Author: Fostering Community

Canada-wide Mental Health Supports for Youth and Adults

This season is proving to be a mixture of winter storms and spring weather. With the lack of daylight, gloomy weather, and harsh cold keeping us inside some days, it can be a difficult time for a lot of people. This time of year can be quite stressful, so it is important that we take care of ourselves and are able to smoothly access resources and supports.

You can benefit from mental help resources and accessing counseling services not only during times of intense emotions, but for just about anything. Counselling can be great for stress, time management, and daily emotion regulation.

If you or someone you know if going through a lot and may need some additional resources and support, visit Canada.ca for Canada-wide mental health resources.

Additional Supports:

Visit Wellness Together Canada to access different levels of support including:

  • One-on-one counselling
  • Credible articles and information
  • Self-guided courses and programs
  • Peer support and coaching

To connect with a mental health professional one-on-one at Wellness Together Canada:

Call 1-888-668-6810 or text WELLNESS to 686868 for youth.

Call 1-866-585-0445 or text WELLNESS to 741741 for adults.

Crisis Lines:

Call Talk Suicide Canada at 1-833-456-4566. Support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Quebec residents can call 1-866-277-3553 or visit suicide.ca.

Visit Talk Suicide Canada for the distress centres and crisis organizations near you.

For Children and Youth:

Visit the Kids Help Phone website for online chat support and to access further resources.

Call Kids Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to Canadians aged 5 to 29.  

For First Nations, Inuit, and Metis Peoples:

Call Hope for Wellness at 1-855-242-3310 (toll-free) or visit the website to access an online chat. Support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to First Nations, Inuit, and Metis Peoples seeking emotional support, crisis intervention, or referrals to community-based services.

Support is available in English and French and, by request, in Cree, Ojibway, and Inuktitut.

Fostering Community has a variety of resources and information about mental health, so check out our mental health channel for more.

10 Things You Should Know as a Tenant in Ontario

When you are a renter, it is important to know your rights. As a tenant there are certain rules you must follow, like how there are certain rules your landlord must follow too. Surprises can happen, so it’s important to be aware of what your landlord can and cannot do. 

Housingrightscanada.com is a great resource to use to learn more information about the rights you have as a tenant. This can help in cases like rent increases, illegal evictions, or maintenance requests. Through helpful articles, important resources, and people to contact, this information can help you feel more confident and aware if anything comes up.

Here are Housing Rights Canada’s Top Ten Tips for Ontario Tenants:

  1. Only provide deposits that landlords are allowed to request. When you are entering a lease agreement, your landlord cannot ask you to pay a damage deposit. Besides the first month’s rent, the only other monetary deposit a landlord can request is the last month’s rent and a key deposit.
  2. Request accommodations for your needs. If you have a disability, your landlord must make accommodations to ensure that you have equal access to and enjoyment of your rental unit. The landlord must work very hard to do this – up to the point of “undue hardship”, which is a very high standard.
  3. Do not accept a rent increase that is above the maximum amount allowed. For most units, rent increase amounts are governed by Ontario’s rent increase guideline, which sets the maximum amount that rent can be increased each year. For those units, the province will set an annual percentage that the rent can be increased by. For example, the rent increase limit in 2021 was 0%, and in 2022 was 1.2%.
  4. Hold your landlord accountable for repairs and maintenance. Your landlord must keep your unit in a good state of repair. It does not matter if you made a different agreement about repairs and maintenance when you signed your lease, or if you knew about a condition in your unit before you moved in. The law says that repairs and maintenance are always the landlord’s responsibility.
  5. Connect with your neighbours to resolve issues with your landlord. If you’re having issues with your landlord, talk to your neighbours. They may be facing similar issues, and together you can make plans about how to approach the landlord.
  6. Document interactions with your landlord. When possible, communicate with your landlord in writing and save all documents relating to your tenancy, such as your lease, rent receipts and any communication about repairs.
  7. Do not withhold your rent. In Ontario, you can bring a tenant application against your landlord if you think they are doing something improper. However, if you withhold your rent, you might be evicted.
  8. Do not move out immediately just because you received an eviction notice. There is a process through the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) that must be followed before an eviction can legally take place. In most instances, your landlord will have to get an order from the LTB to evict you.
  9. Do not move out immediately if your unit is sold. If the unit you are renting is sold to a new owner, it does not necessarily mean you have to move out. The new owner must continue to follow the lease. There are special rules the new owner will have to follow if they are planning to move into the unit.
  10. Seek help when facing challenges in your housing. CERA may be able to help you if you are facing an eviction or a human rights issue in your housing. Learn about our services. Call 1-800-263-1139 or 416-944-0087, or email cera@equalityrights.org. You may also find help at a legal clinic, the Federation of Metro Tenants Associations (FMTA) or the Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario (ACTO).

