on Saturdays and now its Wednesday night counselling and mental health support groups for children, parents and families.
Maxine Adwella, consultant said, “ It is important that everyone get counselling early, immediately and when they need it. I believe that early counselling and Self Care can prevent more serious mental health challenges later on in life. Part of my role as a consultant to Kamala Tiwari, the Head of the National Collaboration for Youth Mental Health, NCYMH and her team members is to insure that this stellar and compassionate mental health organization finds the right people, builds the right team and continues to positively impact lives. I feel so blessed to be able to volunteer my support and skills whenever I can.”
The Wednesday night counselling groups have been attended by some individuals and families for many years stating that they have made good friends there, established a supportive network of people they trust and feel as if they are supported and belong to a Safe and Compassionate environment. NCYMH also provides advocacy when schools become a threatening &unwelcoming place for BIPOC families or families below a certain income level. Galia Bronfman states, NCYMH children, youth and families rely on us and need us to look out for their best interests, navigate for them and protect them. Our parents are from all different incomes and some parents living from Paycheque to Paycheque, as single parents, parents with various challenges, BIPOC educators and parents. Many of them have had experiences where they have not been given all of the information, documents or informed of changes in their children’s education. As diverse and experienced educators and social workers, we provide the necessary expertise, insight and create bridges to positive resolutions which are right and create success for their children.
With the increase in levels of stress, anxiety and depression among children and youth during covid-19, NCYMH’s consistent Wednesday night counselling and mental health support groups provide opportunities for clients to meet other clients and create strong, positive and lasting bonds of support in a Safe, Stable and Supportive environment.
Allan Morgan, Board member responsible for Human Resources stated, “Let’s break the stigma. Because we all need counselling during Covid-19. We can all benefit from counselling and a positive environment with great people.
Children, youth, parents and families are grouped according to age groups, concerns and location for the online program set to launch its fifth year on March 24, 2021. REGISTER here 3 Mental Health Support Groups: Children/ Youth 13-30/Parents/Families Tickets, Multiple Dates | Eventbrite
For more questions contact ncymhexecutive@gmail.com or call 613 501 0171.
ANNOUNCEMENT
March 15, 2021
NCYMH National Collaboration for Youth Mental Health to launch TAKE YOUR POWER BACK! Say NO to Bullying on April 21, 2021.
Unstoppable National Mental Health Charity Reeling Amid Huge Support, Donations and New Partnerships; donations will be used by NCYMH National Collaboration for Youth Mental Health to launch TAKE YOUR POWER BACK! Say NO to Bullying on April 21, 2021. Two cyberbullies attacked National Collaboration for Youth Mental Health Consultant (NCYMH) Maxine Adwella and bullied her because of a family member’s past. The bullies have track records for targeting female CEOs and swore a false affidavit which the courts relied on and then circulated the false decision and a 5 year old article to everyone associated with the charity. The cyberbullying started in January 2021 and escalated on January 28, 2021 after the team member was terminated for this bullying. Staff and clients had to change their account settings to private, block the staff member and her mother and obtain new Gmail accounts as the stalking and harassment included fake Google reviews, fake Facebook accounts, and fake LinkedIn accounts etc.
Allan Morgan, Board member contacted the two bullies and offered them reconciliation talks with Elder Annie Smith St. George but they refused, choosing to bully instead.
Kamala Tiwari: “The Bullying and cyberbullying brought us closer because NCYMH responded with protection, compassion and integrity and we stayed true to NCYMH’s Zero Tolerance Bullying Policy. NCYMH is committed to Safe Spaces that support, include and accept ANYONE and EVERYONE. When team members or/and clients bully, we give counselling because the bully is obviously hurting and lashing out at others, but if it continues we terminate the staff or client.”
NCYMH serves over two million clients per year and when two out of three hundred staff were manipulated and misquoted in an article that publicly lynched Maxine Adwella’s family, the Stillman family stepped forward with a thirty thousand dollar donation to NCYMH, requesting that they launch a campaign to stop cyberbullying. The Stillman’s 13 year old daughter committed suicide because of cyberbullying when pictures and newspaper articles were circulated on line and by email to peers. The teen was vulnerable, felt degraded, isolated, powerless and ended her life.
