Choices encourages youth to think and act positively, and feel more confident.
Volunteers participate every week for 10 weeks as role models, supporting youth to find the right direction in life. You must be 19 years of age or older and fully vaccinated against COVID-19. View our flyer.
DAY AND EVENING OPPORTUNITIES ARE AVAILABLE IN 2 ½ HOUR SHIFTS
2023 TRAINING (MANDATORY)
Saturday, January 21st · 9:00am to 5:00pm
Thunder Bay Counselling Removes Waitlist for Wide Range of Addiction and Mental Health Services.
We offer customized, innovative workshops that support organizational health on many topics such as:
Thunder Bay, ON, May 2, 2022 – It’s Mental Health Week in Canada and eight local community service agencies have come together to improve access to mental health counselling and support in Thunder Bay and District. FREE walk-in and/or talk-in mental health counselling is now available Monday to Friday, at diverse locations throughout the community, with services offered in French, Cree and Oji-Cree.
Recognizing the critical need to improve access to mental health services and supports, Thunder Bay Counselling and Children’s Centre Thunder Bay hosted a meeting of interested agencies to look for new ways to improve services. The outcome of the meeting was a commitment to collaborate as a working group to expand the availability of free walk-in mental health counselling and supports.
The eight participating agencies are:
Says Nancy Chamberlain, Thunder Bay Counselling; “Providing quick and safe access to mental health services are among the biggest concerns for people in our community, and the challenges in the system were only escalated during the pandemic. These challenging times have created a pressing need but also new opportunity for local community service agencies to work together in ways we would have never considered before. We are proud to offer the community access to free and immediate walk-in mental health services.”
As part of the new initiative, a community-wide Walk-in/Talk-in Counselling calendar is being developed. It will list and promote the daily walk-in/talk-in counselling locations and hours of operation. The goal is for people to be able to quickly find a service and walk-in or talk-in immediately for services without an appointment or being put on a wait list.
Says Diane Walker, Children’s Centre Thunder Bay, “We recognize this is just the beginning to remove barriers and get people the help they need when they need it. As a working group, we are already looking at solutions to expand hours of operation, add new locations, improve cultural supports, and integrate complimentary wrap-around services with additional partners.”
Give your managers the skills to support the mental health and wellbeing of your employees
The Supportive Workplace Course has been designed specifically for front-line managers and supervisors. It provides them with the right skills to support employees who may be facing personal struggles at home or in the workplace.
What is The Supportive Workplace?
The Supportive Workplace Course empowers managers to build a supportive workplace environment that promotes mental well-being. This seven-module online course provides training insight and tools to recognize and address the signs of low mental well-being among employees. It also offers best practices for effectively promoting employee mental wellness and work productivity. After completing this course, managers should be able to:
What's included
The Advantages
Two community-based organizations formalize long-standing partnership
Thunder Bay, ON, February 16, 2022 - Thunder Bay Counselling and Children’s Centre Thunder Bay are pleased to announce they have entered into a formal Strategic Alliance, designed to enhance their capacity to serve children, youth, adults, and families in the District of Thunder Bay and area.
With increasingly complex community service needs, the Alliance aims to increase efficiencies and maximize resources to deliver the best possible services to clients. It is a progressive and highly transformative approach for the community services sector.
Says Nancy Chamberlain, Executive Director, Thunder Bay Counselling; “The formalization of our long-standing partnership is the next logical step in the evolution of our working relationship. Our organizations share a common goal to improve the quality of life for individuals and families in Thunder Bay and area, and this model will allow us to be more effective in responding and meeting community needs.”
The new Strategic Alliance brings together decades of professional experience and clinical expertise to help support the unique health and wellbeing challenges facing people and communities. As an Alliance, the organizations offer a wide range of health, mental health, development, social and support services to people throughout their lifespan. The collaboration will also create new opportunities for sharing knowledge, best practices, and service resources.
Says Diane Walker, CEO of Children’s Centre Thunder Bay; “Working together, we can better address gaps in the system, improve access, remove barriers, and provide the best possible service experiences. It’s about being efficient and innovative through service integration and shared leadership to realize improved community outcomes.”
The Strategic Alliance is not a merger and instead, leverages the unique strengths and assets of each organization to enhance their collective reach and impact. As part of the Alliance, both Thunder Bay Counselling and Children’s Centre Thunder Bay will keep their independence, while agreeing to a new level of governance and operational cooperation.
Thunder Bay Counselling and Children’s Centre Thunder Bay share a longstanding history of working individually and collectively to support children, youth, adults, and families in Thunder Bay and region. One of their most successful joint initiatives has been the Walk-In Counselling Clinic, which is now in its 15th year of service.
“This is an exciting and important alliance for Thunder Bay Counselling in 2022,” says Renee Monsma, Chair of Thunder Bay Counselling Board of Directors. “We believe that clients, staff and the Board will greatly benefit from the collaborations to come, and our joint strengths puts us in a better position to tackle today’s community health and wellbeing issues well into the future.”
