Peel Newcomer Strategy Group (PNSG) convened and collaborated with other community partners on a project, focused on newcomer young adults and international students. This cross-sectoral initiative aimed to improve mental wellness supports and services for newcomer young adults and international students by fostering collaboration and enhancing culturally responsive services was funded by Region of Peel’s Community Safety and Well Being Plan, Mental Health and Addictions Table. This project builds on the recommendations of PNSG’s Mental Health Report which identified key issues related to settlement service delivery and the mental health needs of clients.
The project included partners from multiple sectors including:
- Settlement sector
- School boards
- Healthcare providers
- Child and mental health providers
- Family services
- Post-secondary institutions
- Research groups
- Municipal government
A key stakeholder for the project was the Community Advisory Boards (CAB), consisting of newcomer young adults and international students, who provided valuable insights and shared lived experiences to inform the project’s work.
Key activities included:
- Two in-person forums held in November 2023 and October 2024
- Engaging CAB members in different activities like photovoice project, providing suggestions for wellness spaces and stigma reduction video.
- Development of a stigma-reduction video.
- Training sessions: virtual lunch-and-learn sessions focused on cultural competency, and in-person training using standardized patients to simulate culturally safe and responsive intake interactions.
This seed funding project was a unique collaboration across sectors to address the needs of newcomer young adults and international students. The training sessions provided safe spaces for open dialogue, self-reflection, and challenging biases while incorporating practical application through simulated scenarios. Participants gained valuable skills, feedback, and insights to create more inclusive client interactions. Collective project activities facilitated resource sharing, strengthened referral pathways, and built lasting cross-sector relationships. During the final forum in October, participants expressed strong interest in continuing collaborations and expanding the training to other frontline staff to maintain the momentum.
Looking ahead to 2025–2028, mental health will remain a strategic priority for PNSG. We will continue to provide learning and networking spaces for Peel service providers and supportive stakeholders. PNSG will also work closely with networks like Peel’s International Student Collaborative to support the mental well-being of newcomer young adults and international students, while exploring opportunities to expand its efforts.
PROJECT ACTIVITIES AND TIMELINE
PROJECT PARTNERS
- Algoma University
- Catholic Family Services Peel-Dufferin
- COSTI
- Child Welfare Immigration Centre of Excellence (CWICE), Peel Children’s Aid Society
- City of Brampton
- Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board
- EveryMind
- Family Services of Peel
- Indus Community Services
- Peel District School Board
- Peel Newcomer Strategy Group at United Way Greater Toronto
- Punjabi Community Health Services
- Roots Community Services
- Sheridan College
- Supportive Housing in the Province (SHIP)
- Trillium Health Partners – Institute for Better Health
- University of Toronto, Faculty of Medicine
A graphic summary of the ideas discussed at the October 2024 forum, focusing on future collaboration. Graphic Notetaker: Kathryn Maxfield (View photos here)
Peel Newcomer Strategy Group worked with members of its Service Delivery Network (SDN) table and other stakeholders to develop a report on the role of the settlement sector in supporting mental health for newcomers — a strategic priority.
The report synthesizes stakeholder insights, including short-term counsellors from Peel’s settlement sector, and identifies key issues related to settlement service delivery and the mental health needs of clients. It highlights innovations and opportunities for greater connection among various service providers.
The intended audience for this report includes settlement agencies and related community services, including mainstream mental health providers as well as funding and government policy entities at various levels.
On February 02, 2023, PNSG organized a forum on newcomer mental health, “Finding Bridges Between Settlement and Mental Health Service Providers to Support Newcomers”. The forum included 83 frontline and manager participants from settlement, mental health and other key agencies in Peel region. During the forum, the draft version of PNSG’s report – Newcomer Mental Health and Wellness Through a Settlement Sector Lens – was shared. Participants came together to provide recommendations and discuss possible next steps. Following this, the final report was officially released in June 2023.
The forum keynote was Melanie Bailey, Program Manager of Provincial Immigration Partnership at Immigrant and Refugee Services Association (IRSA), Prince Edward Island. She spoke about how her team used PNSG’s 2020 report findings to foster change in PEI towards greater mental health supports for newcomers. Watch her keynote address below:
COLLABORATIVE LEARNING FORUM FOR NEWCOMER YOUTH MENTAL WELLNESS IN PEEL
On November 27, 2023, a community learning event – Collaborative Learning Forum for Newcomer Youth Mental Wellness in Peel – was held in Mississauga. It brought together agencies that serve newcomers, healthcare organizations, child and youth mental health providers, school board members and post-secondary institutions. The purpose was to identify cross-sectoral connections to help build a network of mental health and wellness supports for newcomer youth, young adults, and international students (ages 16-29).
The following report details the forum’s evaluation, conducted by the Peel Institute of Research and Training (PIRT). The evaluation involved (a) a pre- and post-survey; and (b) an analysis of key themes from the day.
Header image credit: Allen McGregor from Brampton, Canada, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons