CYMHA launches video series in follow up to call-to-action campaign

Written By Paula Brown

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Hills of Headwaters Collaborative Child and Youth Mental Health and Addictions (CYMHA) committee have launched their COVID Lessons Kid2Kid video series, after a successful call-to-action campaign looking at how the virus is mentally impacting local youth. 

“The COVID Lesson Kid2Kid video series features the voices of kids in our community sharing their experience and words of inspiration to other kids,” said Jenny Aguiar-Winter of Dufferin Child and Family Services (DCAFS), who helped organize the initiative. “This video series let them share their message to a broader audience and reach kids across our region.”

The video series started as a call-to-action campaign by the CYMHA sub-committee in March, where they asked youth ages 4-18 in Dufferin-Caledon to provide input on how they are managing fear, isolation, anxiety and change related to the pandemic. 

Aguiar-Winter described the response to the campaign as “wonderful” and noted that they saw submissions from across the region including classroom submissions from the Upper Grand District School Board (UGDSB). 

“The kids let us know how they are coping and what is working for them when facing all the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Aguiar-Winter. 

She then shared why the CYMHA sub-committee chose to create the video series from the campaign.

“We wanted a project that benefited the children and youth in our community in multiple ways such as allowing children and youth a creative outlet in sharing their stories, connecting our community through the sharing of these experiences, and that in the end provides resources to children and youth currently struggling or in need of some inspiration,” Aguiar-Winter noted. 

The video series upon completion will consist of five videos all of which are specifically targeted to help children, youth, and their families. Youth will share their personal stories, experiences as well as what they learned about themselves and mental well-being through various forms such as video clips, artwork, and photography. 

Aguiar-Winter adds that the CYMHA sub-committee hopes the video bring a sense of inspiration for the youth in the community and offers them ideas on how they themselves can cope with the emotional impacts of the virus. 

At the time of print, two videos from the series have been launched as part of National Children's Mental Health Week, but there are additional video that will be launched throughout May. 

COVID Lesson Kid2Kid video series as well as a gallery of other submission can be found on the initiatives website www.covidlesson-kid2kid.com or at the Hills of Headwaters CYMHA's YouTube channel.