Webinar: Youth BEAT: Supporting Youth with Mental Illness to Breakthrough to Employment and Education

Date
-
Access
Open to the Public
Presenter
Dr. Skye Barbic, Sarah Blackmore & Lexi Seida
Organization
BC PSR Advanced Practice

Learning Goals:

  1. Describe an integrated supported employment program for youth and young adults with mental illness 
  2. Differentiate between the YMCA Youth BEAT employment program and other youth employment programs 
  3. Understand how participant feedback has been used to develop and refine the Youth BEAT supported youth employment program 
  4. Describe the barriers and facilitators to gaining and maintaining employment for youth with mental illness 
  5. Webinar Outline:

The webinar will begin by situating the YMCA Youth BEAT Employment Program within the context of supported employment and other youth employment programs. A description of the Youth BEAT Program will be provided, outlining the key features that make this program unique. Lessons learned from the Youth BEAT Program will be presented along with testimonial(s) that highlight participant voices. The presentation will conclude with the description of the evaluation strategy of the program; preliminary data and results will be shared along with a discussion of how these will inform program scalability and sustainability. 

Bio's:

Dr. Skye Barbic  is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and a Scientist at the Centre for Health Evaluation Outcome Sciences at St. Paul's hospital. She has worked for 14 years as an occupational therapist and is passionate about working with her community to advance the role of supported employment and education as key interventions to support youth with mental illness thrive and recover.

Sarah Blackmore is a Registered Clinical Counsellor and Program Facilitator for the YMCA Youth BEAT Program. Sarah is also a Counsellor for the YMCA Youth Mindfulness Group, which supports youth and young adults with anxiety. Sarah has worked with youth and young adults with mental illness in a variety of settings including post-secondary, non-profit and community organizations, and private practice. Sarah is passionate about social justice and incorporates equity principles into the supportive work she does with participants and clients. 

Lexi Seida is a Program Facilitator for the YMCA’s Youth BEAT Program. In addition, Lexi works as a Community Mental Health Worker in a transition home for youth experiencing concurrent disorders and as a Clinical Support worker for youth in medical withdrawal. Lexi obtained a BA Hons. in Psychology from Simon Fraser University in 2015 and has committed herself to working with youth in a variety of community and clinical settings. 

The BC PSR Advanced Practice is pleased to offer this session as part of the supported education series. The webinar situates the YMCA Youth BEAT Employment/Education Program within the context of supported employment/education and other youth employment programs. It provides a description of the Youth BEAT Program, outlining the key features that make this program unique.