When contacted by the reporter, NCYMH immediately requested a BIPOC reporter or one with anti-racism training to ensure there was no unconscious bias and the article would be truthful and impartial. NCYMH’s request was denied and many aspects of the article are false and racist. Specifically the black woman the reporter chose to publicly lynch is not the head of NCYMH. It is unclear what the story is about as many mental health organizations have Human Resources issues, and have few staff because of lack of funding, but the decision to single out NCYMH as a BIPOC organization and write falsehoods about them is racist.
A media student was misquoted. The cyberbullying attack on NCYMH the National Collaboration for Youth Mental Health caused a backlash from BIPOC parents and non-BIPOC ALLIES across the country. With parents like Candice Fenri stating publicly on twitter, As a BIPOC parent I refuse to support the public lynching of an intelligent hardworking black woman by a white female reporter. Candice encouraged parents across Canada to register for Say No to Bullying Anyone about their past.
Maxine Adwella who spoke to over 3,000 parents on International Women’s Day 2021 said, “when the cyberbullying started in January 2021, I felt extremely traumatized but I prayed about it and felt it was a blessing from God because my sister had been framed, and wrongfully accused and judged by a racist criminal justice system and this was my chance to communicate that as a BIPOC community we need to come together in solidarity and not allow the court system and media to manipulate, divide, misquote and misrepresent us. It is also a chance for BIPOC communities to lobby journalism schools, media outlets and government, especially the Department of Justice to implement antiracism and unconscious bias training for crown attorneys, judges, and journalists.”
Maxine Adwella’s summary of her speech called a “Women Condemned by Others, Blessed with Purpose and Loved by God” was provided to CrimeproofYouth prior to her International Women’s Day 2021 Speech and her article has gone viral within churches throughout Canada quoting John 8 from the Bible. Maxine Adwella is also working with several media outlets on a made for TV movie about her sister.
https://www.einnews.com/pr_news/536570586/a-woman-condemned-by-others-but-blessed-with-purpose-loved-by-god-by-maxine-adwella
Contact: Galia Bronfman
Email: education@ymhconference.ca & ggbronfman@gmail.com
Tel: 613-501-0171
ANNOUNCEMENT
March 2, 2021
National Collaboration for Youth Mental Health, YMHConferences BIPOC LGBTQ2 & Allies Mental Health Conference based on Understanding, Acceptance, Unity and Love launches on www.ymhconference.ca on March 3, 2021 for 5 years through generous funding. TORONTO.
National Collaboration for Youth Mental Health, (YMHConference) is a multi-faith, diverse registered charity whose idea of universal love, inclusion, non-judgement and acceptance as the KEY to positive mental health was born and founded by Judge Stanley G. Grizzle in 2002 when he sat down with a group of educators and parents and discussed how the trauma of racism, discrimination and the refusal of main stream organizations to 1) hire and promote BIPOC humans, 2) neutralize schools, justice systems, governments and businesses and 3) the refusal to financially support and donate to BIPOC organizations and the 4) racist sexist and biased manner in which some reporters portrayed BIPOC humans.
All of these daily painful, dehumanizing and consistent refusals, challenges and barriers led to a life of mental health challenges, socio-economic poverty, health inequity and unemployment, which negatively impacted his birth family and his mental health for his entire life. Regardless, the unsung hero Judge Stanley G. Grizzle fought courageously and skillfully for social change and justice at great personal expense. Kamala Tiwari incorporated the grassroots organization founded by Judge Stanley G. Grizzle the National Collaboration for Youth Mental Health in 2019 and Allan Morgan of Progress Consultants was recruited to create and launch the innovative, inclusive, diverse BIPOC mental health programs nationally.
The National Collaboration for Youth Mental Health’s diverse programs which include every race, culture, gender and orientation motivated and challenged schoolboards and educational institutions across Canada and beyond to include and address the unique mental health challenges of BIPOC students and all races and orientations into their mental health platforms and to showcase diverse speakers, performers to speak truth to power about the unique mental health challenges caused by discrimination within their schoolboard’s mental health strategies and plans.
The National Collaborations idea of Student Surveys was proposed to Jacqueline Lawrence at OCDSB who then adopted NCYMH’s suggestion and conducted a widespread OCDSB student survey which led to the OCDSB launching, publicizing and implementing NCYMH’s suggestion in 2019. The opposition from school board mental health leads was fierce at the time with some school board mental health leads refusing to approve student attendance at the conferences, but NCYMH’s strong and loyal parent, student and community support led to over twenty sold out diverse Positive Youth Mental Health Conferences in 2019 and 2020.
