Promising practice: Fostering mental well-being for clients and staff: a low-cost, sustainable approach

By Leizel Efe, Digital Community Engagement Specialist, Kababayan Multicultural Centre and Shane Torres, Youth and Family Support Counsellor, Kababayan Multicultural Centre

Quick Facts

Population of interest
Immigrant and newcomer families, youth, seniors, international students, and frontline staff of Kababayan Multicultural Centre (KMC).

Location
Greater Toronto Area, Canada

The need
At KMC, many clients experience complex challenges which affect their mental health as they adjust to life in Canada. They often face isolation, financial pressures, family reunification strains, and difficulty accessing affordable services.

International students, in particular, face barriers like precarious work, academic pressure, discrimination, and limited access to settlement supports, leading to loneliness and stress.

Employees of KMC faced increasing pressures due to high client-to-staff ratios, limited resources, and the absence of middle management. Supporting staff wellness became essential for sustaining service quality and meeting growing community needs.

What is Promising?

KMC implemented a layered approach to support mental well-being among clients and staff. At the client level, initiatives included psychoeducational workshops that promoted mental and emotional wellness for immigrant and newcomer families and youth. To complement these, KMC offered community-building and recreational activities to foster social connections and reduce isolation, such as a Community Picnic, Zumba sessions for seniors, and a Summer Wellness Forum featuring yoga and therapy dog visits. 

KMC also launched the International Student Peer Support Group to address specific challenges faced by international students. Weekly virtual sessions provided spaces for belonging, peer support, and coping strategies. Over the course of eight sessions, 15 students participated, with each session designed to promote connection and reduce feelings of isolation. In total, nine wellness activities were completed during this initiative, further supporting participants’ emotional and social well-being. 

At the staff level, KMC supported employees’ well-being by embedding wellness activities into monthly meetings, with rotating leadership among team members.

Staff accessed confidential support through an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) through their insurance provider, received self-care packages, and participated in professional development opportunities, such as Mental Health First Aid and Working Minds training, delivered through partnerships with organizations like the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants.  

These efforts helped strengthen resilience across KMC and built a foundation for sustained well-being initiatives.

Key Takeaway

The training provided practical steps for stress management, encouraging participants to develop personalized self-care plans. Many found the sessions transformative, reporting a shift in perspective on stress and recognizing their ability to manage it. Some attendees sought further counselling, while others noted reduction in stress after implementing self-care practices.

Integrating wellness activities into regular operations and programs can help small organizations better support the mental health of both clients and staff. Through simple, peer-led initiatives and strategic partnerships, even with limited resources, organizations can foster resilience, improve workplace culture, and build community connections.

About the Organization

Kababayan Multicultural Centre (KMC) is a non-profit organization in Toronto, Ontario, supporting the settlement and integration of immigrants from diverse backgrounds. Established in 1977, KMC provides accessible services, including one-on-one counselling, group workshops, information sessions, and programs for equity-deserving groups such as racialized youth, women, and seniors.

About the Intervention:

KMC developed a sustainable, low-cost approach to promoting mental well-being among both clients and staff by embedding simple, peer-led wellness practices into regular programs. For clients, the intervention focused on creating supportive spaces to build social connections, share coping strategies, and strengthen community engagement. For staff, it emphasized incorporating simple wellness activities into monthly meetings, providing access to confidential mental health resources, and professional development opportunities through partnerships. By prioritizing simplicity and maximizing existing resources, KMC established a resilient model that enhanced overall well-being without requiring additional infrastructure or significant new funding.

Successes

Through the International Student Peer Support Group, participants shared feeling less isolated and more confident in managing settlement and academic pressures. As one participant shared, "It was really helpful especially when we got to talk to other students experiencing the same thing. It made me feel less alone in Canada."

For staff, wellness activities boosted morale, teamwork, and service delivery. One staff member described the impact, sharing, "It affected me positively and allowed me to connect with my colleagues. Mini icebreaker activities felt like a stress reliever."

These efforts strengthened resilience across KMC and helped lay the groundwork for future program expansion, including the Seniors Active Living Centre (SALC) focused on mental well-being promotion.

Lessons Learned:

• First, flexibility was essential to client engagement. Offering virtual and optional participation allowed more clients to join despite diverse schedules.
• Second, embedding wellness activities into regular staff meetings helped normalize mental well-being conversations and encouraged greater participation.
• Lastly, building partnerships was critical to sustaining wellness efforts. Collaborations provided additional training opportunities and helped overcome funding limitations.

Through these efforts, KMC built a stronger foundation to expand mental well-being initiatives and support future program growth.