Our Projects
ABRAR Trauma and Mental Health has piloted and created many projects related to trauma and mental health to support marginalised groups with focus on immigrants and newcomers, and continues to advocate within the community .
In This Together
A National Mental Health Campaign to advocate and call for a Post-Pandemic Mental Health Recovery Plan for youth in Canada, with a focus on those who come from marginalized backgrounds. The In This Together Campaign was launched in Feb 2021. During this time, we conducted research; hosted support groups for BIPOC youth; facilitated workshops; had an open letter signed by community organizations and youth across Canada; and hosted our Together Towards Recovery Conference II on Bell Let’s Talk Day: Jan-26-2022, along with publishing our final report for Recovery recommendations.

Brave Space
Brave Space is a support group for Muslim women to discuss the topic of islamophobia and mental health in order to share their experiences and build valuable coping skills. The project was first piloted with the support of HCCI, SASHA, and Nirndar Nann as a 4 weeks group in Hamilton in November of 2021. Brave space has been extended and relaunched for February 2023 in 4 cities (London, Hamilton, Kitchener, Mississauga) in partnership with HCCI and Islamic Relief Canada. The goal of this project is to come together in support of one another in light of the multiple islamophobia attacks in Canada over the past few years and celebrate the resilience of Muslim women.

Friends & Coffee
Friends & Coffee was successfully piloted during the pandemic in partnership with the Syrian Canadian Foundation. After COVID-19 hit the world suddenly, the implications have been continuously hard on families, especially newcomers. Friends & Coffee was tailored with this in mind as to support Arabic-speaking newcomer women across Canada.

Dil Ba Dil
Dil Ba Dil" (a Dari phrase meaning "heart to heart") is a trauma-informed, culturally competent, and early intervention weekly support group project for Afghan refugee and newcomer women. The program was piloted successfully in Kitchener, Waterloo, on October 2022 in partnership with The Mental Health Commission of Canada and Future Ready Initiative. The program is offered in English, Dari and/or Pashto.

Nonviolent Communication training
Nonviolent Communication training is a training program about communication techniques that allow us to connect with our feelings, listen and take care of our needs, and express ourselves clearly while taking into account the feelings and needs of others. The training is being offered to Arabic-speaking newcomer youth and was delivered successfully in the summer of 2021 in partnership with Giraffe Effect Group in Turkey.

Syrian Trauma healing
A project where a brave space is provided to refugees and newcomers from diverse backgrounds in Syria. The aim is to support their healing process through culturally competent, trauma informed, and art based approaches in order to enable them to thrive and move toward their own success. The project is in the process of creation and development.
