The Durham Catholic District School Board is highlighting mental health supports for Black students and families in Ajax, Ontario, through a series of school activities and resources from March 2 to March 8, 2026. This initiative aims to provide direct assistance and information to help families navigate wellness services that understand their cultural background.
The theme for the week is “The Power of Connection: Ancestral Wisdom in a Digital Age,” which uses the Seven Principles of Kwanzaa to discuss mental health. Students from local Black Student Unions (BSUs), including those at Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School and Archbishop Denis O’Connor Catholic High School, created reflection posters that are being used to guide daily classroom discussions.
At Notre Dame, the student group focused on creativity (Kuumba) as a way to make their community more supportive. Students at Archbishop Denis O’Connor led reflections on the importance of cooperative economics (Ujamaa) and finding a sense of purpose (Nia) to build a stronger community for everyone.
Families are encouraged to access specific health services during the week, such as the Black Youth Helpline and the TAIBU Community Health Centre. The board is also promoting resources from the Ifarada Centre for Excellence and the Kujenga Family Wellness Project to help students find proactive care.
On March 3, 2026, the board’s Special Education Advisory Committee met. The committee includes representation from the Sawubona Africentric Circle of Support and works to ensure that local students with special needs have access to community resources and support systems that respect their identity.
