Projects

Social isolation and physical distancing requirements create unique challenges for individuals responding to loss and being supportive during the COVID-19 pandemic. Periods of rapid or intense social change intensify feelings of grief, worsening negative thinking and problematic behaviours.

Dr. Ameil Joseph has partnered with CMHA Hamilton to develop an online resource to support individuals dealing with loss, bereavement and grief. Users can access current resources and contribute their own. Contributions from cultural, religious and spiritual leaders have been included in the collection.

Visit the A Way Through website to explore the resources.

The contexts and consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic have revealed several important issues that require responses to address emerging and unaddressed mental health needs. The experiences, circumstances, and contexts of loneliness have often been inadequately prioritized within mental health resources and service provision. During the COVID-19 pandemic, matters related to loneliness, grief, loss, and bereavement have been exacerbated by restrictions to how, when, where and why we are able to socially connect, care and support others. These issues are not only impacting people in the present but will have lasting effects on people’s mental health and wellness in the future.

This collaborative project between Canadian Mental Health Association Ontario, Dr. Ameil Joseph and doctoral student Shaila Kumhare, seeks to draw on current research on loneliness, grief, loss, and bereavement to develop capacity for addressing these mental health needs as well as to highlight core issues, cultivate evidence-based resources and articulate recommendations to policy makers, healthcare providers, and community service providers.   This research will also draw attention to populations most at risk or in need such as newcomers, aging people, new mothers, etc. This research initiative will engage in critical analysis of how these social and mental health issues are experienced in inequitable ways.

McMaster researchers Drs. Marisa Young and James Gillett are partnering with the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Hamilton to understand which self-care tools are effective for post-secondary students and to develop essential programming that will narrow the pernicious disparity between the demand and delivery of mental health care for Hamilton’s post-secondary students. This project aims to improve understanding and promotion of self-care from a social science perspective.

This collaborative project between CMHA and McMaster University will address the following questions:

1) What self-care practices do university students pursue in the promotion of their mental health?
2) Which forms of self-care promote resilience in students?
3) What are the barriers that students face when attempting to manage their own mental health on and off campus?
4) How can local community organizations help promote student self-care and resilience in ways that align with the needs of students?

Our understanding of mental health is socially scientific, rather than situated in the dominant medical model. From this view, mental health is not about the absence of mental illness but rather the overall well-being of a person across many roles and contexts, which places the social causes and consequences of mental health at the forefront (Aneshensel et al. 2013). We recognize that social factors impact well-being and resultantly requires the collective attention of research and community. 

When art and social science come together, what becomes possible? Centre[3] for Artistic and Social Practice is working in collaboration with the Community Research Platform (CRP) to develop Centre[4] Art and Research. The creation of Centre[4] is meant to facilitate meaningful and equitable collaborations between artists and researchers in the Hamilton community, to highlight and facilitate art and research, and to develop accessible resources and sustainable infrastructure to support these activities.

This initiative is led by Cathy Paton, postdoctoral fellow, and supported by a working group comprised of representatives from McMaster and Centre [3] including Colina Maxwell (Social Practice Director, C[3]), Sarah Sproule (Social Practice Coordinator, Centre [3]), Alexe Bernier (PhD Candidate and CRP intern), Chris Sinding (Acting Director, CRP), and Leora Sas van der Linden (CRP Manager).

A unique and fundamental aspect of Centre[4] is that the work and motivations are centered in the community, creating space for artists, artful practices, and researchers to meaningfully shape research activities. Through maintaining a strong collaborative relationship between Centre [3] and McMaster’s CRP, Centre[4] will strive to intentionally center artist presence, input and practice in community research.

The Hamilton Public Library has partnered with McMaster in stage 2 of the broader Emotions Matter study along with three other Library Systems in Ontario: Grimsby, Burlington, and Brantford.

Dr. Diana Singh and her research team have launched an Employee Health and Well-Being Survey across the four Public Library Systems, to examine the consequences of emotional labour and emotion management among a sample of Ontario Library Workers.

The study will contribute to current efforts to improve organizational practices and employee wellness programs across the four library systems and will help inform the development of a social support program and emotional labour skills training course for public service workers.

Read the HPL Emotions Matter Report.

On November 1st 2021, Hamilton Street Railway (HSR) transit introduced a new pilot program to encourage more residents to use transit and ensure that fares remain affordable during COVID-19. As part of the program, HSR is allowing children ages six to twelve to ride for free with a PRESTO card. To increase accessibility, Hamilton Public Library (HPL) is offering children a free PRESTO card.

