Exciting things are happening at Shalem Mental Health Network that are reaching far beyond our offices in Hamilton and Bowmanville, Ontario! In each of Shalem’s divisions, from WrapAround to Restorative Practice, our work is growing and expanding! From Saskatoon to Quebec, and from Pennsylvania to Haiti, Shalem staff have been travelling to provide services and training far beyond our local centres.
Shalem WrapAround program, through it’s affiliation with Wrap Canada, has been contracted by the Saskatchewan government to provide WrapAround training to service providers working with Native children aging out of the foster care system. You can read more about Andrew Debicki’s experiences in his article in this newsletter. Andrew has also developed a Canadian version of the WrapAround training program, which is now being translated into French for work being done in Quebec.
Mark Vander Vennen and Anne Martin took Shalem’s Restorative Practice program to Haiti, where they were invited to train leaders to facilitate restorative conversations and circles. Anne’s article shares some of her experiences in this country and her challenge to translate the materials to make them accessible despite the language difference and low levels of literacy. Anne and Mark also presented at a conference of the International Institute of Restorative Practice in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania this fall, sharing their experiences of developing restorative practices specifically for use in faith communities.
The counselling clinic has been providing community workshops and professional trainings in communities around southern Ontario. The counselling staff is also organizing what promises to be a blockbuster two-day professional workshop on attachment in relationships with leading experts in the field. Jennifer shares her excitement about these activities in her article in this edition of The Shalem Networker.
Shalem’s Congregational Assistance Plan (CAP) is also spreading across Ontario. CAP, through which churches and schools can arrange for counselling for all their members, continues to expand its network of participating churches and schools and counsellors. Currently 36 churches and 3 schools are participating in CAP. In addition, our Clergy Care program is adding a couple’s retreat to further support pastors and their spouses.
Sometimes we sit back and wonder that Shalem’s small staff can be involved in so many wide-reaching programs! As doors continue to open for the work we are doing, we recognize that we are not doing this on our own! Thank you for your on-going interest, encouragement and support of this work. Enjoy the following articles as we try to keep you up to date on all that is going on!