A small group of youths—including four with SFU ties—is working to provide greater awareness and support to those affected by mental illness in the Lower Mainland’s South Asian community.

Earlier this year they formed the South Asian Mental Health Action & Awareness (SAMHAA) community network and they hosted their first conference in October at Surrey’s Queen Elizabeth secondary school.

“We are all motivated to make a difference in this field,” says SAMHAA co-director Sukdeep Jassar, who is completing her master’s degree in public health at SFU.

“It all came together through social media—that’s how we met and discovered we shared an interest and similar goals of reaching out to our community.”

The group’s inaugural conference focused on solutions to help bridge the gap between those with mental health concerns and the services that could help them. Sessions were led in Punjabi and Hindi as well as English.

The speakers included G. Shimi Kang, a B.C. Women’s Hospital psychiatrist and founder of the provincial Youth Concurrent Disorders program.

“South Asian-specific cultural issues can impact the presentation, course and management of illness for affected individuals and their families,” says Kang.

“SAMHAA’s efforts will provide much needed awareness and key information about mental health and well-being for South Asians within their own cultural context.”

Jassar recently completed a practicum in Zambia, where she analyzed the state of mental health services. The experience renewed her desire to work in mental health care, particularly in her own cultural community.

The other SFU-affiliated SAMHAA members are health-sciences student Harisimran Kaur Kalra, alumna Natasha Raey, who has a bachelor’s degree in molecular biology and biochemistry (with honors) and Ramina Daur, who earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology.