Reports - Regional: Moose Jaw

2006/07 Submitted By Donna Bowyer, Program Director

This has been a busy year. My hours have changed from part-time to full-time as a result of the additional work involved with the Friends for Life Program. This has given me an opportunity to work with Linda Cairns in bringing the Suicide Intervention program to many locations throughout Saskatchewan. I will not include the activities I took part in through this program in this report as they do not reflect activities done out of Moose Jaw Branch.

Community
Thirty-one public presentations were made to a total of about 936 people. Also, 18 mental health presentations were broadcast through Shaw Cable for approximately one month, each showing at various times throughout the day to catch audiences through all programming hours. A number of these were also shown provincially through the Shaw network of stations. I was also involved in radio interviews throughout the year.

Schools
The CAPSS (Communications and Problem Solving Skills) became a program that saw increasing demand. Three classes of grades 7 and 8 students participated. Eight presentations were made to each class, with an average of 20 students per class. A total of 480 student contacts were made in the program.

Three groups of an average of 19 grade three to four students participated
in the “I’m Thumbody” presentations, making a total of 114 student
contacts. Total student contacts were 594 plus a total of 11 teachers and
assistants.

Special Events/Activities
Some of the special events and activities involving Moose Jaw Branch this year were:

the Annual Mayor’s Luncheon
the CMHA Provincial Conference and AGM
facilitation of a mini practicum for a Social Work student
the Northern Strategies Conference – Making the Partnership Work
launch of the Transition Magazine

www.cmhamj.com

setting up displays on information days

I also introduced the Moods Magazine and BP Canada to SIAST, which were placed in their library to become the most requested magazines.

Partnerships
We partnered with the Southern Plains Metis Local for New Horizon’s Grant application for their Elders. We put forward the only successful grant application in Saskatchewan.

International Women’s Day was a great partnership with several agencies that provided valuable opportunity to allow 180 women get together for a lunch of fun and motivation.

We partnered with Five Hills Health Region, the Chamber of Commerce and South Central Community Futures to develop a survey and educational opportunities on Workplace Wellness for Moose Jaw, with distribution to over 1200 workplaces.

We partnered with many other committees including Problem Gambling, Child Action Community – Mental Health Sub Committee, Middle Years Sub Committee, Partnership Against Violence, and Mental Health and Seniors.

Consumer Activities
This included sports activities such as hockey tickets, football, Grey Cup party, Court Whist Christmas Party, Laughter Club, trips to Regina for shopping, movies, the launch of Transition, etc. We also helped a consumer return to school and assisted another in starting a small business.

All in all it has been a good year with new opportunities emerging. We made direct contact with 1530 people over the year, in addition to thousands each month through radio, television, newspaper and special events.

Reach us at:

Moose Jaw Branch
Donna Bowyer, Program Director
261 High Street West
Moose Jaw, SK S6H 1S7
Phone 306 692-4240, Fax 306 693-7479
e-mail cmha.mj@sasktel.net