At the Y, we are committed to fostering the growth and development of people not just in body – but in mind and spirit as well.
Our Mental Health Learning and Leisure program is designed to maintain the dignity and realize the potential of adults who have experienced mental illness. Through skills teaching and leisure programming, our trained staff provide the necessary supports required to assist with an individual’s successful integration back into the community.
- Skill enhancement courses and family educational workshop
- Leisure program activities
- Admission criteria
- How to apply
- Costs
- Frequently asked questions
- Resources
- Success Stories
Skill Enhancement Courses and Family Educational Workshops
Leisure Program Activities
The Leisure Program offers a regular program of activities designed to provide a natural social environment for recreation. Many of the activities are in general public facilities where participants will have the chance to enjoy themselves in a welcoming, supportive environment, meet others and develop genuine friendships.
Admission Criteria
Individuals referred to the program should be:
- over 18 years old;
- able to relate to others at a level appropriate for group interaction;
- interested in developing skills and personal supports;
- able and willing to attend the program two times per week;
- stabilized in their mental health; and
- able to manage the reading and writing requirements of program learning materials.
Both self-referrals and referrals from mental health professionals are accepted.
How to Apply
To schedule an appointment, please call Mental Health Services or email us.
You can also print off and send in a referral form:PDF form
Once received, we will contact you to schedule an intake interview, help you select the courses you wish to take, and set a start date.
Costs
- Skill Enhancement Courses – there is no cost to take the skill enhancement courses, as the program is funded through the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority and the United Way.
- Leisure Program Activities – There is no cost to join the group, but some activities may cost up to $3.
Frequently Asked Questions
A. You are encouraged to take one course at a time. This affords you the best chance of successfully completing the course and benefitting from the skills learned.
A. Yes, especially if you missed a number of sessions in the course or were struggling with symptoms of your illness the first time.
A. Yes, the expectation is that you will attend unless there is a satisfactory reason not to (e.g. illness, family emergency, etc.).
A. Yes, in fact, you are encouraged to do so.
A. Our leisure programs are intended to be ongoing supports and are available for as long as you need them.
A. Our program is based on an educational model not a therapy model and is focused on the “here and now”. Our staff provide counselling on how to reach the goals you have chosen for yourself.
A. We are not an employment program, but we can help you develop the skills you need to access programs which provide that service.
A. Exercise is not built into the program schedule, but we provide the opportunity for you to use the health and fitness programs of the YMCA-YWCA of Winnipeg on your own or with a group of peers who also attend the program.
Resources
Anxiety Disorders Association of Manitoba
Canadian Mental Health Association
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Centre for Mental Health Services
Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance
Eating Disorders Association of Manitoba
Health Canada
Manitoba Schizophrenia Society
Mood Disorders Association of Manitoba
Obsessive Compulsive Information and Support
Schizophrenia Society of Canada
Winnipeg Regional Health Authority
Success Stories
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Mental Health Program
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For Wayne, life has been a series of devastating events, each one bringing with it new pain. As a child he was sexually assaulted numerous times. He has struggled with addiction to both drugs and alcohol and has been surrounded by people fighting the same demons. He has lost countless friends and family members. Wayne reached a point where he no longer valued his life.
“I was going to end it (my life),” said Wayne. “I had nowhere to go.”
Fortunately, he learned about our Learning & Leisure Mental Health Program through another participant who recommended it to him.
“I heard all the wonderful work that has come out of the classrooms – how to deal with stress and anxiety,” said Wayne.
Since first coming to the program, Wayne has enrolled in seven different courses, like Managing Anxiety and Dealing with Depression.
These courses have given him the tools he needs to manage everyday situations and an entirely new outlook on life.
“The future looks a whole lot brighter for me now. I am making better decisions. I am now truly enjoying my whole new life.”
Wayne credits this new outlook to his experience in the program, and to the team who runs it.
“Staff at the Learning & Leisure Centre have saved me from death.”
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Mental Health Program
For Wayne, life has been a series of devastating events, each one bringing with it new pain. As a child he was sexually assaulted numerous times. He has struggled with addiction to both drugs and alcohol and has been surrounded by people fighting the same demons. He has lost countless friends and family members. Wayne reached a point where he no longer valued his life.
“I was going to end it (my life),” said Wayne. “I had nowhere to go.”
Fortunately, he learned about our Learning & Leisure Mental Health Program through another participant who recommended it to him.
“I heard all the wonderful work that has come out of the classrooms – how to deal with stress and anxiety,” said Wayne.
Since first coming to the program, Wayne has enrolled in seven different courses, like Managing Anxiety and Dealing with Depression.
These courses have given him the tools he needs to manage everyday situations and an entirely new outlook on life.
“The future looks a whole lot brighter for me now. I am making better decisions. I am now truly enjoying my whole new life.”
Wayne credits this new outlook to his experience in the program, and to the team who runs it.
“Staff at the Learning & Leisure Centre have saved me from death.”
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