The goal of this project is to create a background research for our mental health infographic booklet that communicates experiences of mental health illnesses such as depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia experienced by Black communities in Canada. We would like to collaborate with students to conduct literature reviews and focus group interviews to help us build our infographic booklet. The finalized version of this infographic will be shared via our newsletter on our social media page and through our health mobile information team that we will be launching during the summer in 2023.

Supporting the development of this infographic will involve:

• Conduct background research on social determinants of health that contribute to mental illnesses
• Reaching out to mental health service providers to interview them.
• Analyze discussions from interviews to determine pattern recognition of factors that contribute to mental health illnesses

By the end of the project, students should submit a final report that demonstrates (along with background research) :

• Understanding of the social determinant of health that contribute to experiences mental health illnesses
• Thematic and content analysis coding used in social research to identify common themes
• Methodologies and approaches
• Understanding of how to analyze themes following interviews with mental health service providers
• Recommended next steps for our organization

Bonus steps in the process would also include:

• Providing analysis on factors that prevent people for seeking affordable therapy.

Students will connect directly with us for mentorship throughout the project. We will be able to provide answers to questions such as:

• Current project understanding and objective
• Current data set and guidance in navigating it
• Current industry standard approaches used in community research
• Input on choices, problems or anything else the students might encounter
• Project mentorship