Mission: Peer support for parents and caregivers of those with a mental health and/or addiction concern.
Goal: to provide support and advocacy for the caregiver and help raise awareness.
Who Is A Caregiver?
A caregiver is anyone who provides care for another person. This could include parents, siblings, teachers, front line workers etc.
Drop-In Support Groups
A trained peer – someone who has “lived experience” in a caregiver role facilitates a group discussion about caring for someone with a mental illness/addiction concern. Parents and caregivers are able to share their experience, find support in the community, learn skills to better care for themselves, ask for help when necessary and learn about the importance of boundaries, and develop connections with others who have similar experiences. It is a safe place to gather for shared stories, education, resources, and support.
Empowering Helpers Program
If you identify as a caregiver; providing emotional, social and/or material support to someone, this course is for you. Join us as we explore techniques to set healthy boundaries and develop skills to practice self-care. This is a two hour workshop, offered once a week for five weeks
For more info or to register for a class click here
One-on-One Peer Support
If you are a parent or caregiver who is supporting someone with a mental health/addiction concern you can speak with a trained peer to talk about your struggles, share your experience, find resources in your community and learn skills to better care for someone. One-on-one peer support is not counselling, but provides support and understanding for those who are for others.
Contact familypeer@woodbuffalo.cmha.ab.ca or call 780-743-1053, to schedule a one-on-one conversation.
Community Education
Caregiver Connections host virtual presentations, attends virtual community events and partners with community organizations to share resources, educate the public on caregiving and help increase awareness of caregiver rights. Agencies, healthcare providers and community members can schedule or attend a community presentation.
Contact familypeer@woodbuffalo.cmha.ab.ca or call 780-743-1053 for more information.
Knowledge Is Power Series
Each month through the Caregiver Connection Program, we are offering a three part Knowledge is Power Series for our community caregivers.
Self Harm
This course is designed to offer education and awareness regarding self-harm, various coping strategies and techniques and ways in which we can support our loved ones who are self-harming.
Wednesday August 25 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM MST
Wednesday September 1 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM MST
Addictions
This course is designed to offer education and awareness regarding addiction, various coping strategies and techniques and ways in which we can support our loved ones who are suffering from addiction.
Thursday September 16 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM MST
Thursday September 23 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM MST
Thursday September 30 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM MST
Eating Disorders
This course is designed to offer education and awareness regarding eating disorders, various coping strategies and techniques and ways in which we can support our loved ones who are suffering from an eating disorder.
Thursday October 14 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM MST
Thursday October 21 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM MST
Thursday October 28 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM MST
To register please contact familypeer@woodbuffalo.cmha.ab.ca.
Movement for Mental Health – now In Person!
Caregiver Connections is teaming up with Movement for Mental Health once again to offer a one-off session for our community caregivers. Join us for this one hour session as we explore our mind/body connection, identify areas in our body that require some attention and use movement to express our “unexpressed” emotions and feelings.
Monday August 23rd 6:00 – 7:00 PM MST
To register please CLICK HERE.
Caregiver Connections, in partnership with the Government of Alberta and Ministry of Children’s Services, who have develop the peer-to-peer family support program.
Questions? Concerns? Feedback? We’d love to hear from you! Email familypeer@woodbuffalo.cmha.ab.ca