Visit housingrightscanada.com to learn more about your rights as an Ontario tenant.

Learn Healthy Eating Tips with #bytelearning

Learning bytes are short courses, typically no more than 6 minutes, that are designed to be easy to digest. You can search Rumie’s library for the topics you would like to learn, then choose a course and start learning!

This week’s #bytelearning follows the theme #lifeskills. Take a look at the following learning bytes to learn healthy eating tips:

How Can I Cook Healthy Meals Without a Kitchen? This learning byte shares must-have appliances that cook lots of great meals without you needing a kitchen. Find over-night oats recipes, pressure cooker tips, and get other helpful recommendations to cook healthy meals without a kitchen. 

Cook for One shares tips about making a plan, finding meals you’re comfortable with cooking, and to experiment with new meals. Who said you can’t have a delicious meal on your own?

Eat Healthy: Balancing the Food Groups shares a helpful resource that teaches you how to balance your plate with vegetables, fruit, whole grains, and healthy protein.

Rumie Initiative is technology company, a nonprofit organization, and a Canadian registered Charity. Check out the website here.

“We fill the gap between what you learned at school and what it takes to succeed by building the habit of lifelong learning.” – Rumie Initiative. 

3 Easy Holiday Goodie Recipes 

Have you ever seen someone’s dessert and thought “I really want one of those”? Baking can be messy and sometimes difficult. I have found three easy holiday goodie recipes for you to try when you’re craving some sugary cereal, chocolate, or peanut-butter! Grab your materials, gather your ingredients, and test out these delicious holiday treats from the Food Network. 

Cornflake Christmas Wreaths 

This recipe is hands-on, colourful, and easy to make. You will need a baking sheet, parchment paper, a saucepan, and a measuring utensil. If you love rice-crispy squares, you will love these wreaths. Check out the recipe here. 

No-Bake Chocolate Peanut-Butter Cookies 

This recipe requires no baking, so it’s a quick and easy dessert you can make anytime! You will need a baking sheet, parchment paper, a microwave safe bowl, and measuring utensils. Check out the recipe here. 

No-Bake Macaroons 

This recipe has slightly more steps than the previous ones, but I can promise you it is worth it. You will need a bowl, a loaf pan, measuring utensils, and a saucepan. Check out the recipe here.  

Give these recipes a try when you’re in the mood for holiday snacks. I always enjoy baking with another person, so you could give these a try with some of your friends and watch your favourite holiday movies. Check out more holiday treat recipes on the Food Network.  

Make Time for Self-Care with #bytelearning

Learning bytes are short courses, typically no more than 6 minutes, that are designed to be easy to digest. You can search Rumie’s library for the topics you would like to learn, then choose a course and start learning!

This week’s #bytelearning follows the theme #mentalhealth. Take a look at the following learning bytes to learn how to incorporate self-care practices into your schedule:

How Does My Body React to Emotions teaches you where the activation points are on your body and mindfulness strategies about checking in on yourself. 

How do I Avoid “Sunday Scaries”? This learning byte shares tips on how to combat this which includes taking care of your mental health, physical wellbeing, and creating a plan.

How Does My Body Respond to Stress gives you a crash course on the nervous system and spreads awareness about some of the physical and mental effects of stress on your body.

Rumie Initiative is technology company, a nonprofit organization, and a Canadian registered Charity. Check out the website here.

