Restorative Storytelling: Using Community Learning for Empowerment Groups to Advance Mental Health Education and Equity with Immigrant Communities

Building on Bridging Divides' vision to advance equity-based multidirectional whole-of-society integration, this project will take a community-centered approach to create bridges between mental health knowledge systems (i.e., existing models and cultural/Indigenous knowledge systems of wellbeing) to co-create mental health education (MHE) interventions and identify policy actions to enhance mental health equity for immigrants.

1. What do immigrant stakeholders identify as MHE needs?
2. What are the key elements of an effective and culturally safe MHE intervention?
3. What are the facilitators and barriers of engaging immigrant stakeholders in effective and equitable co-design of MHE intervention?
4. What critical mental health policy actions do immigrant stakeholders identify?

Guided by Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR), liberation psychology, and principles of adult transformative learning, this project will utilize knowledge synthesis and mixed methods data collection (i.e. group discussions and short questionnaires) methods.

The project is ongoing. Meetings with community partners are underway, and a new program framework with participants is being designed. Data analysis continues, and several knowledge mobilization events and collaborative activities with community partners are in progress.

Publications and media

Yohani, S., Devereux, C. "Key features of culturally inclusive, -affirming and contextually relevant mental health care and healing practices with Black Canadians: A scoping review." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, October 23, 2025.

Past events and conferences: 

• "Call and Response: Reflections on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Canada’s Calls to Action and Responses by Immigrant and Newcomer Communities," presented by L. Green and S. Yohani, invited workshop on National TRC Day, Multicultural Health Brokers Coop., Edmonton, AB, September 30, 2025.
• "Moving Research into Action: Integrating African knowledge systems and Afrocentric perspectives in child and youth wellbeing," presented by R. Apentiik, M. Amponsah, and S. Yohani, invited closing panel, African Child and Youth Migrant Network Conference on Sustainable Development Goals, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana, June 2025.
• "Understanding Cultural Brokers’ Experience when Engaging Immigrant Families in Child Intervention Services," presented by M. Etem Mbiatem and S. Yohani, African Child and Youth Migrant Network Conference on Sustainable Development Goals, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana, June 2025.
• "Co-Designing Mental Health Education Interventions for Equity and Wellness with African Migrant Youth and Families," presented by S. Yohani, M. Etem Mbiatem, and L. Cyuzuzo, African Child and Youth Migrant Network Conference on Sustainable Development Goals, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana, June 2025.
• "Restorative Storytelling for Immigrant Mental Wellbeing," presented by R. Owolabi, Bridging Divides Scholars of Excellence Workshop – Mental Health for All: Global is Local, Toronto, Canada, May 7, 2025.
• "Decolonizing Mental Health Practice with Migrant Communities," presented by S. A. Thayyilayil, J. Karnjanavijaya, M. Etem Mbiatem, and S. Yohani, Critical Social Justice in Psychology Conference (CCSJP), University of British Columbia, May 2025.
• "Co-Creating Mental Health Education (MHE) Programs with Migrant Communities: Insights from Community Learning Engagement Groups (CLEG) with Rwandan Memory Keepers Association in Alberta," presented by S. Yohani and R. Umumbeyi, CCSJP, University of British Columbia, May 2025.
• "Mental Health Equity for Migrant Populations: Learning from Research and Community-Led Programs," presented by S. Yohani, R. Umumbeyi, S. A. Thayyilayil, and J. Mulholland, CCSJP, University of British Columbia, May 2025.
• "Challenging Black Youth's Structural Barriers in Labour Market Through Experiential Learning, Capacity Building, and Hope," presented by K. Sacak, S. Yohani, and M. E. Mbiatem, CCSJP, University of British Columbia, May 2025.
• "Interactive workshop on sound, music and healing," presented by Dr. S. Yohani, a research assistant, and a Rwandan cultural consultant, CCE Symposium on Sound, Music and Healing, Edmonton, Canada, March 2, 2025.
• "Black Continental African Immigration in Canada: In Search of Cohesive Historical Phases," presented by J. Mensah, P. Okeke-ihejirika, and S. Yohani, Canadian Ethnic Studies Association Conference, November 2024.
• "Black Continental Africans’ Pathways to Entrepreneurship," presented by J. Mensah, P. Okeke-ihejirika, and S. Yohani, Canadian Ethnic Studies Association Conference, November 2024.
• "Creating Spaces for Communal Interventions to Address Intimate Partner Violence," presented by J. Mensah, P. Okeke-ihejirika, and S. Yohani, Canadian Ethnic Studies Association Conference, November 2024.

Immigrant mental health; mental health; mental health education; policy; storytelling