Development and Evaluation of a Student-Led Mental Health Promotion Workshop to Address Community Needs for Marginalized Populations in Urban Northern Ontario, Canada

Abstract

Background: Compass North is a student-led health outreach initiative in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. A current unmet need in Thunder Bay identified in a previously published community needs assessment is mental health services. Women, youth, senior, Indigenous, and LGBT2-SQ populations were disproportionately affected. In response to these perceived gaps in services, a subcommittee of Compass North developed, delivered, and evaluated mental health workshops.Methods: Affiliations with Shelter House Thunder Bay (SH) and Anishnawbe Mushkiki Thunder Bay Aboriginal Health Access Centre (AM) were established. Six interactive workshops were developed and delivered over eight months. Likert scale-based evaluation surveys gauging workshop participant and presenter satisfaction with content were used. Attendance and return attendance were additional markers of success. Results: A total of 36 participant surveys were completed between both sites. Response rates were 74% and 84% at SH and AM, respectively. Workshop content was well-received by participants and helped address some unmet health education needs. Attendance increased with time at SH.Conclusions: These interactive workshops are one way of addressing unmet community needs in Thunder Bay while maintaining a community presence prior to establishing a fully functional student-run clinic (SRC). They comprise a potentially valuable stage in development of a SRC.

Pushing and Establishing New Frontiers: An Examination of Publication Patterns From 2015-2023 in the Journal of Student-Run Clinics

“…In addition to trainees in allopathic and osteopathic medical training programs, the JSRC has also published works from trainees in other areas, such as pharmacy and veterinary medicine. [4][5][6][7][8][9] Furthermore, the journal has published articles from SRCs based outside of the US, 10,11 underscoring that students organizing and participating in servicebased learning is a global phenomenon.…”