“We fill the gap between what you learned at school and what it takes to succeed by building the habit of lifelong learning.” – Rumie Initiative. 

5 Self-Care Tips to Practice This Exam Season

Since we are getting close to the end of the year, things are starting to get busy. With exams coming up for students, end of the year reports, or an influx of customers, it can be a very stressful time for a lot of people. The best thing you can do to prevent getting overwhelmed during this time is to take care of yourself. You can do this by checking in on your mental health, resting, and doing activities that bring you joy. Canadian Association for Mental Health (CAMH) has a fantastic infographic “Six Ways to Practice Self-care” which you can find here.

Here are 5 self-care tips that can help you get ahead of your stress:

Eat Healthy & Drink Water

It is important to make time for eating, even if you feel like there’s no time to take a break and finish studying. If you find that it’s difficult to remember to eat at the right times, you can try creating a plan and setting alarms or reminders on your calendar. Drink lots of water and have snacks throughout the day.

Get a Good Sleep

Sleep is necessary when we’re trying to use a lot of brain power. If you find that you do not have enough energy to get you through the day, check in with yourself about how much sleep you’re currently getting and if you could use more. 7-9 hours of sleep is a good amount of time to aim for.

Slow it Down

Take breaks! Your brain needs small breaks throughout the day so that you don’t overwhelm yourself. You could take some time to go for a walk, get a coffee, or listen to music. Believe it or not, it can help you get more work done when you take small breaks throughout the day.

Move Your Body

Sometimes going for a walk or doing a short activity that makes you move around can be beneficial. This can help release endorphins, which can help reduce stress. Even if you don’t feel like going outside, you should try your best to move throughout the day.  

Socialize

Talk to your friends, housemates, or family when you can. Sometimes when we feel sad, we isolate ourselves. It can help reduce stress to talk to people you enjoy hanging out with and to surround yourself with your support system however you can.

Try some of these tips if you find yourself struggling to get your school work done, complete projects, and can’t seem to find time to relax. From exam season to the holidays, this can be an incredibly stressful time.

Education Support for Youth in and From Care

Are you a current youth in or from care looking for help with education? At Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada, we truly believe that everyone should have the opportunity to pursue their education. The Foundation offers various programs that can help youth with application fees, scholarships, bridging programs, and more. 

Check out the following programs that the Foundation offers:

Scholarships – If you are planning on attending a college, university, or trade program, consider applying for a scholarship through Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada. You can get up to $5000 for the academic year. Find out more details here or contact Amanda Ball aball@cafdn.org.

Bursaries – If you are planning on attending a college, university, or trade program, consider applying for a bursary through Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada. You can receive up to $2000 per academic year. Check out the details here or contact Amanda Ball aball@cafdn.org.

Campus Tours – If you are interested in touring the campus of a university or college and would like support, contact our youth employment mentor Asifa Malik asmalik@torontocas.ca.

HSBC Youth Opportunity Fund – Youth under the age of 26 who are (or were) in permanent care in Canada can apply for the HSBC Youth Opportunity Fund. This provides youth with an individual grant for education or employment goals such as tutoring for college or university, application fees, high school upgrading, and more. Learn more here or contact Jasmine Yiweza at jyiweza@cafdn.org.

3 of the Best Free Virtual Skill-Building Resources

Would you like to further your interests and skills using virtual skill-building resources? If you like to learn and keep your brain active, we’ve got you covered! For those subjects you love or that topic you want to learn more about, virtual resources can help you. From biology to history, you can expand your knowledge through interactive lessons. 

Check out these 3 free virtual skill-building resources:

Codecademy logo, which has a rectangle around the word code. 

1. Use Codecademy to learn computer science, coding, and web development. You can take lessons in HTML/CSS, Python 2, JavaScript, Java, and more. Codecademy’s free and interactive courses offer you the opportunity to explore courses about skills you might be interested in pursuing further.

TED logo.

2. Visit TED, a non-profit organization that aims to make great ideas accessible and create conversation. These ideas are primarily in the form of short talks, under 18 minutes. This is a great resource to expand your knowledge of current events, hear advice from professionals, and listen to inspiring stories.     

