BUILDING A MINDFUL COMMUNITY MEANS SUPPORTING POSITIVE MENTAL HEALTH
The Dawson Creek Choral Society is a founding partner of the Dawson Creek Arts and Wellness Society, which distributes bursaries for local children and youth to access positive mental health and artistic programming. We believe in the great mental health benefits that come from art participation, and use our creativity to inspire others to do the same. At the same time, we recognize the challenges that today’s youth face in navigating mental health in the age of social media. That’s why we created the “In Unity” event which runs in partnership with the South Peace Community Resources Society and BC’s Beyond the Blues on or close to World Mental Health Day. This year, our event will take place Friday, October 9th.
Countdown to In Unity: World Mental Health Day
In Unity takes place on World Mental Health Day, which is on October 10th of each year. DCCS conceptualized and hosted this event for the first time in 2019 and the 2020 event will take place on Friday, October 9th. It is a dawn-to-dusk open and free public even to raise awareness of resources in our City and region. Through performance, art, and community, we seek to #BreaktheStigma on mental illness.
With our partners and participants, we host open discussions, activities, provide food, and offer musical performances and spoken word presentations. Because of COVID-19, it’s unknown exactly how the event will look this year. We may need to restrict numbers to 50 in the room at one time, but because mental health has been such a crucial topic during the pandemic, it is a priority to still run this event in what form we can. We will need extra volunteers and support to ensure the space is safe and sanitized throughout the day.
For one full day, we recognize that those suffering from mental illness or addiction never get a break.
That’s why the event runs dawn-to-dusk. This event takes a village of people to coordinate and see through. We are seeking service providers who would be able to host a table throughout the majority (if not all of) the event. We want to keep a main-stage going through the afternoon, with spoken word, presentations, and musical performances. And we need many volunteers to do all of this. Please consider volunteering your services and time in this multi-dimensional networking event.
SERVICE PROVIDERS
Host an Information Table
PRESENTERS
Perform or Speak
VOLUNTEERS
Volunteer Your Time
If you would like to participate as a Service Provider, Presenter, or Volunteer, please complete the form below.
Become an
We’d love to chat about how you can sponsor our 2020 In Unity event. Whether that’s by donating food or refreshments, hand-washing or sanitization stations, volunteers, or cash to go toward venue expenses. This event takes an entire village to run, and we’d love for you to be part of that village! Please email Caitlyn Triebel or use our Contact page.
DETAILS FROM THE 2019 EVENT
Between 10 AM and 8 PM, we had roughly 500 people through the event. Each activity, presentation, and information booth had their own emoji sticker, which were handed out to participants for their Passports (pictured above). These passports were used as surveys, with basic demographic questions on the back. Once completed, they served as entries in various door prizes. The Passports served several functions – keeping people engaged with service providers and activities (requiring them to have 9 different points of contact), and gathering essential data for providers, event organizers, and funders.
In Unity was partially funded and supported by South Peace Community Resources Society, United Way of Northern British Columbia, BC’s Beyond the Blues, and Crisis Centre BC. Thank you to all of the partners that made this event possible.