HSR and HPL are partnering with Dr. Moataz Mohamed from McMaster’s Department of Civil Engineering to evaluate the pilot. He will explore how well the new program improves the quality of life for community members, in areas such as, the ability to access community resources, discover Hamilton and the degree to which greenhouse emissions are reduced. Dr. Mohamed’s evaluation will help the City of Hamilton to assess the new program and will inform recommendations for the ongoing pilot.

Digital literacy is being able to use digital information and technology effectively, efficiently, and ethically. This skill set is important when it comes to staying connected to family and friends who live far away, staying safe on the internet, gaining access to information, and participating in the workforce.

Drs. Brian Detlor and Tara LaRose from McMaster, along with Hamilton Public Library, are exploring how public libraries can best deliver and evaluate programs and initiatives that help improve digital literacy skills among community members.

Located at the heart of communities and committed to social justice, public libraries are well-positioned to engage with a diverse population. However, library workers might not be fully equipped or have the capacity to serve the growing number of residents with complex needs that turn to them for help. To address this gap, public libraries increasingly seek out the support of social workers.

The Social Work in Libraries project is designed to integrate and inform social work practice within Hamilton Public Library (HPL) to respond to individual, community and institutional needs. Library social workers have the skills to engage patrons directly and provide support, such as referrals and outreach. They also offer educational resources to library employees and help build community networks. Through research and policy development efforts, library social workers are able to reduce barriers for marginalized patrons.

As a part of her placement, undergraduate Social Work student Angelica Esposito conducted a literature review of social work practice in libraries and an environmental scan of Canadian Public Libraries hosting social workers and social work students. The findings have been shared with HPL and McMaster’s School of Social Work through a presentation which summarized the benefits, challenges, and models of library-social work partnerships.

Good Beginnings is a support program for mothers and birthing parents who are vulnerable, precarious and at risk of postpartum depression. Since 2014, they have provided support to over 500 individuals and their babies.

Led by Dr. Tina Moffat and graduate student Isabel Dewey, the YWCA and McMaster will examine six years of entrance, mid and exit data from program participants. The data will be analyzed to determine the strengths of the program. Additionally, the team will create frameworks for ongoing evaluation and best practices to maximize the ability of Good Beginnings to meet community needs.

Existing Canadian-based research notes widespread lack of access to appropriate housing and community-based supports during pregnancy and postpartum for people who experience street-level homelessness. A myriad of compounding structural inequities positions this population at a significant risk of having their newborn apprehended at birth by child welfare organizations.

In collaboration with McMaster University, YWCA Hamilton is researching models of housing with wrap-around support for pregnant people experiencing homelessness. Key objectives for the project include:

1. Building knowledge on the types of housing support models that currently exist to respond to complex homelessness, pregnancy, and newborn apprehension across Canada and internationally
2. Gathering the perspectives of mothers and birthing people, who have experienced pregnancy and newborn apprehension, on the types of housing and support models that would be best suited to addressing their needs.

Adjunct Professor (Political Science) and YWCA Hamilton Senior Program Analyst, Violetta Nikolskaya, Faculty Member, Mary Vaccaro (School of Social Work), and Dr. Saara Greene (School of Social Work) are the lead researchers for this project, and holders of a SSHRC Partnership Engage Grant. They are supported by graduate student research assistants, Samm Floren and Angelica Esposito. 

The YWCA of Hamilton is working with the Community Research Platform to conduct a survey with past participants of their Power UP Program, an intensive, ten week, business training program for women entrepreneurs looking to start or scale up their businesses. Through bi-weekly theme-based workshops and one-on-one business coaching sessions, Power Up participants develop a range of skills and strategies for building and scaling their business in critical areas such as, marking, sales, finance, legal and operations.

Since its launch in 2019, 69 individuals have joined the program. Feedback from participants indicates the program is achieving its objectives, however, the YWCA needs to obtain specific data on participant experience and business outcomes to support ongoing program improvement, advancement and sustainability. 

Working in collaboration with YWCA staff, this project is being led by Leora Sas van der Linden (CRP Program Manager) and Dr. James Gillet (Associate Professor, Dept. of Health, Aging and Society) and with the support of Madison Hayes (Undergraduate Student Research Assistant) and Allison Leanage (Post-Doctoral Fellow, Dept. of Political Sciences).