“The purpose of the Strategic Alliance is to engage in continuous quality improvements at the governance, managerial, administrative, and service levels,” says Tara Gauld, Chair of Children’s Centre Thunder Bay Board of Directors. “There are so many important issues of mutual interest to our organizations, and through this Alliance we can find ways to affect community change together. The new Alliance will have longevity to continue to enhance services the organizations provide well into the future, as they strive toward a shared mission and to achieve a broad continuum of integrated services.
The Strategic Alliance has been endorsed by each organization’s respective Board of Directors and is effective February 16, 2022.
Starting this spring, every Monday evening from 7-8:30 PM Virtual sessions via Zoom.
March 7, 2022 to June 13, 2022
Join a safe and confidential environment for healing with other male survivors of sexual abuse
*There is no fee to attend this group.
To register, call Andrew Cecon at: (807) 683-4715 or
email him at: andrew.cecon@tbaycounselling.com
Thunder Bay, ON, November 15, 2021 - As a part of National Victims and Survivors of Crime Week, today Thunder Bay Counselling in partnership with Sexual Abuse Centre Thunder Bay and Faye Peterson House, launched a new virtual Victim Services Map that identifies victims of crime supports available throughout the city of Thunder Bay and Fort William First Nation.
The interactive online map, made possible with the support of the Department of Justice Canada, features 29 locations that can also be searched through categories of Addiction, Child Protection, Counselling, Immediate Support, Justice, Medical, and Women’s Shelters.
“The faces of crime victims are those of our family, friends, neighbours and community members. Anyone can become a victim of crime, and victims should not feel alone. The Victim Services Map is a tool that can be quickly and easily accessed on a mobile device or computer by those who are a victim of crime and need support nearby. It’s a new way to navigate the system with local resources listed all in one place,” says Nancy Chamberlain, Executive Director, Thunder Bay Counselling
A victim of crime is a person who has suffered physical or emotional harm, property damage, or economic loss as a result of a crime committed by another person. Types of crime can include assault, domestic violence, home invasion, sexual assault, human trafficking, homicide, elder abuse and neglect. According to the Thunder Bay Police Service, in 2020, Thunder Bay recorded 1,875 crimes of violence alone, which doesn’t include other types of crime and those not reported.
“Surviving a crime is not something that happens overnight. Being a victim can be a very traumatic experience that may result in physical, emotional, and psychological challenges,” explains Deb Dika, Executive Director, Sexual Assault Centre Thunder Bay. “The effects of crime can persist for years and have life-long impacts for some victims. Immediate support can lead to possible positive outcomes and mitigate some long-term impacts.”
The theme for National Victims and Survivors of Crime Week is “The Power of Collaboration”. Throughout the week, Thunder Bay Counselling and its partners will continue to raise awareness about victims’ issues and introduce the community to the important resources and services available.
“There is a need within the victims services field for increased collaboration, as well as enhanced coordination, partnerships and multi-disciplinary responses to better support victims,” says Debbie Zweep, Executive Director, Faye Peterson House. “The Victim Services Map helps break down barriers, with organizations working together to ensure that survivors of crime receive the services and supports they need when they need it. This not only helps the individual heal, but it also improves community safety and wellbeing. “
As an example of community collaboration and partnership, the Victim Services Map was developed as a tool that can be viewed on many service provider web-sites, including Thunder Bay Counselling’s at: tbaycounselling.com/victim-services-map.
For more information call: Janna (807) 683-4710
Tomorrow Without Violence is a group for children, teens, and moms to learn about the impact of family violence including physical, sexual, emotional, and financial abuse.
The group provides a safe place to discuss the violence, begin to heal from its effects and learn that it is not okay and not their fault. The group also supports mothers in learning how to support their children’s healing.
Registration FormSocial Worker
Lakehead Nurse Practitioner Led Clinic
Lawni has over 20 years of experience in the health care sector. She brings extensive knowledge in the areas of mental health and addictions, primary care, acute care, chronic care, long term care, palliative care and home and community care support services.
Lawni possesses skills in the area of home care management, counselling therapy, chronic disease management, community development, case management, program development, implementation, evaluation and risk management.
Owner – Kari Chiappetta Consulting Inc.
Kari was born and raised in Thunder Bay and loves the people and the sense of community in our city. She wants to give back to the community to help make it the best place for her children and future grandchildren to call home. Kari joined the Board of Directors at Thunder Bay Counselling as a way to build a stronger community. She believes strongly in the Vision, Mission, and Values of the organization and believes her skills and experience tie in well to work of the board at TBC.
Carlina is a member of the Audit & Finance Committee. She recently completed her Master of Health Sciences, and is now a Research Coordinator and Research Manager at the Centre for Education and Research on Aging and Health.
Director of Family Services, Children’s Aid Society of the District of Thunder Bay
Rose has worked in various capacities in the field of child welfare for over 30 years. She is currently the Director of Family Services at the Children’s Aid Society of the District of Thunder Bay. Rose is born and raised in Thunder Bay and has a strong commitment to community and district. She has previous Board experience and a strong belief in volunteer work.
