During the COVID-19 pandemic, most community members developed a strong sense of isolation, loss of jobs and businesses, loss of family members and friends, not being sure of what kind of strategies and information to trust related to a healthy lifestyle, a lack of motivation to take care of themselves, increase in domestic violence and mental health issues, and almost lost their sense of belonging due to a lack of community events and gatherings. Women were most affected by all of these factors which also affected their self-esteem and confidence.
On March 22, 2021, City Council approved Calgary’s Mental Health and Addiction Strategy, as well as the Investment Framework. To support the implementation of the Strategy, The City of Calgary launched two streams, each with its own eligibility criteria:
- Change Can’t Wait! to test innovative ideas through fast pilot process
- Connect the Dots! to enhance existing programs and services
In 2021, we offered the “Wellness Webinar Series”, with the support of Change Can’t Wait 2021! funding. The sessions were very well-received by the community and there were many suggestions for topics and requests for continuing the sessions with in-depth topics related to wellness. Since all sessions were conducted in English and Korean, many more were able to take benefit from them, particularly seniors. 2022 Connecting the Dots grant has now allowed us to continue the support to our community.
The Community Wellness Project: Healthy Lifestyle, Healthy Outlook is being funded as part of the 2022 Connect the Dots stream. It aligns with the Calgary Mental Health and Addiction Community Strategy and Action Plan 2021-2023, with the core objective of providing and creating hope and to strengthen support for people, families, and communities in Calgary.
The project will provide a broad, yet specific sense of overall wellness for long-term impact, including physical, mental/emotional, financial, social, spiritual, occupational, and environmental wellness. Expert speakers are being engaged to offer sessions that will guide, share information, best practices, and tips with a broad, yet specific sense of what overall wellness means for a long-term impact.
Project funded by:
Session Topics
The project includes 16 sessions based on the eight dimensions of wellness:
- Developing a healthy balanced routine with discipline – Physical Wellbeing
- How to achieve sleep health? – Physical Wellbeing
- Managing your emotions – Mental/Emotional Wellbeing
- Effective stress management strategies – Mental/Emotional Wellbeing
- Disciplining yourself for self-care – Mental/Emotional Wellbeing
- Creating personal budgets: Saving for the Future – Financial Wellbeing
- Creating work-life balance – Occupational Wellbeing
- Managing healthy work relationships – Occupational Wellbeing
- How to network effectively – Social Wellbeing
- Opportunities for community activities – Social Wellbeing
- Healthy home and work environments – Environmental Wellbeing
- Responsible Green Living for a better future – Environmental Wellbeing
- How to keep your mind active and healthy – Intellectual Wellbeing
- Finding educational/professional development/volunteering opportunities – Intellectual Wellbeing
- Dealing with Loss and Grief – Spiritual Wellbeing
- Effective meditation practices – Spiritual Wellbeing
The sessions will be offered both in-person and online, with taking all health-related precautionary measures.
Upcoming CKWA Events
may, 2024
Benefits for the Community
The overall goal of our project is to improve the quality of life for not only our community but anyone who can benefit from the sessions we will be organizing.
The sessions will re-connect our attendees with the community at large, develop acceptance, facilitate a sense of belonging, encourage, and feel safe and comfortable to reach out to each other for support, and encourage sharing experiences, most of all knowing what to do and how to cope in the times of adversity, feeling secure, and developing healthy lifestyles.
The overall outcomes of the project focus on high benefits for our families and individuals in our community where they could:
– create a balance in their lives by making time to do the things that make them feel happy and fulfilled,
– give and seek support from others when in need, whether it is a mental health issue, addiction, pain issues, chronic diseases, bullying, or abuse—to make them feel less alone, and
– develop a sense of value for self-defined routines and habits to give them personal balance and satisfaction.
We are very excited to get to work on the project to be able to continue to support the community!
