Exploring Links between Mental Health and Community using Digital Media

1. ABS1994 Exploring Links between Mental Health and Community using Digital Media A Darychuk1 & N Fazal1 Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto Background Mental health and community are reinforcing concepts; thus, investing in one leads to an investment in the other. This innovative exploratory study focuses on the links between mental health and community, and the ways in which these topics are important and resonate with youth across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) in Canada. Aim of Evaluation Program Description This program evaluation aimed to explore the value of an arts-based tool for educational programming related to community-based issues among youth in the GTA. In particular, to provide participant feedback and insight for current and future programming provided by InterChange – a diverse group of peace-builders who share knowledge and programming practices in order to promote peace in communities in Canada and abroad. InterChange partnered with the Toronto LAMP Community Health Centre to run a pilot workshop series on digital storytelling with youth aged 14-18 from the South Etobicoke Youth Assembly in order to explore ideas around mental health and community. 14 Participants were provided with computers and guidance to write their own story and create an audiovisual product, and 7 completed their own 60 second digital story. At the final workshop, participants were invited to share their digital stories at a community screening, and to engage in a broader discussion with their peers on the theme of mental health and community. Evaluation Methods Preliminary Evaluation Findings Data Collection: Ethics was obtained from the University of Toronto Research Ethics Board to conduct semi-structured interviews with participants aged 17-20. Interviews are ongoing; to date, three have been completed. Interviews focus on participants’ learnings from the workshop series, and their impressions about the use of digital storytelling as a health promotion programming tool. Data Analysis: A preliminary data analysis has been completed, and some key themes have emerged related to process and content. Codes emerged based on an iterative process which examines themes within the data, and uses these as analytic groupings. Reflections for Future Health Promotion Programming For community settings with accessible technology, investing in digital storytelling can be an effective arts-based tool used to engage young people in exploring community-based issues, learning new skills in digital media, and developing leadership capacity in their communities. • Digital Storytelling in Health Promotion References: • Sawyer, C., and Willis, J. (2011). Using Digital Storytelling to Influence the Behavior of Children and Adolescents. Journal of Creativity in Mental Health, 6:274–283. • Taub-Pervizpour, L. (2009) Digital Storytelling with Youth, in Story Circle: Digital Storytelling around the World (eds J. Hartley and K. McWilliam), Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford, UK. • Acknowledgements: We would like to thank the LAMP Community Health Centre staff, the South Etobicoke Youth Assembly, and workshop participants from the Etobicoke neighbourhood.