Our Research

Understanding global methodologies to communicate research about mental health, mental wellness, and mental illness means we can develop and introduce meaningful solutions.

“Without a more collective, contextual, and holistic perspective on health, it is difficult to advance health equity.” (Mindset Shifts: What Are They? Why Do They Matter? How Do They Happen? A FrameWorks Strategic Report)

"A socially-cohesive community is one where residents and visitors participate in community life, have a sense of responsibility and decision-making within their neighbourhood, and seek methods of conflict resolution. The physical environment can support these interpersonal dynamics by considering how people use and experience a space and participate in activities together. Environments designed to accommodate restorative practice, community markets, workshops, festivals, social organizations and placemaking projects provide the means for neighbours to build relationships within the local and broader community."(CPTED Principles - Social Cohesion, CPTED Canada)

Source Knowledge

Communities of Care

The festival and event projects, as well as the mandate for the Foundation, are based on evidence-based research and demonstrative narratives. Our learning partnerships allow us to consistently improve our access to, and understanding of, the science around well-being, mental health, mental wellness, and mental illness.

CPTED Canada

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design or CPTED, as it’s come to be known, is fundamentally based upon the theory and belief that: the proper design and effective use of the built environment can lead to a reduction in the incidence and fear of crime, and an improvement in the quality of life. (learn more from CPTED Canada)

Placemaking

With community-based participation at its center, an effective placemaking process capitalizes on a local community's assets, inspiration, and potential, and it results in the creation of quality public spaces that contribute to people's health, happiness, and well being. (learn more from the Project for Public Spaces)

The Brain Story

From the Alberta Family Wellness Initiative (AFWI), the Brain Story speaks to brain health (including risk for physical and mental illness) and how it is determined by more than just our genes. Through their multitude of resources and the Brain Story Certification Course, learn how early experiences get built into our brains and bodies.

Narrative Development

Phil Cousineau in the introduction to the revised edition of The Hero's Journey (1990) wrote "the monomyth is in effect a metamyth, a philosophical reading of the unity of mankind's spiritual history, the Story behind the story". This call to adventure and return home, is the narrative backbone for our first interactive engagement project.

This visual tool was developed from our research and helps to explain how we move through the levels of awareness or engagement, to ensure we work within realistic expectations. A relevant source would be the Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity (DMIS), as developed by Milton Bennett.

“Mental health is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community. It is an integral component of health and well-being that underpins our individual and collective abilities to make decisions, build relationships and shape the world we live in. Mental health is a basic human right. And it is crucial to personal, community and socio-economic development.

Mental health is more than the absence of mental disorders. It exists on a complex continuum, which is experienced differently from one person to the next, with varying degrees of difficulty and distress and potentially very different social and clinical outcomes.” World Health Organization