Stanley Grizzle Jr, son of the late Judge Stanley G. Grizzle says, “the National Collaboration for Youth Mental Health consistently demonstrated the same honesty, grit, and unstoppable determination that my father Judge Stanley G. Grizzle was known for. The students enrolled in the National Collaborations Youth Mental Health programs and conferences rose to over two million within eight months in 2019.
The National Collaboration for Youth Mental Health received funding for their BIPOC LGBTQ2 and ALLIES Conferences for a five year period, launching on March 3, 2021 which has over 42,632 students registered, employs multicultural youth staff from across Canada, many of whom have been clients for between two to five years, has parents who fight fiercely and protectively for the organization and are widely recognized and respected for their state of the art effective, impactful and evidence-based programs including 1) student advocacy and counselling 2) family counselling 3) art therapy 4) pet therapy 5) music therapy 6) pet therapy 7) walking therapy 8) Healing truth to power therapy which showcases BIPOC speakers from across Canada and 9) planned Safe Spaces which provide on the spot mental health counselling, support and residence to children and youth in trauma until the mental health crisis is resolved.
SPEAKERS and SAFE SPACE TRIBUTE TO LEXI DAKEN on March 3, 2021 Conference: The March 3, 2021 BIPOC LGBTQ2 & Allies Conference is hosted by Michael Fraser (Too Much Michael), and pays special tribute to Lexi Daken a 16 year old Fredricton teen who died by suicide last week. Diverse speakers herald from Nova Scotia all the way to Calgary and are Notorious Cree ( James Jones) (24) , Naila Maloo, (14-year old author), Alex Emmanuel (15-year old artist & designer), Melody Berhane (15-year-old chess champion), Ahmed Khalid (19), Annie Smith St George (Algonquin Elder), Gavin Smellie (Olympic Athlete), Lyse Pascale (former refugee), Bailey Jordan Neil (21-year old musician) from Newfoundland, Maribeth Tabanera (Treaty one, Winnipeg), Vinia Puri (Social Worker), Angelique Francis (BIPOC Musician), Stanley Grizzle Jr., Wendy Russell (speaker, host, actress), Marie Remy, Asante Haughton (Mental health advocate and speaker), Mitesh Gondalika, Mark Dunn (Awareness and Success Coach), Arifuh Yusuf (Social Worker & Youth Engagement), Ally Samala (Empathy and Mental Health speaker), William Leathers (trumpet player and Juliard student) and more.
The National Collaboration for Youth Mental Health has raised $82,000 through donations from private clients to open a Safe Space in August of 2021 but are fundraising to open up a more comprehensive Safe Space in Toronto, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick in honour of Lexi Daken.
BIPOC LGBTQ2 & ALLIES Conference on MARCH 3, 2021 please visit www.ymhconference.ca.
SAFE SPACE CLICK: https://vimeo.com/509063533
DONATE to PET THERAPY through Gofundme: https://www.gofundme.com/f/pet-therapy-for-children-and-youth?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_campaign=p_cf+share-flow-1
CONTACT: For speaker interviews or more information call Galia Bronfman at 613-501-0171 or email for Safe Space Project: safe@ymhconference.ca and for BIPOC LGBTQ2 & ALLIES Convention Progress@ymhconference.ca.
ANNOUNCEMENT
Simon Fraser University students raise $7,214 for National Collaboration for Youth Mental Health, on Bell Let’s Talk Day!
January 28, 2021
YMHConference is very grateful to the students at Simon Fraser University who held a telethon for National Collaboration for Youth Mental Health and raised $7,214 today! It was a true honour to work with these incredibly dedicated students on this Bell Let’s Talk campaign on January 28, 2021. Thank you very much for your time, passion and commitment in helping us with our free counseling program! National Collaboration for Youth Mental Health offers seven different therapy support services and Simon Fraser chose to raise funds for National Collaboration for Youth Mental Health’s free, immediate, race specific counseling services.
