youths sitting with backs to viewer

Curriculum aims to prevent suicide of First Nations youth

According to Statistics Canada, suicide is the leading cause of death among young people. Within this demographic, First Nations youth are at a three times higher risk for attempting and completing suicide than their non-Indigenous counterparts.

A new curriculum for teachers or other professionals working with First Nations youth aims to reduce that risk.

Developed by Harvey A. McCue, a member of the Georgina Island First Nation and founding faculty member of Trent University's Indigenous Studies Program, and G. Brent Angell, UWindsor professor emeritus and past director of the School of Social Work, the First Nations Youth Suicide Prevention Curriculum consists of 24 one-hour classroom sessions, enhanced by innovative and interactive 360-degree videos.

The curriculum is experiential and includes detailed guidelines for educators as well as all required materials for in-class activities such as group discussions, quizzes, games, and other projects that provide opportunities for each youth participant to journal their journey of health and well-being.

The project was funded by Indigenous Services Canada and involved a number of University of Windsor alumni and students, including principal researcher and writer Amy Alberton (BA 2010, MSW 2016), a doctoral candidate in social work; Jessica Bakker North (BA 2012, B.Ed 2012, MSW 2015) from Chigamik Community Health Centre; and Naomi Williams (BA 2007, MSW 2009), also pursuing doctoral studies in social work.

Prof. McCue and Dr. Angell were also joined by Dylan Pearce from ReDefined Entertainment, who directed and produced the video aspects of the project, and First Nations comedian Howie Miller, who narrated the videos.

The curriculum is available free online, notes Angell, and has already in use by professionals.

“Youth suicide is huge,” he says. “We are fairly confident from the feedback we’ve gotten that it will help make a difference in terms of reducing risk.”

To view the curriculum, go to www.FirstNationsSuicidePrevention.com.

Dan WellsUWindsor alumnus Dan Wells will celebrate the 15th anniversary of his publishing house, Biblioasis, Oct. 1.

Public invited to celebrate local press with global reach

As Biblioasis prepares to celebrate its 15th anniversary, founder Dan Wells (BA 1996) credits the University of Windsor as “a big part” of the success the publishing house has enjoyed.

“I don't think I would have been here if it hadn’t been for the professors I had at the University who challenged me to be better, and who opened up a world of literature I would not otherwise have known,” says Wells. “The fact that Dr. Richard Hornsey put Clark Blaise’s Tribal Justice in my hands in a second-year creative writing class and I’m now his publisher still is a bit surreal to me.”

The business has grown from a one-person operation to one of the country’s most lauded literary presses. Among its current achievements is the shortlisting of Lucy Ellmann’s 1,000-page plus novel Ducks, Newburyport for the Booker Prize, and the Giller Prize nominations of the novel Dream Sequence by Adam Foulds, and the short story collection Late Breaking by K.D. Miller.

Its location in Windsor has been a boon to Biblioasis.

Four of its employees, in addition to Wells, are UWindsor alumni — Sharon Hanna (BA 2013, MA 2015), Christina Angeli (BA 2015, MA 2017), Chloe Moore (BA 2019), and Meghan Desjardins (BA 2013) — and its staff includes current students Ashley Van Elswyk, Emma Rock, and Scarlet Kennedy.

“A successful enterprise of any sort takes a community to stand behind it,” Wells says. “Being here in Windsor has allowed us to take chances that we probably wouldn't have been able to take elsewhere.”

The public is invited to mark the anniversary at a reception on Tuesday, Oct. 1. It begins at 7 p.m. at Sho Art, Spirit, & Performance, 628 Monmouth Rd, and will feature readings by Biblioasis authors Taras Grescoe, Pauline Holdstock, Stéphane Larue, Catherine Leroux, and Martha Wilson.

Mary DonohueDrama in education grad Mary Donohue is the guest speaker for the Oct. 4 Alumni on Campus Lunch.

Luncheon aimed at UWindsor alumni working on campus

UWindsor grads working at the University are the honoured guests of the Alumni on Campus Lunch, Friday, Oct. 4.

Hosted by the Alumni Association, the event recognizes faculty and staff who enjoyed the UWindsor student experience first-hand.

Mary Donohue (BA 1988) will open with a presentation entitled “Recovering your Me Time: Being your best self digitally,” at noon in the Essex Hall Theatre. Dr. Donohue is the founder of Donohue Learning and author of the book Message Received: 7 steps to break down communication barriers at work.

Following her talk, guests will proceed to lunch in the Jackman Dramatic Art Centre. Register through the alumni website. It is one in a series of activities planned for Alumni Week; consult the full schedule.

UWin Proud trivia contest promoThe UWin Proud trivia contest offers a chance to win a Google Home device.

Trivia contest to mark spirit program birthday

On Wednesday, Oct. 2, the University of Windsor will celebrate UWin Day, the unofficial birthday of UWin Proud, the University’s spirit program.

Cake and cupcakes will be served to students in several campus buildings — Odette, Leddy Library, Windsor Hall, Essex, Education, Toldo, CAW Student Centre. In the evening, a session of EPIC Bingo will offer over $1,000 in prizes.

Staff and faculty can get involved by wearing blue and gold on UWin Day and by participating in the UWin Proud trivia contest.

All respondents who correctly answer eight questions about the University of Windsor will be entered into a draw to win a Google Home device. Try your luck here.

Poorna MysoorPoorna Mysoor, Leverhulme Trust early career fellow at the University of Oxford Faculty of Law, will discuss “Internet, Right of Communication to the Public, and Implied Licence,” Wednesday at Windsor Law.

Lecture to explore issue of implied licence

A lecture Wednesday, Oct. 2, will explore whether the flexibilities in the doctrine of implied licence can be pressed into service to make sense of the right of communication to the public.

Poorna Mysoor of the University of Oxford Faculty of Law will deliver “Internet, Right of Communication to the Public, and Implied Licence” at noon in the Ron W. Ianni Faculty of Law Building’s Farmer Conference Room.

Her presentation explores the extent to which implied licences can deal with the access to infringing content on the Internet in a way that brings about a better balance among the interests of various stakeholders.

The host Windsor Law LTEC Lab will provide lunch, but space is limited. Register at www.uwindsor.ca/law/poorna-mysoor.

Thanksgiving dinner: roast turkey with fixingsOpen your home to an international student ready to try Canadian Thanksgiving traditions through the Host for the Holidays program.

Tuesday deadline to apply as holiday host

Local families hoping to make their Thanksgiving celebrations a little more multicultural have until Tuesday, Oct. 1, to apply to act as a Host for the Holidays.

The program matches those willing to open their homes with international students eager for a taste of Canadian culture. Families can host a meal Oct. 12, 13, or 14. This year the program will operate only for Thanksgiving; previously it extended to the Christmas season as well.

Beth Oakley, director of the International Student Centre, says the University takes pride in the welcome provided by the hosts.

“When the community steps up to host families for Thanksgiving, it allows the students to see how truly giving and community-minded the Windsor-Essex region is,” she says. “Our hosts always tell us what a positive experience it is for their families as well. Many hosts sign up year after year.”

The centre will accept applications to host through Tuesday, Oct. 1. Learn more, or sign up to receive a Thanksgiving guest, on the Host for the Holidays website.