Community PEERS is a community-based, peer initiative that provides a variety of youth services to address the growing youth service needs and impacts as a result of community violence and community violence exposure. Community PEERS brings a peer approach to community violence prevention and response through engaging communities, youth, frontline workers of youth serving agencies, and/or connecting young people to long-term supports.

The Community PEERS - Peers Elevating & Extending Resources & Supports - is a collective of youth and young adults who are invested in supporting the well-being of youth ages 13 – 29 through a non-crisis phone line. Youth can access the phone line for non-crisis related calls between Monday-Saturday during the hours of 12:00pm-8:00pm ESTMajor Responsibilities:• De-escalation of non-crisis phone calls• Identification of calls that need to be escalated to a crisis• Tracking number of callers as well as reason of calls per shift• Content development focused on outreach of the phone line to partnering agencies andorganization via email and Instagram• Attend and participate in all monthly phone line meetings• Highlighting and creating document of community resources

The organization was born out of a dire need to address the dramatic increase in gun violence, incarceration rates, and drug use within the black youth Diaspora and how they correlate with a decrease in socio-economic opportunities within that community. All the members of this group ave been affected by these issues personally, and after seeing a lack of impact derived from top down efforts, we decided to take matters in our own hands by utilizing a bottom down approach to our work. What started off as a series of successful events to bring youth in priority neighbourhoods together, in a safe healing space, eventually transformed into a movement that brought about the collaboration of a number of different grassroots organizations that were committed to using the arts as a way of expressing ourselves in a healthy manner and having equally as important community forums to discuss how we can help uplift each other in a beneficial interpersonal communication which respects all regardless of race, religion or sexual orientation.* Plan, organize, and host monthly events for the community to get together in a safe space to heal through conversations about social issues, while using the arts as a medium to express themselves.* Delegate members to different roles according to their different fields of expertise, strengths, and weaknesses.* Create relations with different funders for the purposes of continuing our work and finding the resources to open our own community centre.* Facilitate a number of different workshops ranging from capacity building to poetry workshops.* Maintain a calendar of outreach activities, including community events, workshops, appearances, and other communication opportunities.* Assist in the organization of special events, including donor/volunteer appreciation events and other fundraising initiatives.

The Community Healing Project for Crime Prevention and Intervention is a prevention project aimed at addressing trauma as a root cause of youth violence and gang involvement. The project supports development of mental health literacy and resiliency in youth 12-24 who have been exposed to community violence. Through peer support certification and trauma informed community workshops, youth learn about trauma, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and hypersensitive flight/fight responses.

* Manage a caseload up to 50 youth between ages of 14-24.* Develop and provide personalized aid on a case by case basis.* Provide 1-1 mentorship and opportunities in order to help youth reach their personal goals.* Align youth with culturally sensitive and religiously appropriate resources to provide them with further assistance and guidance.* Raise awareness of, and facilitate access to, locally available prevention and intervention resources by providing information and referrals that address individual needs and risk factors and reinforce strengths.* Foster communication and linkages among community agencies/organizations to improve access and mitigate barriers to services and supports, and coordinate youth activities and service.

NOOR is a black Muslim led initiative which helps other Black Muslim youth cultivate their skills in the arts.Oversee and coordinate specialized mentor and mentee training and orientation sessions.Coordinate mentor/mentee matching process following appropriate policies and procedures in place;Keep accurate, current records of participants;Support mentees to articulate their own program outcomes to maintain and track progress towards goals;Coordinate youth groups and engagement sessions with BYMP participants;Utilize positive youth development and youth organizing principles to guide the work, using an anti-Black racism framework;Address and report any concerns about mentor/mentee conduct or conflict;Provide regular updates to senior staff;Oversee and coordinate regular outings and activities for BYMP participants;Maintain and expand relationships with partner organizationsFacilitated various workshops

The Community Safety Working Group strives to create a safer Toronto by developing initiatives concerning policing and violence prevention.

Peer Mentors are in charge of curating and leading training for new potentialhealers within the city of Toronto. The content of this training includes conflictresolution, how to facilitate a workshop, and active listening among many others.Other important tasks assigned to Peer Mentors is ensuring the mental well-beingof all participants of the project, and being the emotional support and back-bone ofthe project. I was given this position after showing a keen interest and proficiencyin my previous role as a Healer with the Community Healing Project

* Planned, guided and oversaw the summer camp program.* Operated all aspects of the summer camp program (including policies and procedures) in a safe, timely, efficient and relevant manner in accordance with current standards.* Provided an accurate reflection of the camp mission statement in camp programs, staff training, policies , publicity and overall management.* Provided leadership to the Seasonal Staff team through regularly scheduled team meetings, as well as one on one meetings to establish clear objectives and review performance, both informally and on an ongoing basis.* Created the camper info and meds list for the staff with the Medic.* Coordinated general site inspections to prevent accidents, injuries, damage with the Medic.* Consulted and scheduled meetings with counselling staff on the well-being of each camper.* Assisted counselling staff with camper issues beyond counsellor’s control, and works out solutions.

* Co-designed an 2 month camp program for children aged 6-12.* Planned weekly schedules which included ceative activities, physical activities, and character development activities.* Helped manage administrative tasks and interacted with parents regarding their child’s progress and* behaviour.* Co-facilitated the camp program virtually through zoom. (2020)* Worked co-operatively with other Camp Counsellors to ensure campers are safe, while maintaining adequate health and hygiene measures.* Built relationships with all campers by showing compassion, empathy and understanding, and provided positive feedback for parents.

The initiative started in 2014 as a City funded project for crime prevention and intervention. It supports development of mental health literacy and resiliency in youth 12-24, who have been exposed to community violence. We work in, and partner with, 10 communities and agencies across the GTA. After a 13-week training period to be certified as a Healer, I had the opportunity to lead workshops in Bay Mills and Alexandra Park for youth to discuss well-being and resiliency through art and communal healing techniques such as conflict resolution, coping techniques etc. These workshops took place every week, for a 4-month period. The most important objective we had during this time was to help empower the communities we worked with, and allow the youth to embody the change in their communities in the midst of any challenges they may face. To this end, we curated a brave, safe, and vulnerable space for youth to be vulnerable and authentic.

* Co-designed an 2 month camp program for children aged 6-12.* Planned weekly schedules which included ceative activities, physical activities, and character development activities.* Helped manage administrative tasks and interacted with parents regarding their child’s progress and* behaviour.* Co-facilitated the camp program virtually through zoom. (2020)* Worked co-operatively with other Camp Counsellors to ensure campers are safe, while maintaining adequate health and hygiene measures.* Built relationships with all campers by showing compassion, empathy and understanding, and provided positive feedback for parents.

* Provided an empowering brave and safe positive space that youth found comfort in addressing concerns that relate to their personal, work or academic life.* Assisted youth with school work, resume building, cover letter writing and proper researching skills.* Helped organize events for youth to participate in different verbal art forms such spoken word to express themselves as creatively as possible.* Facilitated pre-employment and skills program focusing on skills, talents and academic success. * Created fun activities for the youth to be engaged, in while also learning valuable life lessons in the process.* Observed youth and children to proactively identify issues/concerns with emotional or physical development, working with parents and supervisors to address concerns.* Observed play activities to identify positive behaviours and areas in need of assistance, implementing behaviour redirection when appropriate.* Kept record system of behaviour challenges, food served, and medications administered to children.