Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Ontario’s Mood Walks program presents a one-day knowledge exchange and networking summit on March 31, 2015 to share the exciting strides taken in its pilot year to create a province-wide program of greenspace walking groups for people living with mental health challenges. The summit will enable dialogue among its community of practice, and map new partnership paths that support mental wellness through the “green lift” of nature-related programs. Morning panels will feature current program leaders, participants and CMHA Ontario’s partners, Hike Ontario and Conservation Ontario, discussing how Mood Walks programs have been serving older adults living with mental health challenges. We will launch the public report and share evaluations of Mood Walks groups being run in both natural and urban greenspaces.
An afternoon roundtable will broaden the conversation to related ecohealth initiatives, including the Back to Nature Network and the David Suzuki Foundation’s 30×30 Challenge. Participants will be divided into small-groups for a “Global Café” to troubleshoot barriers to running outdoor walking programs, and be invited to participate in a workshop on noticing natural sound.
By integrating varied perspectives on the vital health lifts of being in greenspaces, the summit is an opportunity for networking among existing Mood Walk groups and a knowledge generator for new Mood Walks programs focused on youth at-risk, people with lived experience of mental illness, and marginalized communities in urban centres.
The summit will be held in Toronto. Morning refreshments, lunch and a snack are included in the $20 registration fee. Subsidized tickets are available and space is limited so early registration is recommended.
For more information or, to register, check out the summit poster below or visit the Mood Walks Summit registration website.