You do not need to create an account to access content on the site, however there are options for a paid membership.

Khan Academy logo.

3. Khan Academy offers free world-class education for everyone through a set of virtual tools. This organization produces short lessons in math, biology, history, economics, grammar, and more, in the form of practice problems, articles, and videos.

There are different levels of education with many topics in each. You can create an account or browse courses without one.

I have been taking the first year university course on world history, which is easy to follow. I enjoy watching the video lessons the most, so I recommend trying one if you find a subject that you’re interested in.  

How To Get Comfortable Spending Time with Yourself

It’s a Thursday night, you’ve finished your schoolwork for the day and your friends are busy until the weekend. So, what do you do? You could pick up an old hobby or maybe cook a big meal, but it’s just not the same. It can feel upsetting when you can’t do what you wanted to, but that doesn’t mean you still can’t find something fun to do!

Whether it’s rest, relaxation, or fun, spending time with yourself doesn’t have to be boring. Betterhelp shares helpful tips to become more comfortable spending time with yourself. Here are some highlights:

Plan Ahead

Come up with a plan on how you want to spend your time. This ensures you know what you’re going to be doing. This can also benefit people who enjoy checking off to-do lists. For example, write down your plans on a calendar like this:

A calendar with an "x" on some days, and on one square there are the words "read comic books!" with a red circle around it.

This is simple and gets the point across. You don’t need to plan it like a meeting, but it is helpful to know what activity you’re thinking of trying. 

Start Slow

Since this might be out of your comfort zone, it could feel a little awkward at first. Spend time alone in small time frames at first to avoid overwhelming yourself and giving up. Spend some time doing activities by yourself that you typically do not (for me this would be shopping at the mall or playing Mario Kart), and with time you will feel more comfortable doing things alone. This doesn’t mean you have to do things alone, this is just to help you feel more comfortable for when you do these things on your own.

Text that reads: "good things take time".

Try Something New

Trying new things can be scary, but it is also a great way to keep your mind busy. If you have always wanted to try doing a Rubix cube, borrow or buy one, start watching a YouTube tutorial, and give it a go! This is ideal for people who dislike awkward silence or tend to overthink when your brain is not active. If you feel nervous thinking about eating at a restaurant alone or seeing a movie by yourself, you don’t have to try this yet, remember to start slow first.

A chess board with a hand holding a brown pawn chess piece knocking over a white king chess piece. 

Use the Time to Relax

This is the perfect opportunity to use your time to rest and relax. This could be taking a bath, putting on your favourite playlist, or going for a walk. If you’re always on the go and feel like you don’t have enough time to just recuperate, this could be a great way to spend your night.

A person in a hammock with a hat over their face and a book on their lap. They seem to be napping. 

Take the time you need for yourself and try your best to enjoy it. Being alone can feel unsettling, but it is also a great time to reflect and learn more about yourself. You deserve to have a good time relaxing, reading comic books, solving a Rubix cube, and doing everything that brings you enjoyment.

Learn How to Manage Your Time with #bytelearning

Learning bytes are short courses, typically no more than 6 minutes, that are designed to be easy to digest. You can search Rumie’s library for the topics you would like to learn, then choose a course and start learning!

This week’s #bytelearning follows the theme #lifeskills. Take a look at the following learning bytes to learn how to better manage your time:

Find Your Work-life Balance begins with a reflection on your daily tasks, then helps you find a way to create a balance between work, school, and fun.

4 Strategies to Help You Find a Balance Between Your Part-time Job and School Work shares the best ways to find time for you, how to build a support system, and how to plan ahead.

How Can I Stay Organized with Multiple Project Timelines? This learning byte teaches you how to organize and manage your timelines through planning, prioritizing tasks, and rewarding yourself.

Rumie Initiative is technology company, a nonprofit organization, and a Canadian registered Charity. Check out the website here.

“We fill the gap between what you learned at school and what it takes to succeed by building the habit of lifelong learning.” – Rumie Initiative.