Jacqueline Lawrence, Executive Director, National Collaboration for Youth Mental Health, “ I am very encouraged by feedback I am receiving from students and families on the successful free 24 hour immediate counseling. It’s saving lives everyday.”
Please donate even $6.00 by visiting this link to help save a life or provide unconditional love, support and stability with a pet therapy dog. Thank you. Click this link
ANNOUNCEMENT
College Students Choose National Collaboration for Youth Mental Health as 2020-21 Charity of Choice
TORONTO: Algonquin College students pitched National Collaboration for Youth Mental Health’s diverse and inclusive Safe Space Project aimed at “Saving Lives” as the 2020-21 Charitable Project to support. National Collaboration for Youth Mental Health wants all youth to know they are not alone in mental health challenges or obstacles they face, we are in this together and National Collaboration for Youth Mental Health is a safe inclusive welcoming place for them. www.ymhconference.ca & www.ncymh.com
Algonquin College and university students discussed mental health challenges in middle school, high school and post -secondary. Students stated they wished schools worked with National Collaboration for Youth Mental Health and referred them to National Collaboration for Youth Mental Health because of its multi year record of holistic inclusive approaches and their diverse youth staff. National Collaboration for Youth Mental Health referenced June Girvan’s focus on generational traumatic family dysfunction and gave real life examples of humans who were abused and then abused others. National Collaboration for Youth Mental Health is an advocate for individualized counselling to break this generational cycle and legislated training for all Judges in childhood trauma and anti-discrimination. National Collaboration for Youth Mental Health members spoke about mental health challenges youth face: anxiety, depression, eating disorders, etc. Marie Remy spoke about sleepless nights spent worrying about her sister returning home safely because of her mental health challenges. Alex Emmanuel (15) spoke about challenges as a youth caused by discrimination within school systems.
FAMILY FOCUSED: Students applauded National Collaboration for Youth Mental Health as the charity of choice citing the staff’s lived experience and its holistic use of a variety of approaches for helping students, parents and families.
YOUTH EMPLOYMENT: NCYMH is a By Youth For Youth charity employing diverse youth with lived experience and engaging them in positive youth mental health by empowering them with reasons to live and a sense of purpose.
POST SECONDARY: Julia Tsoy stated “Mental health affects every single one of us differently in our lives. Fundraising for National Collaboration for Youth Mental Health, a national diverse charity, this cause and for our community will be so valuable. Omar Thiab enthused “We are thrilled and honoured to be given this valuable opportunity to support a stellar hands on charity like National Collaboration for Youth Mental Health because it strives daily to make a difference in our community.”
DIVERSITY RESEARCH: National Collaboration for Youth Mental Health’s “I Can’t Breathe Equity workshops” are in thirty three (33) schoolboards, colleges and universities across Canada addressing the intersectionality between racism, mental health and student success and neutralizing learning environments so BIPOC students can succeed. National Collaboration for Youth Mental Health’s Research provides research tools which measure positive increases in BIPOC Student success as learning environments participate in National Collaboration for Youth Mental Health’s equity workshops.
DIVERSE SAFE SPACES: National Collaboration for Youth Mental Health is launching 2021 National Collaboration for Youth Mental HealthSafe Spaces because currently youth who go to hospitals spend up to six hours waiting in emergency rooms and when they are seen, it is by non mental health specialists who release them prematurely; resulting in many youth committing suicide. National Collaboration for Youth Mental Health’s 2021 Safe Spaces for Youth in mental health crisis insures youth are seen by mental health specialists, their mental health crisis is resolved, and they have immediate daily counselling when needed and a follow up program. We have to raise awareness about the need for mental health support within emergency rooms and also about Safe Spaces such as National Collaboration for Youth Mental Healths whose priority is saving lives.
Algonquin’s Public Relations Ontario College program said students were welcomed by National Collaboration for Youth Mental Health with on site visits at their National Collaboration for Youth Mental Health Bank street office where the team shared their vision, and staff, volunteers and clients participated with our Algonquin College students. Algonquin’s students acquire both theoretical and applied knowledge, engage in community relations, and gain real-world experience by working with not-for-profit organizations such as National Collaboration for Youth Mental Health.
Algonquin Program: https://www.algonquincollege.com/mediaanddesign/program/public-relations/
CONTACT: Galia Bronfman (613) 501-0171 & progress@ymhconference.ca