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+ groups, and individuals living in shelters.
Personas highlights
It is essential that participants are screened before joining a closed expressive arts group, as survivors of gender-based violence have diverse healing journeys and may not be ready for a group-based therapeutic setting. The persona character cards reflect the most common participant profiles who have completed the HEAL program, highlighting a range of outcomes, experiences, and readiness levels across different stages of healing.
- Shows the mental health pressures shaping newcomer experiences, from trauma and social isolation to systemic barriers.
- Highlights key needs for healing and stability, including emotional support, safe spaces, practical assistance, and community connection.
- Demonstrates how creative expression—storytelling, visual arts, music, and more—supports coping, self-expression, and cultural identity.
- Captures growth over time: increased confidence, social connection, engagement with services, and steps toward personal goals.
- Provides insights to better understand and respond to the needs of diverse newcomer populations.
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