Dissemination of the Creativity and Prevention of Mental Health Problems in Multiethnic Schools

Summary

This project aims to instruct and support teaching staff in public schools that serve recent immigrant and refugee communities. Refugees are often exposed to violence and turbulence before arriving in Canada, and often live in poverty when they first arrive, yet they are extremly unlikely to access mental health support services. Schools are the best point of contact to integrate mental health and learning resources for recent immigrant students. This project will introduce into schools creative expression therapies that improve expression of emotions and problem solving and conflict resolution skills through play and art. It will provide teachers with a multimedia training kit in creative expression therapy and continuous supervision and support. The resulting outcomes will be measured and used to inform policy makers about best practices for integrating immigrant and refugee children.