Well-Being Ambassador & Brand Manager, TD Bank
Kari has over 20 years of experience in Financial Planning and Financial Services. She is a Professional Executive Coach specializing in Leadership Development and Performance Coaching. Kari is passionate about work/life balance and volunteers as a National Well-Being Ambassador with TD.
Becca (she/her) is a Human Resources Officer at the Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board. Becca is a Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) and has been a member of the Board since 2019.
Aimee Jaun is the Associate Vice-Provost, Students at Lakehead University. She comes to the Board with diverse experiences that include post-secondary education, mental health and addiction, public health, management consulting, training and development, and organization development.
Renée has over 20 years experience in the mental health sector and is the Manager of Infant & Child Services Children’s Centre Thunder Bay. Renée has served on the board of directors for the past 3 years and holds the position of Chair of the board. Renee is also a member of the strategic planning committee.
Jeff is in his second term as a director, having been elected to the Board in 2015 and re-elected in 2018. Since 2015 he has chaired the Board’s Nominating and By-law Committee which oversees the recruitment of new Board members and the legal rules governing the Board.
Melissa is currently a student enrolled at Lakehead University in the Specialized Psychology program who brings a youth perspective to the board. She has chaired the Strategic Planning Committee in 2018-2019 and participated in Family Service Day at Queens Park in 2019.
Tuomas is a Professional Engineer working in the local telecommunication sector. He brings extensive experience in Corporate Leadership and specializes in strategic planning, program development, and data analysis.
Katherine obtained her Aboriginal Canadian Relations Certificate while studying Natural Resource Management at Confederation College. She was elected as a board member in September 2020 and is part of the Audit Committee.
Gustavo is Director of Organizational Health at the NorWest Community Health Centre. He has extensive experience in health policy development and health care administration with special interest in quality improvement and its relation with corporate planning.
Becca is a Human Resources Officer at the Children’s Aid Society of the District of Thunder Bay. Becca is a Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP), with extensive experience in the areas of recruitment and selection, policy development and implementation, research, data analysis and anti-oppressive practice.
Terra is a Director, Programs & Services at Children’s Centre Thunder Bay. She has 20 years’ experience in the developmental and children’s mental health field. She has extensive experience in program development, program implementation, and system planning.
Terra was elected to the Board in September 2018. She was a member of the Nominating and By-Law Committee for 2018-19. Terra is a recent graduate of University of Toronto, Rotman School of Management Executive Programs, Public Sector Leadership Institute. Terra has a strong passion for Children’s Mental Health.
Emily is a member of the Nominating and By-Law Committee and has been actively involved in review the agency’s By-Laws. Emily is a lawyer with Courtis, Desmoulin Law Office.
Heather joined the Board in 2018. She brings extensive experience in the health care sector in planning, education, clinical practice and administration.
Prior to her recent retirement, Heather was the Director of Health System Design and Development at the North West Local Health Integration Network (LHIN). During her tenure at the North West LHIN Heather provided oversight to the following portfolios: seniors, chronic disease management, emergency planning, mental health and addictions, alternate level of care (ALC), and First Nations health. She has extensive health care experience throughout Northwestern Ontario in clinical practice, education, administration and planning. Heather has a special interest in mental health and addictions services.
Darcy joined the Board in 2012 and has been Secretary since June 2015. She has extensive Committee experience having served on the Nominating and Bylaw Committee, the Retreat Planning Committee, the Strategic Planning Committee and the Executive Director Performance Review Committee. Darcy currently sits on the Audit Committee.
Darren is a member of the Thunder Bay Municipal Accessibility Advisory Committee and the Thunder Bay Accessible Sport Council. He is an active member of our Board and has been involved in numerous committees including 50th Anniversary Committee, Compensation Policy Development, Executive Director’s Performance Review and supported the Board to prepare for accreditation in 2015. He has been an eager participant in the United Way Billboard Rescue. Darren is in his second term on the Board.
Carol started her first term with the Board in June 2015. She has 25 years of experience in the Mental Health field, most recently in the past 10 years specializing in the area of Domestic Violence. She is currently a member of the 50th Anniversary Committee and the Retreat Planning Committee.
Christina joined the Board in 2015. She is currently a member of the Nominating and By Law Committee and has been an active participant in the United Way Billboard Rescue.
Lori has been an active member of the Board since 2011. She has supported many agency events and has served on numerous committees including the Executive Director’s Performance Appraisal and Compensation Committee, Audit Committee, Nominating and Bylaw Committee, AGM Planning and most recently the 50th Anniversary Committee. Lori is a member of the Board of Directors of Family Service Ontario.
Lynda began her first term on the Board in 2015. She is a member of the Nominating and Bylaw Committee and is chair of the Compensation Policy Development Committee.
Tony was elected by the Board in October 2016. He is President of YES Employment Services, with Corporate Services Consultation – Indigenous Child Well-Being Societies and a Human Resources instructor for College and University.
