A new initiative funded by the Niagara Community Foundation and spearheaded by Club Wellness Niagara is giving students in theRecreation Therapy and Social Service Worker programs hands-on experience and a chance to help people across Niagara connect with the supports and services they need.

The Wellness Connection Tour is a project that reduces wellness barriers through travelling tradeshow-like events. At least once a week, the tour stops in one community in Niagara to give people access to free wellness programming and resources, such as housing support, employment services, medical care and substance use programs.

At least 1,000 people have already benefitted from the more than 12 wellness events that have taken place since February, said Club Wellness Niagara founder and tour coordinator Christina Milloy. The tour travels to St. Catharines, Welland, Niagara Falls, Thorold, Crystal Beach, Fort Erie and Port Colborne.

Niagara College students are participating by having conversations with event participants, engaging them in recreational activities and connecting them to the community resources they need.

Milloy, a NC Recreation Therapy alumna, said the tour was created in response to the systemic barriers she sees people continually face for their health and wellness.

“Poverty can be a vicious cycle for people, and the tour [helps] reduce some of those barriers for people living in our community,” she said. “Everything at the event is free. We travel to various locations across Niagara so folks can attend at a place that is close and safe for them, and we connect people to free community resources so they know what services and supports are available to them.”

Milloy said she’s seen the value of recreation in the community first-hand. That’s why the events were initially intended to be a way for organizations to come together “to show people that they are loved and cared about.”

Then she saw the opportunity for the tour to double as a meaningful, real-life learning experience for Niagara College students.

“Students are so full of life, creativity and passion. They are driven to make positive impacts with people,” she said. “They are learning real skills that can be applied in practical settings. The tour gives students the opportunity to use those skills in the community where they are meeting all different types of people at all different stages in life.”

School of Community Services Associate Dean Carol Phillips said the initiative is the first of its kind for students in the Recreation Therapy and Social Service Worker programs, and it exposes them to a unique learning opportunity.

“They come to understand that a desire to respond to a community need is really the catalyst in making a difference in the healthiness and well-being of individuals and communities,” Phillips said. “Students take part in all elements of this project—especially in building relationships with people from diverse backgrounds.

“The ability to respond to people with empathy is an essential employability skill for students in all community service programs.”

For Josh Montgomery, a recent graduate of the Social Service Worker program, the tour has done more than just prepare him for working with different populations within the community; it’s been personally gratifying, too.

“What I’ve enjoyed [about] being a part of the Wellness Connection tour is being able to connect with so many different people from around the Niagara region, and to be able to brighten everyone’s day,” he said. “It’s given me a better understanding of what population of people I would like to work with.”

Niagara Community Foundation, through its David S. Howes Fund, is providing funding for the tour for one year. The Fund distributes grants to support postsecondary, facilities, research, health care services, education and humanitarian issues throughout Niagara.

“Niagara College gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Niagara Community Foundation,” said Philips. “The Foundation builds permanently endowed charitable funds and provides grants to eligible charitable organizations in culture, health, education, environment, recreation and social service sectors.”

Students have been working with 21 organizations, including grant partners Niagara Regional Housing (NRH) and Niagara’s Mobile Closet (NMC), all of which support the tour in various ways.

NRH communities are the target locations. The non-profit organization uses its physical spaces and resources for events, while also promoting events in its buildings. Meanwhile, NMC is meeting community needs by providing access to no-cost essential items for living, including clothing and daily necessities.

Recreation Therapy students in the Research and Evaluation course were also charged with the responsibility of creating feedback surveys, analyzing the data and writing reports.

Funding for the tour will expire in December 2022, but Milloy would love to see the tour become a permanent community service.

“It’s been a valuable learning experience for students and a great way for organizations to outreach in the community and connect with people,” she said. “There is definitely potential to collaborate with community partners to apply for more funding and continue to grow.”

Phillips agreed, saying the project is something she’d like to keep the College involved with.

“It is a win-win for our students and the individuals that the Wellness Tour supports,” she said.

Niagara College offers more than 130 diploma, bachelor degree and advanced level programs; as well as more than 600 credit, vocational and general interest Part-Time Studies courses. Areas of specialization include food and wine sciences, advanced technology, media, applied health and community safety, supported by unique learning enterprises in food, wine, beer, distilling, horticulture and esthetics. For more information visit niagaracollege.ca.

Photo: Students enrolled in Niagara College’s Recreation Therapy and Social Service Worker programs have been travelling throughout the Niagara region with Wellness Niagara to give people access the community resources and supports they need. More than 20 organizations, including Niagara Regional Housing and Niagara’s Mobile Closet, are involved with the program, which operates like a traveling trade show. Thanks to funding from the Niagara Community Foundation through its David S. Howe Fund, the tour will continue through the end of 2022. (Photo courtesy of Christina Milloy)