SAYMH (South Asian Youth Mental Health) Ambassadors Application Link

Dear Applicant:

We’d like to thank you for your interest in becoming a South Asian Youth Mental Health (SAYMH) project ambassador in our second phase of this exciting new project, in partnership with One Voice Canada.

SAYMH trainees will participate in a Mental Health Ambassadors retreat from Thursday August 22 through Sunday, August 25. The mandatory orientation & opening session will take place on Thursday, August 22 at the Indo Canadian Seniors Centre (behind Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara Sahib). The retreat will then commence on Friday, Aug 23 at the Edenvale Retreat & Conference Centre (4330 Bradner Road, Abbotsford).

Trainees will gather at 8:30am on Friday, Aug 23 at Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara Sahib and be taken by bus to Edenvale Retreat and Conference Center. The retreat will include the Canadian Mental Health Commission’s Mental Health First Aid certification course, as well as public speaking, system navigation, wellness, cultural safety, and community engagement workshops with experienced professionals. Trainees will be transported by bus back to Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara Sahib on the evening of Sunday, Aug 25. The retreat includes two overnight stays at Edenvale Retreat and Conference Center.

In total, twenty-five applicants will be selected for this second phase of the project. Participants who graduate from the retreat will be making a 6-month commitment to apply their learned skills in community workshops and outreach activities, which will be eligible for volunteer hours recognition.

Requirements for the retreat applicants are as follows. Participants must be:
– Currently an international student at any institution in BC.
– Between the ages of 16 and 29.
– Living in British Columbia.
– Available to attend the full retreat from start to end (no exceptions).
– Willing to commit to a part-time (average 8 to 12 hours per month) voluntary Ambassador role with SAMHAA for six months after the retreat.

The SAYMH project is being supported by the BC Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions.

In order to solidify commitment to the project and help cover a portion of the costs of the training retreat, there will be a subsidized, nominal fee of $50 per trainee for participation.

Overview of training costs per person (to be covered by the South Asian Mental Health Alliance):

• Two nights accommodation at Edenvale Retreat and Conference Center, including all meals & snacks – $290
• 2-day Mental Health First Aid Certification Course – $100
• Roundtrip bus transportation – $40
• Other costs of retreat (per person) – $70
• Total actual cost of training: $500
• Subsidized Fee for applicants: $50

The SAYMH project, Phase 2, is organized by the South Asian Mental Health Alliance in collaboration with One Voice Canada and it’s member organizations, Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara Sahib Surrey Delta, and other local community partners. The South Asian Mental Health Alliance will be collaborating with community organizations in various other locations in the Lower Mainland to establish teams such as this one. It is our goal that by participating in stigma-reducing skills development and knowledge translation workshops, South Asian youth can create a ripple effect of awareness and action around mental health in their own schools, social circles, and communities.

Please fill out this form, and if you have any questions, feel free to e-mail ambassadors@samhaa.org.