Kativik campaign encourages acts of kindness

Initiative by housing bureau aims to improve mental health, living conditions for Nunavimmiut

From left, campaign organizers include Laura Lapointe, Lisi Ann Kasudluak, Minnie Grey, Lucy Kumarluk, Sammy Duncan, Valerie Lock and Yvan Loubier. (Photo courtesy of Laura Lapointe)

By Jeff Pelletier - Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Kativik Municipal Housing Bureau has launched its first Acts of Kindness challenge, encouraging people to perform good deeds for others with the goal of improving mental health, living conditions and community spirit in Nunavik.

The challenge is a new mental health initiative, part of the bureau’s Pivallianiq program that promotes keeping public housing clean and maintained while preventing vandalism.

Nunavimmiut ages 14 and older can share the acts of kindness they perform in an online form on the bureau’s website and social media, with the chance to be recognized publicly and win prizes, said program manager Laura Lapointe.

“This challenge highlights the importance of wellness, and it’s really focused on positive mental health awareness, and also, being together as a community,” Lapointe said.

“We have to be there for people, and by doing acts of kindness for someone or good actions, that’s very positive.”

Submissions of good deeds can be made until November, when a winning act of kindness will be announced. As a prize, the winner will be able to go on a winter trip to a Nunavik national park with five family members or friends.

More than a dozen finalists, and the eventual winner, will be decided by a panel of judges made up of housing bureau and Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services employees.

Lapointe said she hopes the challenge inspires people all over Nunavik — not just housing bureau tenants — to perform meaningful acts of kindness and service for friends, family members and others in their communities.

Overall, she said she hopes it will bring attention to the region’s mental health needs, and also break the stigma people face when asking for help.

“This is really more about opening to people solidarity among the community, and rewarding good actions around because that’s what gives us strength,” Lapointe said.

“It’s more about the mental health awareness and the importance of reaching out, that we want to encourage people to be more open about this.”

 

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(10) Comments:

  1. Posted by DUMBFOUNDED!! on

    WHAT A JOKE! KMHB Kuujjuaq SHOULD INVESTIGATE JUST HOW BAD THEIR ORGANIZATION IS FROM WITHIN. INUIT ARE BEING TRAMPLED UPON AND TREATED LIKE DIRT FOR YEARS FROM THOSE WHO WERE HIRED FROM THE SOUTH and by management and board. ONCE AGAIN, WHAT A JOKE. ENCOURAGE AN ACT OF KINDNESS..

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    • Posted by RENT ARREARS on

      $17 million owed in nunavik to KMHB and you want to be treated like royaltie

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      • Posted by Kindness can also be not so kind on

        Maybe this whole kindness idea can play against the housing bureau. They could be kindly interpreted as enabling rent arrears to continue with kindness.

  2. Posted by Want to be nice on

    If people want to be serious about appropriate and nice and kindness for mental health, I suggest start by confronting the drunkenness in many communities. We can continue to hid behind and pretend to be tolerant, but drunks are a major contributor to mental illness and it’s ridiculously sick to see so much. Stop the fake kindness towards these behaviours. And let’s not just pick family and friends to issue undue credit , let’s look for real heart kindness.

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    • Posted by Booze money or rent money on

      It’s booze money that depletes rent money. Yes deal with the booze issue with kindness. What a joke really, kindness among the rotting condition, without doing anything about the rot.

  3. Posted by Inappropriate on

    This is so cheap and inappropriate in the midst of not dealing with core issues of abuses. We’re saturated with booze to the point of no return, and instead of addressing this deplorable situation, they find a way to make a cheap shot at healing and mental well-being by having a contest. You people need to get real if you worship those positions you fill. Inappropriate and sickening.

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  4. Posted by C stephen on

    I like it, it is a well intentioned initiative. First thing that came to my mind was If health services have an elders support type program. Weekly scheduled visits to help them out with little things and a warm and friendly tea.

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    • Posted by C Stephen on

      Isolation is abuse, heard of Julian Assange?

    • Posted by Treat your elders with respect on

      If people would treat elders around them with respect, having tea once a week with them for mental health and we’ll being would not be an issue. Nunavik has so much elder abuse. From taking their pensions, and not even visiting them.

  5. Posted by Rewards on

    Like kids getting a candy or a star on their math quiz. Rewards in money, and other materials are useless. When you act in a kind way towards others, it’s only rewarding intrinsic. Outside rewards defeats the heart and soul out of it, when it’s material. Recognize it but don’t buy away the seed of kindness, it can’t be bought.

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