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Youth, Culture and Mental Health Fund

The Youth, Culture, and Mental Health Fund was created in recognition of the high degrees of stigma and profound need for mental health awareness and education among youth and those who interact with them. In 2010, Dr. Shimi Kang, Ms. Arvinder Grewal, and Mr. Jeevan Khunkhun (with the support of many concerned and enthusiastic community members) co-founded the South Asian Youth Mental Health Fund (SAY MH). Since this inception, the project has expanded beyond the South Asian Community and thus, in 2011, the name was changed to Youth Culture and Mental Health Fund.

The mandate of the fund is to:

  • Broaden understanding and support for mental health among youth within their cultural setting,
  • Support professional development and delivery of best practices in mental health for youth within their cultural context, and
  • Evaluate new strategies or approaches to the prevention and reduction of mental health issues among youth of diverse cultures. { more }

Rotary Club presents the Foundation with a cheque for $20,000

The Rotary Club of Vancouver - Fraserview presented the Foundation with a check for $20,000 towards the South Asian Youth Mental Health Fund. The event took place on Jan.14th, 2011. { more } 

Rotary Club of Vancouver Fraserview Fundraiser

November 5, 2011. Benefitting the Youth, Culture and Mental Health Fund { more }

South Asian Mental Health Fund

The South Asian Youth Mental Health Fund will be used for the following:

Broaden understanding and support for mental health in the South Asian Community; Support professional development and delivery of best practices in mental health in the South Asian Community, and; Evaluate new strategies or approaches to the prevention and reduction of mental health issues in the South Asian Community. { more }

A Night of Inspiration Photos

On January 21, 2010, over 200 people came together to participate in "A Night of Inspiration," hosted by The Sidhu Family of Surrey, BC. { more }

03.14.10 Mental Health Awareness Workshop at Gurdwara Sahib Sukh Sagar, New Westminster, BC 

A full day outreach workshop at the New Westminster Sikh Temple. Topics included personal stories, basic mental health education, and prevention. The focus of this event was to reduce stigma and increase public awareness. { more }

Mental Health Awareness Workshop at Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara, Surrey, BC

A full day outreach workshop at the Surrey Sikh Temple. Speakers included a range of community leaders including the MP for Surrey – Delta, local physicians, and community members who told their personal stories. This was followed by break out sessions on Substance Use in Youth, 10 Tips for Parents, and an overview of mental health issues. { more }

SAMHAA (South Asian Mental Health Awareness & Action) Mental Health Workshop at Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara, Surrey, BC

This inaugural SAMHAA event provided community members with health literacy information, public education, and mental health resources { more }

05.10.11 Cross-Cultural Mental Health Conference

The intent of the Cross-Cultural Mental Health Conference is to promote ongoing dialogue between the mental health and addictions system and cross-cultural communities by exploring current issues and potential solutions/promising practices. { more }

 22.10.11 SAMHAA Conference (South Asian Mental Health Awareness & Action)

The South Asian Mental Health Conference will be a full-day, all ages, multi-lingual conference in Surrey, BC in to bring discussions of mental health in the South Asian community to the forefront. { more }