It’ January 2020, the start of a new decade. It also marks the first anniversary of HeART.
If you’re new or haven’t heard about the program to sum it up quickly:
HeART began as a Community Youth Action Project, with a tiny grant, as a response to the mental health crisis that was currently (and unfortunately still) happening in Halifax. It was originally a 12-week pitch of workshops that combined art and mindfulness. Allowing youth to build basic coping skills, without the need for formal referrals, diagnosis, or connections to the formal mental health system. It began with just 5 youth. And well by the end of those 12 weeks we had 3 youth. But there was still grant money left, so the project went on into summer sessions.
Before those started the community began to take notice of the project, its work, and the value. Not enough to core fund it, but enough trust to begin asking for specific outreach. Thus, began HeART’s journey into the schools. Where for one day, often during school’s mental health-themed days, quick fifty-minute workshops would take place. That started the conversations with junior high aged youth about what does it mean to feel well, what makes them feel well, introducing youth the basics of rec-therapy and mindfulness. The first school workshop happened in April, and one day approx. 60 youth participated.
Summer session rolled around and twenty new youth were welcomed into the program. And this was a test period to see if HeART could work as a drop-in program, unfortunately, the answer to that quickly became no. During the months a lot of growing and learning happened for everyone involved. As a second facilitator joined the HeART staff, along with a student and a community volunteer.
July was a big month, for it was the month where a week-long HeART camp was held in partnership with the McPhee Center. A successful camp, with sixteen new youth, in a new setting across the water in Dartmouth. Full of more learnings, but also reinforced the value in the program. August was a slower month as the summer sessions of HeART winded down. It was also the month that brought more funding into the program allowing it to continue into the fall.
The Fall brought more youth into the program, having the Wednesday night program filling within the week of outreach. With enough youth on the waitlist to fill another night. Causing an important moment in the program, do we take the risk and expand the program into a second night. Admitting more youth into the program than designed with younger youth than ever as well. Or we play it safe and continue with one night, doing what we know will work, with the age group this program has been proven to work with. A quick end to this story, if we leapt; took the risk to open HeART up to a second night.
Also, in amongst all the new youth, new programming, two nights of coordination. More school outreach also is happening. With a second mental health day at a junior high in Dartmouth, connecting with seventy youth this time. All while community continued to watch the work happening, recognizing it’s value. The program continued to grow with more workshops scheduled for 2020.
In a year, HeART has reached over 100 youth. Staff and volunteers have contributed over 180 hours, each to the community. Creating art alongside each other, supporting youth to build their resiliency and develop their leadership skills.
Is HeART a perfect program, no. No such program exists. Is HeART still in its infancy, yes? Its constantly growing, evolving, changing. Last January did I think the program would be where it is today? No, I could not imagine the growth, the connections, and the amazing young people who have come across the program.
My wish for 2020, aside from more funding (the wish of everyone in non-for-profit). Is that HeART will continue to grow and evolve to meet the needs of the youth. That the flexibility which makes HeART unique can continue. I wish for more laughter, more paint filled hands, more stories, and games of werewolf. I also wish we would find a youth as passionate about vacuuming as the youth who is passionate about popcorn.
I wish for another year of this program.