Healing arts for newcomer well-being event
On November 12, 2025, Access Alliance hosted Healing Arts for Newcomer Family Well-being at the Toronto Reference Library. Attendees were welcomed into a space filled with warmth and colour. It was an energetic, inspiring evening, bringing together community members, and professionals from the arts, mental health, healthcare, and settlement sectors. This event marked the culmination […]
Subgroup program reports
The project piloted the 12-session expressive arts HEAL Program across five distinct newcomer communities, including Arabic, Bengali, Farsi, Tigrinya and shelter-based participants, and 2LGBTQI+ groups. Each report highlights the unique experiences, strengths, and needs of newcomer families within these communities. The subgroup reports underscore the importance of tailored gender-based violence support resources and services, challenging […]
Post-program data collection tools
The post-program resources and tools are designed to assess the long-term impact of the HEAL Program and support sustained engagement with expressive arts. They evaluate whether improvements in self-efficacy, knowledge, and well-being are maintained over time, gather participant reflections on program impact and emerging needs, and explore strategies for sustaining benefits through continued involvement in […]
In-program data collection tools
The in-program resources and tools are designed to support facilitators and program teams in delivering the HEAL Program safely, effectively, and responsively. They offer structured guidance for session reflection, tracking participant needs, and planning next steps; enable consistent, trauma-informed evaluation of participant experiences and program outcomes; and provide mechanisms for ongoing adaptation based on feedback […]
Planning documents
These project planning tools provide a comprehensive visual and strategic framework for the initiative, collectively mapping the key inputs, activities, and outputs of the program. The tools also illustrate how expressive arts interventions are structured to support newcomer women survivors of domestic violence. Together, these tools function as integrated guides for program design, delivery, and […]
Program personas
These personas represent the lived experiences, needs, and creative engagement of diverse HEAL program participants. Presented as character cards, they illustrate common mental health stressors, healing priorities, and the ways arts-based programming supports well-being, social connection, and cultural expression. The personas reflect a range of communities, including Arabic, Bengali, Farsi, and Tigrinya speaking participants, LGBTQ+ […]
Milestone reports
Milestone reports capture key moments in the implementation of the HEAL Project. Each report highlights progress each year, successes and reflections. It provides a quick snapshot of the project and how it has strengthened its approach to newcomer mental health and well-being working across all levels of society. Together, they provide a clear record of […]
Arts material toolkit
The Art Material Toolkit is a practical guide for HEAL Program facilitators, including expressive arts therapists, art therapists, and arts-based mental health practitioners, to support delivery of the 12-session HEAL program. It provides a starting point for building an arts materials inventory within your organization and is grounded in an asset-based approach that recognizes creative […]
Newcomer artist mental health training
Access Alliance uses the arts to enhance newcomer mental health and wellness through a range of expressive arts programs delivered across settlement and healthcare services using a coordinated, team-based approach. To strengthen this work, the Newcomer Artists Mental Health Training was developed in partnership with MABELLEarts. The training was designed to equip newcomer artists with […]
Community ambassador and peer worker training
Community ambassadors and peer workers play a key role in reaching communities on the ground. To support their work, Access Alliance offered a two-day Mental Health Training using arts-based practices to three teams: Community Health Ambassadors, Family Well-being Ambassadors, and peer community outreach workers. The training took place on August 6 and 13, 2025, at […]