Supporting young women in Orillia and the surrounding area through artistic programs

Maintaining mental health continues to be a serious challenge for Canadians during COVID-19. Community support programs help ensure that our most vulnerable feel connected and have access to resources.

One supportive example is the Orillia & District Arts Council, which provides creative outlets for community members that help them remain engaged while receiving mental health support. 

Thanks to a $10,000 grant from TELUS Friendly Future Foundation, the Council was able to offer a 7-week Discovering the Artist Within program, which included subsidized professional mental health counselling for at-risk women and their dependent children. These low-cost sessions helped vulnerable women suffering from COVID-19 related stress, anxiety and depression learn new skills while creatively engaging with their children.

Orillia & District Arts Council funding also helped the Colborne Street Clinic connect with more clients. Experts in trauma-informed models of therapy, the clinic’s practitioners utilize the expressive arts to treat people who are unable to articulate their trauma in a standard talk therapy model, thereby reducing their isolation and increasing their supportive personal networks. 

Thanks to our support, programs like these supported by the Orillia & District Arts Council can help vulnerable members of the Orillia community apply their creativity toward building resilience during these challenging times. 

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