The Role of School Counsellors in the National Aboriginal Youth Suicide Prevention Strategy: An Illustration

Authors

  • Noorfarah Merali University of Alberta

Keywords:

School Counsellors, Aboriginal, Suicide, Youth

Abstract

Suicide clusters among Aboriginal communities have been attributed to shared family, social, and environmental adversities linked to their history of colonization and residential schooling. Aboriginal leaders often request mental health support from outside their communities to manage these crises. Health Canada’s National Aboriginal Youth Suicide Prevention Strategy outlines evidence-based activities to be implemented by, or in collaboration with, community members. This article situates school counsellors working in schools on or near Aboriginal reserves within Health Canada’s framework, and describes through an illustration how they can create sustainable partnerships with community members to augment the work of external crisis teams.

Author Biography

Noorfarah Merali, University of Alberta

Noorfarah Merali is a Registered Counselling Psychologist and Associate Professor of Counselling Psychology at the University of Alberta. She has over 15 years of experience in cross-cultural counselling, research, and consulting.

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Published

2017-07-28

How to Cite

Merali, N. (2017). The Role of School Counsellors in the National Aboriginal Youth Suicide Prevention Strategy: An Illustration. Canadian Journal of Counselling and Psychotherapy, 51(3). Retrieved from https://cjc-rcc.ucalgary.ca/article/view/61142

Issue

Section

Articles/ Articles