2019/20 Annual Report and Long Term Service Award Staff Recognition
May 31, 2021
Yorktown’s Staff Award of Excellence: Tammy Scanlan
July 13, 2021
On Sunday, June 6th, 2021, a racially motivated attack on a Pakistani-Canadian family who were out on an evening stroll rocked the London, Ontario community. Across Canada, the tragedy and the loss of life left entire communities of Muslim Canadians worried, afraid, and grieving. A little 9-year-old boy, Fayez Salman, the only survivor of the attack lost his older sister, his mother, father, and his grandmother. As the country mourns the loss of Yumna Afzaal, 15, Madiha Salman, 44, Salman Afzaal, 46, and Talat Afzaal, 74, it also grapples with the reality that hate based violence continues to happen.
On Saturday June 13th, as community members gathered at the site of the attack to pay homage to the family, David O’Brien, Yorktown Family Service’s Director of Infant, Child and Youth Mental Health attended the gathering on behalf of the staff to lay flowers and leave a few words of comfort. Police reports indicate a 253% increase in hate-motivated attacks on racialized groups in Canada between 2012 to 2015. There are far reaching consequences for the individuals and families affected, and for our communities.
As families grieve and communities attempt to heal, Yorktown Family Services provides mental health services during a crisis and support to youth and young adults to prevent such tragedies. As a community agency, we are on the front lines working with youth every day who are affected by Anti-Black Racism, systemic discrimination, Islamophobia, xenophobia, and homophobia. Yorktown’s Youth Outreach Workers (YOW) collaborate with youth. They assist their clients in overcoming systemic barriers in connecting to social and mental health supports and accessing educational and employment opportunities.
Yorktown’s new ETA Program (Estimated Time of Arrival) provides social and mental health supports for youth who are: Experiencing isolation; feeling disconnected from their families/social circles; are confused about information they are exposed to online (such as engaging with online hate) or feel targeted for religious faith or identity. ETA provides an inclusive space where youth and young adults can have conversations without expectations and speak to trained staff and engagement workers about anything on their minds. The goal of ETA is to work collaboratively with youth, young adults, and parents; to advocate and support the creation of safe spaces in the community to meet individual needs, whether emotional or physical.
In light of the events in London, Yorktown has extended the Rapid Virtual Service Counselling hours for mental health support. To access the free counselling service, now available six days a week, call our service line to be connected to one of our therapists at 416-669-3521. Please visit our webpage to access our hours of service.