The prison suicide of Ashley Smith brings corrections deficiencies to light
Ashley Smith was a troubled teen from Moncton, N.B. who had been assessed by child psychologists several times in her youth, and was in constant trouble with the law. She was eventually placed in Ontario’s Grand Valley Institution for Women, a federal prison, when she was 18. (more…)
Security trumps mental health care in Canadian prisons
Canada’s federal correctional investigator, Howard Sapers, has released a report detailing the Correctional Service of Canada’s ongoing dealings with mentally ill prisoners.
The investigator said that “security practices continue to trump clinical needs in the care and custody of offenders with mental health problems.” Mr. Sapers had earlier chronicled the systemic failures that led to the death, by suicide, of 19-year-old inmate Ashley Smith in a Kitchener, Ontario prison cell on October 19, 2007. (more…)
Literacy is considered to be a human right—and a tool of personal empowerment
Literacy is considered by the United Nations to be a human right, a tool of personal empowerment and a means for social and human development. Educational opportunities, particularly, depend on literacy. This year’s International Literacy Day—held on September 8th—put the spotlight on the empowering role of literacy and its importance for participation, citizenship and social development. (more…)
The city’s working group on homelessness has set funding priorities
The Nanaimo Working Group on Homelessness recently made decisions regarding the use of federal funding for local homelessness initiatives. But there were too many applicants for the limited funding available. One program that will not receive an annual grant this year is Haven Society’s Willow Wai initiative—a program that helps sex workers and other homeless women off the streets.
The funding decisions have raised questions about priorities, strategies, and approaches to dealing with homelessness in the community—against the backdrop of funding challenges. (more…)
Andrea Paquette’s personal awareness campaign might just go viral
A self-described former ‘bad-ass’, Andrea Paquette only discovered at age 26 that she had bipolar disorder, a diagnosis that helped her understand much of what had been happening over her life. One of Andrea’s current missions is to reach out to others with mental illness—young people and students in particular—and work to end stigma. She’s a firm believer in leading a balanced life. [Source: thestraight.com]
Andrea’s website, Bipolar Babe, is an online portal for connection, education, awareness-raising, and myth-busting. And, it just might make a big difference. (more…)
Challenges boys face seem greater than ever before
Challenges boys face today seem greater than ever before. Boys to Men Mentoring Network was created to guide boys aged 13-17 through their passage to manhood. The organization believes that boys have had too few positive role models and far too many negative examples of masculinity. Its mission is to help boys become better men.
One of their programs is a Rites of Passage Adventure Weekend, which organizers hope to bring to the Nanaimo region. (more…)
