Culturally Informed Educational Programs and Support Groups.
Summer Picnic- Members of our Wazee Seniors Wellness Group
Tie Dye Event- (Members of our Klib Liv Book Club and Wellness Group)
Seniors’ Group: Wazee (Means ‘Elderly’ in Swahili). We are pleased to offer a culturally appropriate program for our Seniors. Wazee is a weekly virtual program designed to foster social connections, communication, and support among the elderly within the Black community. Topics for conversation are structured to enhance knowledge sharing and network building and identify and address social, health, and economic needs. The current Wazee group collaborates with community partners and collaborators who attend as guest speakers.
“Our Elders ....our beginning and the vessel to the continued journey of life.
A Nigerian adage says, a child cannot see farther than an elder, even if she/he climbed a tree! They are the eyes (binoculars) that we need to see and look into the distance.
This project means a whole lot to me. Especially with all that’s happening around us today.”
Adult Groups: Fambul Tok (Means ‘family meeting/conversation’ in the Krio language from West Africa). These are the 60-minutes group for adults. Topics discussed will vary each week, including parenting, family relationships, and perceptions of systems and services. Using a culturally adapted focused conversation method, participating adults are provided opportunities to share their opinions on parenting children/youth in Canada and effectively identify what support they need to parent within the Canadian context. Groups also explore Western parenting expectations and identify how these expectations shape and impact parenting and parent-child relationships in Black homes. Participating adults are supported using culturally informed parenting strategies that integrate system expectations and promote family wellness.
Healing Horizon Women’s Circle: Kungiyar Mata (Means “women’s group” in Hausa langage that is one of the top 10 languages spoken in Africa (Northern Africa). In partnership with the Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region, we invite you to join our 8-week support group for Black and racialized women identifying as survivors of gender-based violence. This group aims to provide a safe and supportive space for sharing experiences and fostering healing, empower participants through community building and mutual support, offer resources and tools for coping with trauma and promoting well-being, facilitate discussions on the unique challenges faced by Black and racialized women, and promote resilience and self-advocacy among participants.
Youth Groups: Odọ (Means ‘youth’ in the Yoruba language from West Africa-Nigeria). Youth meet weekly in closed and open groups that run between 4-12 weeks (4-6 weeks for our youth mentorship and leadership program) each season: Summer, Fall, Winter, and Spring. Facilitators working from a cultural lens promote positive race-based experiences through topics such as Soft Skills Development, Healthy Self-Esteem, Racism and Anti-Black racism, Peer Pressure and bullying, Feelings and Emotions, Stress Management and Conflict Resolution, Developing and Maintaining Healthy Relationships, Empowerment and Leadership Skills, Promoting and Maintaining Black Excellence, and the Social Groups/Activities that feature Dance, Cultural Meal Prep, Drumming, Book Club (Book swap and monthly meetings), Music, Poetry and Spoken Word, Comedy, and Art.
Our well-known Cross-Cultural Leadership workshop promotes our recognition of the importance of providing Black-identifying youth with proactive, cross-cultural leadership opportunities. We hope that this workshop allows youth to share their voice and perspectives while empowering them to invest in the discovery of leadership skills they can offer their school and the larger community.
Please email us to find out when our subsequent free sessions are happening, or contact us if you would like to purchase this workshop for a group of youth you support.
KMFW’s Black Youth Impact Program (BYIP): Leadership and Entrepreneurial program is a culturally grounded psychoeducational and social programming designed to empower and foster the collective resilience and well-being of one of the most vulnerable age groups within the Black community: youth between the ages of 12 and 21 (Grades 7- 12). With support from our regional partners and collaborators, this hybrid programming model will consist of virtual and in-person group sessions, workshops and discussions, trips to local businesses, hands-on learning, and one-on-one meetings with mentors and instructors as needed.
A message about BYIP from our ED, Ajirioghene Evi:
“As a leader and a bridge builder myself, it was with great emotions that I put this program together for Black youth. The joy of beholding the conveyance of it was one of the best feelings I had over the summer months. As Darrius Garrett puts it, “no greater place to be than in a leadership position to lead young minds to prosperity.” The KMFW team of educators worked well with our youth facilitators to ensure that the objectives of this program were achieved. We remain open to ongoing development and modifications based on the ample feedback from the participants.”
Interested? Please be sure to watch out for our next call for registrations.
Children’s Group: Mmofra (Means ‘children’ in Twi in Ghanaian Language) is a Black storytelling program for children ages 0 to 12. It is a 60-minute group that runs once a week in the community- library, park, community/family center, etc.
Book Club: Klib Liv (Means “Book Club” in Haitian Creole) Using books written by Black authors (both Continental Africans and Africans in the Diaspora), our Book Club is designed to build community by deepening member’s appreciation and understanding of each others culture. Our clubs would also serve as a medium to introduce and/or increase the community’s awareness of Black literature while promoting Black authors worldwide.
Art Workshops: Our Art Workshop and tutoring program will help young children and youth develop Art related skills through interactive online learning. Through experiences in the visual arts, participants can develop their imagination with hands-on activities to improve individuals’ mental and emotional well-being, strengthen drawing and painting techniques, and learn how to use a wide range of art materials to communicate their ideas and personal narrative, and identity.
Cooking Classes: A space to learn about cultural dishes- exposure to cultural ingredients- and to bond and enjoy great meals together.
Once registered and prior to starting or joining a specified group, individuals may have the opportunity to meet with the group facilitator(s) prior, to get more scope on the group and to decide with the facilitator(s) if it is the best "fit" for them, and appropriate for their identified need(s).
Are you or someone you know interested in any of these groups? Please email us for more details: info@kindmindsfamilywellness.org
Hello everyone! We are happy to announce that the registrations for our Black Youth Impact: Leadership and Entrepreneurial Program are open. To sign up, please click REGISTRATION below and fill out the intake form!
About the Program:
Our Black Youth Impact: Leadership and Entrepreneurial program is a culturally-grounded psychoeducational and social programming designed to empower, and foster the collective resilience and wellbeing of one of the most vulnerable age groups within the Black community; youth between the ages of 15 and 21 (Grades 9 - 12). With support from our partners and collaborators in the region, this hybrid model of programming will consist of virtual and in-person group sessions, workshops and discussions, trips to local businesses, hands-on learning, one on one meetings with mentors and instructors as needed.
If you require additional information, please email us at info@kindmindsfamilywellness.org
Thank you.
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