Funded for 2014-15

Read more about the Impact of Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia grants

Mental Health for All Coffee House (HRM) 

Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Halifax-Dartmouth Branch (website)

The Mental Health for All Coffee House provides live entertainment and an opportunity for socializing Saturday afternoons in the spring, fall and winter. This initiative creates a welcoming, socially inclusive space for the whole community – helping to reduce stigma and create a caring environment where there is no “we and they” mentality. 

Ida and Daisy (HRM) 

Down to the Wire Productions (twitter account)

This theatrical production aims to promote awareness, encourage dialogue and discourage stigma in regards to mental illness, specifically schizophrenia. The story is about two sisters facing post-war struggles in rural Nova Scotia in the 1940s. 

Breakthrough Community Presentations (Cape Breton) 

EPIC (website)

Breakthrough Community Presentations will engage youth 14-27 facing mental health and behavioral
challenges to: confront crises and develop resiliency in expertly facilitated group sessions, give back through service to other marginalized community members, and be empowered through presenting to at-risk Junior High School students. 

Keeping Kids Safe in a Cyber World (HRM) 

Family SOS (website)

Keeping Kids Safe in a Cyber World addresses online safety for children, youth, and educators. It is implemented in Elementary and Junior High Schools. The program is designed to give students and educators the tools to cope with issues related to “cyber safety” (“netiquette”, identity protection, coping effectively with cyber bullying, importance of good mental health and self-care). Read Camden's Story

Supporting Well Being of Youth ( Nova Scotia wide) 

Kids Help Phone (website)

Kids in Nova Scotia only total a small percentage of the youth population in Canada but they are using
the services of Kids Help Phone almost twice that rate, with mental health concerns represent the number
one reason for calling. For many children in rural areas, Kids Help Phone is the only way to access professional counselors in an atmosphere of safety and confidentiality. 

Peer Support Network (HRM) 

Laing House (website)

The Peer Support Network (PSN) provides a supportive environment where youth (aged 16 - 29) living with
a mental illness can find the social and individual support they need as they share experiences over a
meal and a recreational activity. PSN addresses the issues members face on a daily basis; stigma and the
ensuing isolation from family, friends and the community, low self-confidence, and feelings of
hopelessness.

Leadership and Outreach Program (HRM)

Leave Out ViolencE (LOVE) (website)

The objective of LOVE's Leadership and Outreach Program is to provide youth who have experienced
violence with the skills, knowledge, and confidence they need to educate their peers and
communities about violence prevention, while continuing to develop their own capacities to make
safe, healthy choices. Read Nathan's Story

First Nations Leadership & Outreach (Cape Breton, Colchester East Hants) 

Leave Out ViolencE (LOVE) (website)

Youth in First Nations communities have been, and continue to be, significantly affected by the
ramifications of residential schools and oppression. By providing our youth with the opportunity to
become role models and leaders within their own communities, we equip them to break the cycles of
violence, addiction, stress, and depression. 

Wellness Navigator (HRM) 

Mainline Needle Exchange (website)

The objective of the Wellness Navigator Program is to empower and enable Mainline clients to make
decisions about and participate in their own health care, thereby supporting the development of
strong mental, emotional, and physical health by assisting them navigate the health care system in Nova Scotia. Read Kary and Anna's* Story

The Journey Men (HRM)

The New Start Society 

This is an Adventure Therapy alternative for men who have used violence and abuse in their partner relationships. Through a four-day wilderness experience, men will discover the benefits of living closely to nature and will be able to build healthy and supportive relationships within a therapeutic environment. 

Creating a Foundation of Positive Mental Health (Nova Scotia wide)

Roots of Empathy (Maggie's Place) (website)

The Roots of Empathy program teaches children in Nova Scotia classrooms to respect and include those with differences, creating a more positive, accepting school and community environment. The participation of a community family with a young baby helps to give children an understanding of themselves and
others, hope for their own future and a broader sense of community.