Teen Mental Health Influencers

The TMHI project facilitated training on mental health, advocacy and social media strategies for 12 teens across six Caribbean countries (Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, USVI and St Vincent and the Grenadines). The training was delivered virtually and teens were provided with an electronic device and stipend to help support their advocacy work. They were also paired with a psychologist from their home country who provided regular virtual and in-person mentorship and support during the period of supported advocacy. Here are our amazing teen mental health influencers!

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Teen Mental Health Influencer Videos

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Kim Marie Crichlow

Barbados

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Keandra Brewster

Barbados

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Jemima Francis

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

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Javir Pratt

Bahamas

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Jaeden Campbell

Jamaica

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Grace Francis

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

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Davesha Chassang

Barbados

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VeNiya Callwood

United States Virgin Islands

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Vasudev Sankar

Trinidad and Tobago

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Vania Drakes

Liaison Psychologist

Barbados

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Surya Balgobin

Trinidad and Tobago

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Phoenix Taylor

Jamaica

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Andrea Gaymes-Mohess

Liaison Psychologist

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

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TMHI PRESS RELEASE JUNE 2022:

CANPA is awarded a US$200 000 grant by the Clara Lionel Foundation to implement its Caribbean Youth Mental Health Champions project.

The Caribbean Alliance of National Psychological Associations, CANPA, has received funding from the Clara Lionel Foundation, CLF, to conduct its Caribbean Youth Mental Health Champions Project. The project has two components: the Teen Mental Health Influencers (TMHI) Training Program and a Virtual Exhibition of Youth Art in Times of COVID-19. The project seeks to empower Caribbean youth to express themselves and raise awareness of mental health in the Caribbean region especially during times of crisis. The opportunities for Caribbean youth to have a voice and impact in disasters when they experience distress are limited. The project aims to build capacity and ensure sustainability through using replicable models of intervention which aim to:

• Develop a growing community of youth mental health advocates who can participate in spaces for them and by them.
• Encourage and facilitate the healthy expression of mental health and ameliorate mental health symptoms through creative and diverse outlets. 

The Teen Mental Health Influencer (TMHI) Training Program will develop and train an initial cadre of 15 teen mental health influencers, aged 13 to 18, from 6 Caribbean countries (Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago and the United States Virgin Islands). The teens will receive online training from psychology and social media experts and receive mentoring from liaison psychologists. They will receive an electronic device and a stipend to support their social media advocacy to their peer group on mental health issues.

The Youth Art in times of COVID-19 project targets all Caribbean-resident youths aged 8 to 16, through the visual arts. The project seeks to capture the unique perspective of Caribbean children and to provide them with a platform to tell their stories about the impact of the pandemic on their life and how they have been coping, through the art they produce. The submissions will be professionally curated and displayed on an online gallery.

The project steering committee consists of the project lead Dr Katija Khan, Consultant Clinical Psychologist and President Elect of CANPA, Dr Ishtar Govia, Academic and Registered Clinical Psychologist, Executive Council Member, Dr Margarett Barnett, Licensed Industrial & Organizational Psychologist, Vice President and Mrs Zaida Khan-Ventour, Project Manager.

This collaboration is first of its kind between CANPA and the CLF. Commenting on the award, Dr. Katija Khan, president elect of CANPA said: “We are delighted that we have received this vital support from CLF. Caribbean young people need more support with promoting mental health, and this grant will allow us to provide  much needed opportunities for them to do this.” 

A virtual launch of the project is carded for Friday 10th June, 2022 at 9 a.m., EST, via Zoom. Members of the news media are welcome to attend once registered at this link. More information about the Teen Mental Health Influencer Training Program or the Virtual Exhibition of Youth Art in Times of COVID-19 can be found on the CANPA Facebook page. 

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‍ABOUT CLF

The Clara Lionel Foundation (CLF) was founded in 2012 by Robyn “Rihanna” Fenty in honor of her grandparents, Clara and Lionel Braithwaite. CLF invests in climate justice initiatives in the Caribbean and United States and helps communities prepare for and withstand natural disasters.

CLF launched the Climate Resilience Initiative (CRI) in response to the undeniable increase in the severity of natural disasters due to climate change in the Caribbean. CLF’s Climate Resilience Initiative is focused on investing in multiple dimensions of emergency preparedness and scaling climate change solutions across the region.The initiative focuses on hardening infrastructure in the region to withstand these events under the pillars of health, shelter and communications, and also assists these frontline communities through other initiatives such as mental health support.

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TMHI PROJECT LAUNCH

CANPA CLF Project media Launch

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