The Tr’ondëk Hwëchin Government, the City of Dawson and the Government of Yukon have collaborated to host a mental wellness week in Dawson City.
The Dawson City Mental Wellness Week is providing Dawson residents with an opportunity to talk about their mental wellness experiences in safe spaces, speak with community leaders and learn about support services available to them.
The mental wellness week in Dawson runs until March 20, 2022 and is free to attend. Programs include education and training on harm reduction strategies, talking circles, on-the-land programming, service overviews, psychoeducational groups and a community mental wellness forum. These workshops aim to provide Yukoners with the tools they need to support their mental, emotional, physical and spiritual well-being.
Yukoners can sign up for workshops around Dawson City over the Thaw Di Gras weekend organized by the Tr’ondëk Hwëchin Wellness Department.
The Roots of Hope community coordinator will also be present during the week to listen to community needs and learn about how they can better support Yukoners. The Roots of Hope program focuses on life promotion and suicide prevention and is based on the understanding that this must start at the community level to be effective.
This mental wellness week in Dawson City is an opportunity for the community to gather, listen to one another and learn about important resources that are available to them. It is also an opportunity for leaders to listen to Yukoners living in Dawson and understand how we can better support them in living healthy and happy lives. By continuing to talk about the issues we face as a territory, we are helping people see these community challenges through a lens of compassion and without fear of judgement. Thank you to the Tr’ondëk Hwëchin Government and the City of Dawson for inviting us to collaborate on this important initiative.
Minister of Health and Social Services Tracy Anne-McPhee
At the recent public forum, our citizens and members of the community advised that we need to do more to safeguard and improve support for our young adults. They expressed there are inadequate facilities in the community to meet their needs, and we need to ensure Yukon is providing adequate services to our communities and establish the partnerships to ensure these priorities are being heard and addressed. Proclaiming Mental Wellness week in Dawson was the result of Dawsonites speaking to their community leaders. We hope that this week of activities continues in order to provide the help when needed and to bring awareness that there is support in our community.
Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in Chief Roberta Joseph
The City of Dawson is happy to collaborate on this important initiative. We encourage residents to participate in Mental Wellness Week activities, voice their concerns and suggestions, and become familiar with ongoing supports and resources because mental health is important every day of the year.
Mayor of Dawson City William Kendrick
Renée Francoeur
Cabinet Communications
867-334-9194
renee.francoeur@yukon.ca
Carleen Kerr
Communications, Health and Social Services
867-332-8293
carleen.kerr@yukon.ca